Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Drone photos show a bird's eye view of the legendary Thracian sanctuary of Orpheus near the village of Tatul

Photo: Aneliya Kryndeva

New drone photos show the legendary Thracian sanctuary of Orpheus near the village of Tatul from a bird's eye view. A few days ago, the archaeological excavations near the unique temple of the mythical Thracian hero, discovered at the beginning of the XXI century near the village of Tatul in Momchilgrad, were completed. 

The head of the archaeological works in the Rhodope Mountains, Prof. Dr. Nikolay Ovcharov, has filmed the well-preserved sites with a drone. Anyone interested in the history and archaeology of these lands can get a bird's eye view of the early Christian church and the Roman temple near the legendary sanctuary of Orpheus. 

Excavations in the autumn of 2022 have uncovered the remains of a large Christian church built in the 5th-6th centuries. In the words of Prof. Dr. Ovcharov it lasted until the 9th-12th centuries. Its size, reaching almost 18 m in length, ranks it among the three largest Christian temples discovered so far in the Eastern Rhodopes. The surprise discovery was that the church was built on the foundations of a much older monumental building. 

Fragments of walls and an almost 2-m wide massive stone threshold at the entrance testify that there was a huge temple there, which according to archaeologist Ovcharov can be dated to the 3rd-4th century, judging by the coins and ceramics found. 


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Expect scorching temperatures and a light breeze

It will be clear across the country tonight, with a light easterly breeze in eastern Bulgaria. Expect another hot and sunny day, with temperatures reaching 35–40 °C. Later in the day, a cold atmospheric front will move in from the west,..

published on 6/26/25 7:05 PM
Photo: Municipality of Karnobat / Facebook

A large fire is burning near Karnobat, the BG-Alert system to be activated

A large fire stretching about 10 kilometers is burning east of the town of Karnobat, Burgas district, reported the mayor of Karnobat Municipality Georgi Dimitrov. Due to strong winds, extinguishing the fire is difficult, said BNR’s correspondent..

published on 6/26/25 6:10 PM

A culinary festival in Chepelare marks the start of the summer mountain tourist season

A vibrant and free-entry event will mark the beginning of the summer mountain tourist season in the Rhorope town of Chepelare. Starting on June 27 at 6:00 pm in Olympic Square, the festival will offer a combination of traditional Rhodope cuisine and..

published on 6/26/25 5:57 PM