Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
3.5
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3.5
225 reviews
Excellent
68
Very good
69
Average
47
Poor
22
Terrible
19
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SAK
Plovdiv, Bulgaria12 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Perfect replica of a Hellenistic gem (moose is inaccessible). Not relying on dimensions - may seem cramped. Sublime decorations, with attention to detail, that have spilled bcp ink.
Choose the period/times to visit (4 people max) because you have to stay to appreciate the detail.
Choose the period/times to visit (4 people max) because you have to stay to appreciate the detail.
Automatically translated
Written 7 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Georgi G
6 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
Does not deserves a star or being a UNESCO heritage.
One can only visit a “copy” of the tomb. No English guide as this country is 50 years behind in every possible way.
And of course, very overpriced.
Complete waste of time and a huge disappointment.
One can only visit a “copy” of the tomb. No English guide as this country is 50 years behind in every possible way.
And of course, very overpriced.
Complete waste of time and a huge disappointment.
Written 3 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thetravelbug2022
Stara Zagora52 contributions
The Tomb of Seuthus III
Just outside Kazanlak, along the road to the Shipka pass, lies the tomb now thought to belong to Thracian King, Seuthus III.
From the outside the tomb looks little more than a large mole hill covered in grass. In fact all over the flat valley bottom, there are mounds just like this, some large, some tiny, but all similar in appearance and all left over from around the 5th century BC. It is estimated there are around 1,500 such tombs and thus the area has been renamed the Valley of the Thracian Kings. However, only a handful have been excavated and not all the mounds actually contain the stone-built tombs inside.
Little is known about the Thracian culture, although the opening and exploration of a few of these tombs has revealed various treasures from which assumptions can be made. The tomb of Seuthus III was excavated in September 2004.
Now, the tomb can be reached by a brand new tarmac road, leading to car park by the side of the large mound. On the south side of the mound, an opening has been dug into the side and new glass doors enclose a foyer where pamphlets in both Bulgarian and English can be purchased and where you pay 3 leva per person to enter the tomb itself and have your own guide in English (and other languages).
Right in the doorway to the foyer is a large stone. This is the spot where a bronze head of a bearded man was discovered. It had been snapped off a statue and lay propped up by stones at the entrance to the tomb. A replica is now there.
From the tomb’s ‘foyer’ a corridor runs for around 13 metres into the centre of the mound where three rooms were found. This corridor had been filled with stones and soil when it was originally found but the roof and walls, which are made of huge square carved granite blocks, show that at some point, a fire had raged through the corridor, blackening the walls and ceiling. It is thought that maybe the wooden support structures where set alight when the tomb was closed.
At the end of this corridor is a small rectangular room with a sloping ceiling. The skeleton of a horse was found this chamber and it is believed that the animal was sacrificed so as to accompany its owner to the next life. In other burial mounds, the skeletons of large dogs have been found and in some, the bodies of young females, possibly wives of the tomb’s owner as it is thought that it may have been an honour to die and be buried with your husband.
The chamber above leads into a small round room with an impressive domed ceiling and through this you enter the burial chamber. This room appears to have been carved out of one enormous block of stone, with a bed or table, carved into the far wall. It was in here that the body of King Seuthus III was found, along with many golden treasures, including a golden wreath and a cup and many other exquisite ornaments. A richly woven cloth covered the floor and the bed. The tomb owner was identified by inscriptions found on some of the items in the tomb. King Seuthus III had built his city, called Seuthopolis not far from the tomb but unfortunately it now lies at the bottom of a large reservoir.
Many of the treasures found are now on display in the museum in Kazanlak. Other tombs are slowly being excavated and a number are to be linked by a tarmac road or trail, leading from one to the other. For any one interested in ancient history and culture, you should make the effort to visit one or two of these Thracian burial mounds that populate the area around Kazanlak. Other tombs are found in various locations around Bulgaria.
