Trapezitsa Fortress & Funicular in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Trapezitsa Fortress is one of many options for attractions to visit while in Veliko Tarnovo, the former capital of Bulgaria. There are two fortresses in Veliko Tarnovo, Trapezitsa Fortress and the more popular Tsarevets Fortress.

What Is Trapezitsa Fortress in Bulgaria?

There have been fortifications on Trapezitsa Hill since 4000 BC. However, the most significant era of history for Trapezitsa Fortress was from the 12th century. They built the main fortifications during the 2nd Bulgarian Empire.

Tarnovo was the capital of Bulgaria, and this was the city’s 2nd-most-important fortress. In Trapezitsa Fortress, during these times, noble Bulgarians lived here alongside multiple churches.

Getting to Trapezitsa Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo

Trapezitsa Fortress is a 30-minute walk from the centre and sits atop a hilltop. You can also catch a bus; to find out about local buses, use the Moovit app.

If you are arriving from further afield, the entrance and ticket office are next to Trapezitsa railway station.

Tickets

At the ticket office, you can buy a walking ticket where you climb the hill and one- or two-way tickets on the funicular. From the visitor centre, there is a funicular that takes you up the hill. Tickets include the funicular ride and entry to the museum on-site.

The ticket office kindly gave me a paper map of the site and marked the key sights on it to help me get the best out of my visit.

Trapezitsa Funicular

The funicular saves a lot of time on the walk to the top of the hill and into the fortress. Funiculars are usually great fun and offer some splendid views while in motion.

What To See At Trapezitsa Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo

On the site you can see restored fortifications, church ruins and other buildings. Some of the churches have rather impressive medieval frescoes. It was quiet on my visit, and there was one other visitor.

South-East Tower

The southeast tower and gate are standout features of the site, and the site offers an excellent viewpoint. They restored it in 2009-2010. It was a defensive tower guarding the site’s gate.

You can access each floor of the tower via some stairs. The door to the top platform was tricky to open; however, the only other visitor showed me the technique.

If you are in Veliko Tarnovo at night, they light up the tower and fortifications, and it looks rather pleasant. You get a splendid view from the windows of the Green Restaurant.

Church Number 6

Church number 6 at the fortress is a pretty cool ruin. It was built in the 13th century and still contains murals.

The Ktitors were aristocrats and the founders of the church, and they are depicted in the remaining mural of the church.

The church is pretty well restored and now covered to preserve what’s remaining.

Museum

In the centre of the plateau, there is a nice building that serves as a museum, with exhibits about the fortress. They cover both the history of the fortress and the town, too. The museum is also home to the toilet if you need it.

They also had a scale model of what the key churches on the hill looked like.

Church 10

One of the more preserved church ruins on the hill is Church 10. They built this church in the 13th century, and it was nice to look inside. Inside, there is a covered walkway to view the preserved murals and frescoes.

Church 13

Another of the church ruins with interesting decor is Church 13. This one dates from the mid-13th century. Inside is a mural of the Tsar and Tsaritsa dressed in purple with gold features. Other features include double-headed eagles and the date 1252, which they believe is when the church was built.

Church 19

Church 19 was in use between the 12th and 14th centuries. It’s a nice place for views, and apparently inside there used to be mosaics and murals.

Views

As Trapezitsa Fortress is on a hilltop, it offers fantastic views in all directions. You can see neighbouring sites, other hills and the river down below.

The main view is of the other fortress in Veliko Tarnovo. However, the views towards the town, including the cathedral, were wonderful too.