Overview:

Village: STAROSEL | Region: South Central | Distance to Plovdiv: 50 km
Place of nature: Stara planina mountain | Sites: Thracian temple and Winery

Starosel is located 21 km from the town of Hisarya with 1050 inhabitants. The area is famous for wine and SPA tourism.

Not far from Starosel archaeologists discovered a temple (Chetinyova Mogila) of a Thracian ruler Sitalk. This site, which gained world popularity in 2002, dates back to the 5 century BC. It has exquisite architecture and it is constructed with some 4,000 heavy stone blocks.

There are 5 other temples in the area, positioning Starosel as the center of the Thracians civilisation. In antiquity, it was the third-largest city after Philippopolis (Plovdiv) and Beroe (Stara Zagora). Megalith “Slanchevi dveri” consists of two gigantic egg-shaped rocks leaning against each other. This solid structure resembles an entrance and is part of another site known as Kamenitza also near Starosel.

A water reservoir near the village provides the perfect opportunity for sport, fishing and walking.

Hisarya

The resort town of Hisarya is located 41 km away. North of Plovdiv, an early settlement here was founded by the emperor Diocletian  in IV c.

The town owes its fame to warm mineral waters and a soft climate. In Roman times, Hisarya was a well-developed resort with spacious streets, Roman baths, sewers, numerous statues of gods. A fortress wall encircling part of the town and is one of the best-preserved in Europe.

The mineral waters are used for drinking and offer well-known health benefits.