Tuida Fortress

Tuida is an Early Byzantine and medieval fortress on Hisarlaka Hill in northeastern Sliven. It belongs to the Balkan Mountains' defensive system and was important to the defence of the Roman and Byzantine empires and medieval Bulgaria. Archaeological excavations conducted by the Sliven Museum of History and the Archaeological Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences reveal intriguing aspects of the region's history and development. The settlement of Tuida, or Suida, originated in the Late Iron Age and developed into a market centre over subsequent centuries. Various historical sources mention it as a town in the Eastern Roman province of Haemimontus. Strategically located, the fortress played an important role in the region's history. Built using opus incertum mixtum during the Early Byzantine period, it withstood Gothic invasions in 378 but was later destroyed by the Huns in the fifth century. In the sixth century, under Emperor Anastasius I, it was rebuilt and strongly fortified with five courses of brick. Archaeological discoveries show that Tuida was also a cultural centre. A three-aisled basilica and a baptistery with a unique mosaic survive from the mid-fourth century. The settlement was also an episcopal seat associated with the Metropolitan See of Adrianople. In the fifth century the fortress was destroyed again, probably by Avars and Slavs, but the Bulgarians restored it after the region was incorporated into the First Bulgarian Empire in 705. From then on the settlement continued to exist and develop until the thirteenth century. Notable archaeological finds include Prince Boris I's seal, coins, pottery, tools, bone material and jewellery. The region's historical and cultural riches contribute to our understanding of Tuida's important place in regional history and culture.