Just 3 kilometers west of the modern town Shumen lay the ruins of what use to be a great Bulgarian fortress. The first settlement on the site is of Thracian origin and dates to XII c.BC. Later on it fell under the power of Rome. At that time the first fortifications were made. Still, it could not withstand the invasion of Slavic and Avarian tribes. The magnificent Shumen Fortress was build up from the ruins by Khan Omurtag, who ruled between 814 and 831 AC the founded by Khan Asparuh 150 years ago Bulgarian state. The fortress played a vital role in the history of Bulgaria. In 11 th century the fortress was conquest by Byzantine, but regained back with the restoration of the Bulgarian State. It was in fact one of the few strongholds to resist the first wave of the Ottoman invasion. Still in 1444 it was raided and burned down by the Crusade armies of Wladyslaw III Warnenczyk.
