The fortress “Stenos” at the passage “Trayanovi Vrata”

“Trayanovi vrata” is a passage located in Sredna gora, connecting the Ihtiman and the Thracian valley. The Stenos Fortress in the Trayanovi vrata passage is about 15 km from Kostenets, near the Trakia highway. The fortress is unique of its construction. It is situated on the old Roman Via Militaris. The passage was inhabited during the Thracians and a fortification and a road station were built. It is assumed that the construction of the Stenos fortress started in the 2nd century, during the rule of Emperor Trayan. When the Bulgarians conquered the fortress they called it “Shtipon”. On August 17, 986, the Bulgarians headed by Tsar Samuil defeated the Byzantine Emperor Vasilius II at the Trayanovi Vrata Passage, near the fortress. After the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman domination, the functions of the fortress as a guardian of the passage were dropped, it was abandoned and began to collapse. The study of the fortress began in 1985. The large garrison building with 6 entrances and 3 towers has been revealed. The two outer towers of the fortress are five-sided, which is remarkable from an architectural point of view. Remains of late atique ceramics, bronze coins, several preserved hand mills, 22 dolomites for storage of flour and wheat were found. The Stenos fortress had an underground tunnel about 60 meters, which had led to an underground springs.