Kazanlak

To the north of the city of Kazanlak, hundreds of monumental Thracian tomb-temples were discovered, shaped as large round burial mounds. These include remarkable paintings, gold treasures, and monumental architecture. The valley, also known as the Valley of the Roses, was the settlement area of the ancient Thracians and served as a sacred zone where kings and nobles were buried. The most famous tomb is that of King Seuthes, called Kosmatka, located near the village of Shipka.

About 50,000 people live in the city of Kazanlak, which became famous for two industries: weapons manufacturing on one hand, and rose oil production on the other. Hence, it is often called the “City of Roses and Guns.”

On a hill in the heart of the city, a Thracian tomb was discovered featuring unique 2,400-year-old frescoes. The paintings depict processions and acts of worship, including sacred figures, horse-drawn chariots (seen as connectors between this world and the next), and a sun circle. According to Lyudmila Zhivkova, the paintings portray a royal burial ceremony: a couple holding hands in an intimate and tender farewell. The woman sits on a royal throne resembling the Empress from a deck of cards; the man is dressed in a white toga and wears a crown of golden oak leaves—similar to crowns found in other tombs. Another woman offers them fruit—pomegranates, associated with the afterlife—and behind her, musicians are playing.

Other noteworthy tomb-temples in the Valley of the Kings from the 4th–5th centuries BCE include the Shushmanets Tomb, the Helvetia Tomb, the Golyama Arsenalka Tomb, and especially the Ostrusha Tomb. In this temple, a central chamber was found that is actually a monumental granite sarcophagus, perfectly carved and smoothed, weighing 60 tons. It is covered by a roof stone that weighs 30 tons. On the underside of this massive stone are painted square panels, one of which features a woman covered in gold. It remains a mystery how the ancients carved and transported such enormous granite stones—an achievement reminiscent of the great granite constructions of Egypt.

South of Kazanlak, at the bottom of the nearby lake, lies an entire city built in the Greek Hippodamian grid design. This city, Seuthopolis, was founded by King Seuthes and served as the capital of the Thracian kingdom. Artifacts and a model of the city can be viewed in the Kazanlak City Museum. Also south of Kazanlak is the megalithic Sun Gate of Buzovgrad.