Rachel Gawith
Just outside Kazanlak, along the road to the Shipka pass, lies the tomb now thought to belong to Thracian King, Seuthus III.
From the outside the tomb looks little more than a large mole hill covered in grass. In fact all over the flat valley bottom, there are mounds just like this, some large, some tiny, but all similar in appearance and all left over from around the 5th century BC. It is estimated there are around 1,500 such tombs and thus the area has been renamed the Valley of the Thracian Kings. However, only a handful have been excavated and not all the mounds actually contain the stone-built tombs inside.
Little is known about the Thracian culture, although the opening and exploration of a few of these tombs has revealed various treasures from which assumptions can be made. The tomb of Seuthus III was excavated in September 2004.
Now, the tomb can be reached by a brand new tarmac road, leading to car park by the side of the large mound. On the south side of the mound, an opening has been dug into the side and new glass doors enclose a foyer where pamphlets in both Bulgarian and English can be purchased and where you pay 3 leva per person to enter the tomb itself and have your own guide in English (and other languages).
Right in the doorway to the foyer is a large stone. This is the spot where a bronze head of a bearded man was discovered. It had been snapped off a statue and lay propped up by stones at the entrance to the tomb. A replica is now there.
From the tomb’s ‘foyer’ a corridor runs for around 13 metres into the centre of the mound where three rooms were found. This corridor had been filled with stones and soil when it was originally found but the roof and walls, which are made of huge square carved granite blocks, show that at some point, a fire had raged through the corridor, blackening the walls and ceiling. It is thought that maybe the wooden support structures where set alight when the tomb was closed.
At the end of this corridor is a small rectangular room with a sloping ceiling. The skeleton of a horse was found this chamber and it is believed that the animal was sacrificed so as to accompany its owner to the next life. In other burial mounds, the skeletons of large dogs have been found and in some, the bodies of young females, possibly wives of the tomb’s owner as it is thought that it may have been an honour to die and be buried with your husband.
The chamber above leads into a small round room with an impressive domed ceiling and through this you enter the burial chamber. This room appears to have been carved out of one enormous block of stone, with a bed or table, carved into the far wall. It was in here that the body of King Seuthus III was found, along with many golden treasures, including a golden wreath and a cup and many other exquisite ornaments. A richly woven cloth covered the floor and the bed. The tomb owner was identified by inscriptions found on some of the items in the tomb. King Seuthus III had built his city, called Seuthopolis not far from the tomb but unfortunately it now lies at the bottom of a large reservoir.
Many of the treasures found are now on display in the museum in Kazanlak. Other tombs are slowly being excavated and a number are to be linked by a tarmac road or trail, leading from one to the other. For any one interested in ancient history and culture, you should make the effort to visit one or two of these Thracian burial mounds that populate the area around Kazanlak. Other tombs are found in various locations around Bulgaria.
Rachel Gawith
Written 13 March 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neverborn Before
Bulgaria422 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
İt is really interesting and nice to go, however if you go to this place without any information and idea where you are going you may get bored or unhappy. İt is really small place, a lot to say and a lot to show, but you need to know how to read the signs, what is this, from where is coming and all other general info that you can find in the web. There is an entrance fee around 3 euro, you can take pictures and you can buy some souvenirs. There is parking place close, but you need to walk a bit after. İt is good for young and teens and all ages :)
Written 31 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DoctorJoeE
North Caldwell, NJ459 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
As others have pointed out, this is a replica -- and since the original tomb isn't open to the public, we must take their word for it that this is an *accurate* replica. A far better use of your time, in my opinion, is to drive a few miles down the road to Shipka, where a number of actual Thracian tombs are open to the public. Do that instead.
