Hisar Kapia

Хисар Капия

Hisar Kapia

Shown within Plovdiv Old Town

Location| Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Coordinates| 42°08′59″N 24°45′11″E﻿ / ﻿42.149783°N 24.753148°E﻿ / 42.149783; 24.753148
Type| Gate
History
Founded| 11th century AD
Periods| Middle Ages

Hisar Kapia (from Turkish: Hisar Kapı meaning "Castle Gate") is a medieval gate in Plovdiv's old town and one of the most famous tourist sights in the city. The gate was built in the 11th century AD over the foundations of a gate from Roman times (probably from the 2nd century AD). Hisar Kapia is one of the three entrances (Eastern, Northern and Southern) to the acropolis of ancient Plovdiv. During the rule of the Ottoman empire revival houses were embedded in the remains of the old stone walls around the gate.[1]

## History

[edit]

The arch and the construction technique Part of a series on the ancient city of

Philippopolis
Buildings and structures

Public

*  • Theatre
*  • Stadium
*  • Forum
*  • Odeon
*  • Library

Religious

*  • Great Basilica
*  • Small Basilica
*  • Synagogue

Fortification

*  • Nebet Tepe
*  • Hisar Kapia
*  • Eastern gate

Residential

*  • Eirene Residence

Related topics

* History
* Timeline

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The first gate on this place was built in the 2nd century AD. In the 6th century during the rule of Justinian the fortification system of the ancient town was expanded and the gate was strengthened. Archeologist suggest that only the foundations of the ancient Roman gate were preserved. The current structure of Hisar Kapia was formed in the Middle Ages (13th - 14th century AD). A construction technique typical from the Second Bulgarian Empire is visible over the arch: a masonry of stones and brick pieces, filled with white mortar.

The importance of the gate faded after the Ottoman invasion in the 14th century. In the 17th and 18th century the rich merchants of Plovdiv built their houses over the ruins of the fortification walls around Hisar Kapia. Today, the lower levels of those houses represent the remains of the ancient walls. Hisar Kapia was reinforced in the beginning of the 20th century due to its poor condition.[2] Today, the medieval gate is one of the landmarks of Plovdiv

## Gallery

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hisar Kapia.

* Хисар капия
*   *   *   *   *   *

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Strandel, Leslie/Patrick Erdley (2012): "Bulgaria (Other Places Travel Guide)", 234
2. ^ Kay, Annie (2008): "Bulgaria. The Bradt Travel Guide", 223

* v
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City of Plovdiv

Geography|

| Areas|

* Thrace

|

Rivers|

* Maritsa River

Hills|

* Markovo Tepe
* Nebet Tepe
* Bunardzhika
* Sahat
* Taksim
* Dzhambaz
* Dzhendem

Landmarks|

| Roman ruins|

* Forum
* Odeon
* Library
* Stadium
* Roman theatre
* Synagogue
* Great Basilica
* Small Basilica
* East Gate
* Domus Eirene

|

Places of worship|

* Cathedral of St Louis
* Church of the Holy Mother of God
* Church of St Constantine and Helena
* Plovdiv Synagogue
* Dzhumaya Mosque

Museums|

* Plovdiv Regional Historical Museum
* Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum

Other|

* Ivan Vazov National Library
* International Fair Plovdiv
* Alyosha Monument

Sports|

* PFC Botev Plovdiv
* PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv
* FC Maritsa Plovdiv
* FC Spartak Plovdiv
* Plovdiv Stadium
* Hristo Botev Stadium
* Lokomotiv Stadium
* Todor Diev Stadium

Education|

* Plovdiv University
* Plovdiv Medical University
* Sts. Cyril and Methodius High School of Humanities
* Plovdiv Language School

Events|

* The Golden Chest
* A Scene on Crossroad

Transportation|

* Plovdiv Airport
* Plovdiv Central railway station
* Plovdiv trolleybus system

People|

* List of people from Plovdiv

History|

* Timeline

* v
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* e

Ancient City of Plovdiv

* Theatre
* Stadium
* Forum
* Nebet Tepe
* Great Basilica
* Small Basilica
* Odeon
* Hisar Kapia
* Synagogue
* Library
* Domus Eirene
* Eastern gate

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