FortressUstren (Устрен)

Ustra Fortress

Ustra Fortress

The remains of the fortress can be visited

Ustra Fortress, one of the highest-situated fortifications in the Rhodope Mountains, is in Bulgaria. It is located near the village of Ustren in the municipality of Dzhebel, Kardzhali district.

History+

The origins of Ustra Fortress date back to the 10th century. Its construction primarily served to protect a trade route that passed through the Rhodopes. The site was archaeologically explored between 1971 and 1973. The fortress walls, which reach a length of 113 meters and enclose an area of 1,286 square meters, are preserved in some places up to eight meters high. They were built from broken rock. Three towers are preserved: one semicircular and two rectangular, which were once three stories high and featured internal stone staircases. Access to the fortress was from the east side, while eight three-story buildings were integrated into the southern and southeastern areas. Vertical rock faces provided protection to the north and northwest.

Location+

Ustra Fortress is situated at an altitude of approximately 933 meters above sea level.

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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ustra-bottomup-2.JPG

This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.

Location: 41.4704, 25.2255