Written 4 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Floorball7
Brussels, Belgium4 contributions
Jul 2018 • Friends
We had to pay a considerable amount to enter this “Tomb site”, at least if you can call it like that... It appeared to be an absolute typical tourist scam, a small place of 4m2 is really not worth to pay any entrance fee, better use your 6 Lev for a pint of beer. You have been warned! 😉
Written 12 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
saronic
Zurich, Switzerland29,089 contributions
Sept 2017 • Solo
Bulgaria's famous Rose Valley covers also most of the 'Valley of Thracian Kings'. Several tumuli can be seen, when driving through, all spread out in the fields. Here several Thracian rulers had been buried, in the surroundings of Seuthopolis, the capital of the so-called Odrysian Kingdom.
The most famous of these tombs - due to its well preserved frescoes from the early Hellenistic period (4th c. AD) - is the one found by accident during WW II near the modern town of Kazanlak. Because the wall paintings are susceptible to humidity, for example from human breath, the whole tomb was closed for visitors (except for the occasional scientist) and a copy of the whole tomb and its decoration had been constructed nearby.
It is not possible to judge the quality of the copied paintings without knowing the original, but for me they were satisfying and I enjoyed the visit. Luckily I was alone, when there in mid-September, because the place is small - for maximum 4 persons at a time.
Through a narrow corridor, also with paintings, one comes to the domed main chamber with superbly executed frescoes of horses and humans. No wonder that the 'Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak' became one of the first places worldwide to be declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
The copy of the tomb is open daily between 9am to 5.30pm. Entrance fee is 6 BGN. There is a good little brochure available - in Bulgarian, English and German. Photography without flash is allowed.
The most famous of these tombs - due to its well preserved frescoes from the early Hellenistic period (4th c. AD) - is the one found by accident during WW II near the modern town of Kazanlak. Because the wall paintings are susceptible to humidity, for example from human breath, the whole tomb was closed for visitors (except for the occasional scientist) and a copy of the whole tomb and its decoration had been constructed nearby.
It is not possible to judge the quality of the copied paintings without knowing the original, but for me they were satisfying and I enjoyed the visit. Luckily I was alone, when there in mid-September, because the place is small - for maximum 4 persons at a time.
Through a narrow corridor, also with paintings, one comes to the domed main chamber with superbly executed frescoes of horses and humans. No wonder that the 'Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak' became one of the first places worldwide to be declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
The copy of the tomb is open daily between 9am to 5.30pm. Entrance fee is 6 BGN. There is a good little brochure available - in Bulgarian, English and German. Photography without flash is allowed.
Written 13 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suwatss
Bangkok, Thailand5,696 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
This copy tomb of Thracian king may not be a must anymore for your visit to Bulgaria given it is a copy to replace the now-closed actual tomb just a few meters away. We anyway made decision to see and we felt disappointed for the cramp small tomb but colorful (though fake anyway). Beware of a long line since each time the tomb can accommodate only four persons at a time.
Written 2 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WelshTrekker
Wales, UK85 contributions
Jul 2017 • Couples
Can't believe the rating for this. It might be unesco but there is very little there. The actual tomb is hidden in a building behind secure gates. The copy tomb is smaller than a car. Very smelly when we visited - body odour ! 30 seconds visit was too long. 6 lev to view a smelly small copy ! ?
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME. Look at some photos in a guide book instead.
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME. Look at some photos in a guide book instead.
Written 29 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pollinda
Kazanlak, Bulgaria94 contributions
Jun 2017
Amazing historical place located in a beutiful park. A lot of history and spirit. The athmosphere of the place is magical
Written 2 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
buongiorno,
il sito è aperto anche a dicembre?
con quali orari?
grazie
Written 3 July 2020
Comment avez vous fait pour pouvoir visiter l'original ,nous allons en Bulgarie fin avril début mai et nous aimerions voir cette tombe nous sommes un groupe de4 personnes merci de me répondre
Written 11 January 2020
Is there guiding or interpretation in English at this site?
Written 25 July 2019
Yes. There is a guide at the side - and it's free.
Written 26 July 2019
Добрый день,
я хотел бы узнать контактные данные этого музея (телефон, факс, e-mail) и часы работы.
Спасибо!
Written 19 August 2016
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