Belogradchiks castle "Kaleto"

Romans first built a stronghold here (1st-3rd century). The Roman stronghold was built earlier than Bononia was and was the major one in the region. Wall was built to the North-West and one to South-east, as their width was 4-5 m, and the height- 12m. The three grounds in the stronghold were most probably connected to wooden ladders and ready for defence. In the rocks are caved two reservoirs about 2m wide and over 10m deep. 

  The late Antiquity is testified by materials from the Stronghold(first slab), the stronghold Uzbeg, the Magaza area and the Markashnishkoto stronghold. 

  Due to its bad location and the constraction of the stronghold among the Belogradchik Rocks in 3rd century, the first settlement survived for a short period of time. 

  The new settlement came into being neighboring on the stronghold in order to serve the garrison. This probably happened in 3rd century which is also proved by the nowadays existing Belogradchik stronghold. 

  The settlement lived after the invasion of the Huns and the Byzantine rule during the period 5th- 6th century.

The settlement and the stronghold continued to develop even during the early Middle Ages. Along with the growth of the importance of the Belogradchik stronghold grew and the settlement as it reached its efflorescence in the period of Sracimir’s rule. 

  Already during The First Bulgarian Kingdom there were few important strongholds (except for the Belogradchik one) in the region, scattered within 50km radius of the town. The biggest was the stronghold Uzbeg, erected on a huge rock massif, inaccessible, with a big visual range(it was on the old Roman road which still played an important role then). The only access to the high stronghold was by rope-bridges, thrown from near rocks. Gradually, for unfamiliar to us reasons, the functions of this stronghold decreased and during the time of The Second Bulgarian Kingdom the Belogradchik stronghold remained the major one.