Medieval Town of Cherven
The village of Cherven is located 7.5 km in a straight line from Pepelina and 24 km by road. Near the village lies the medieval fortress of the same name, which was an important military, administrative, cultural, and spiritual center during the Second Bulgarian Empire. The first settlers in the lands around Pepelina and Cherven were the Thracians. They recognized the natural shelters provided by the high vertical cliffs and established settlements in the area, as evidenced by numerous archaeological findings. The lack of written records about Cherven’s history makes artifacts from different eras especially valuable for uncovering its past.
The foundations of the medieval fortress were most likely laid in the 5th century, during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, as a defense against the Slavic invasions. Destroyed by the Slavs and later rebuilt by the Byzantines, the fortress retained its strategic functions due to its location on the road from the Danube River to the interior of the empire. After the end of Byzantine rule, Cherven became one of the first cities to be liberated. Over time, it developed into one of the most significant centers of the Second Bulgarian State.
Archaeological research shows that the city was divided into two parts, shaped by the terrain. One was the citadel—a fortress built on a rocky plateau rising up to 100 meters high. This is where the administrative headquarters, 13 churches, and the homes of noble citizens were located. The other part was the actual town, surrounding the fortress, which served auxiliary functions.
The prominence of medieval Cherven was based on the development of trade and craftsmanship. Construction, goldsmithing, and other domestic crafts were the livelihoods of the local people. Pepelina played an important role in the development of iron mining and processing, likely producing the charcoal used for smelting ore and forging iron.
Cherven gained particular importance in 1235, when it became the seat of the Cherven Metropolitanate. During the Ottoman invasion in 1388, the city was captured and destroyed. In the early years of Ottoman rule, Cherven retained its role as an administrative center, but gradually declined and lost its significance (though to this day, the Dorostol-Cherven Eparchy still bears its name).
In 1965, Cherven was declared a national archaeological reserve. Today, the preserved medieval ruins are an attractive destination for connecting with the history of Bulgaria’s glorious past.
