Castra Rubra

Perperikon is the largest ancient and sacred city in the Balkans. It is carved from stone, hence its name, which is associated with the Thracian stone god Per. It is located on the Perperikon hill of the same name in the Eastern Rhodopes, 15 km northeast of Kardzhali. In the eternal city are the remains of the sanctuary of the god Dionysius with the famous altar of predictions. It has often been compared to the magnificent Temple of Apollo at Delphi. In the past, the area was a rich source of gold, from which the Perpera gold coins were minted.

The stone mushrooms are rock formations located right by the village of Beli Plast on the side of the road connecting Kardzhali with Haskovo. The protected area is around 3 hectares. They have been declared a natural landmark since 1974. The rock formations have the shape of natural mushrooms – their stumps are pink and their caps are greenish.

The museum centre “Thracian Art in the Eastern Rhodopes” is located in the immediate vicinity of the Alexandrov Tomb. A highlight of the exhibition hall of the museum centre is the exact copy of the original tomb of Alexander. Through the replica, visitors are given the opportunity to get acquainted with a truly unique monument of ancient art in Thrace. The rich exposition also shows numerous artefacts from the Thracian period in the region of the city of Haskovo, a large part of which can be seen in the frescoes of the Alexander Tomb – weapons, jewellery, dishes, etc.