A Thracian burial mound at Ostrusha in the Valley of the Thracian Rulers

Thracian & RomanCentral Bulgaria & the Balkan Range

The Valley of the Thracian Rulers around Kazanlak and Shipka

The Valley of the Thracian Rulers is a modern name for the zone of Thracian burial mounds in the Rose Valley between Kazanlak and Shipka, at the foot of the Stara Planina mountains. More than 1,500 mounds are believed to lie here, hiding tombs, temples and a drowned royal city. It is one of Bulgaria's richest landscapes for anyone who loves ancient history.

A modern name echoing Egypt's Valley of the Kings covers more than 1,500 Thracian burial mounds, yet only about 300 have been studied. Some experts use the catchy name only at arm's length.

WhereThe Rose Valley between Kazanlak and Shipka, at the foot of the Stara Planina, central Bulgaria

TypeArchaeological landscape of Thracian burial mounds, tombs and temples (an informal name, not a single site)

Best forFans of ancient history and Thracian art, and anyone who enjoys a themed route through the countryside

Getting thereBy road to Kazanlak or Shipka; the sites are scattered a few kilometres apart across the valley

The history of the Valley of the Thracian Rulers

The name is not an ancient one. It was coined by the archaeologist Georgi Kitov, who alluded to Egypt's Valley of the Kings, and it has no official status or fixed borders. Specialists use it with some distance, and UNESCO mentions it only as a popular name. For tourism, however, it became a brand. The area lies in the eastern part of the Rose Valley, between Kazanlak and Shipka. More than 1,500 Thracian mounds are believed to stand here, of which only some 300 have been studied. Used as burial places for the Thracian aristocracy, they rise up to 20 metres high and reach 50 metres across.

Modern research began by chance. The Kazanlak Tomb was found on 19 April 1944 by soldiers digging a shelter, and was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979. From 1948 to 1954 the ancient town of Seuthopolis, discovered during the building of a dam, was excavated before the Koprinka reservoir covered it. The Maglizh and Kran tombs followed in 1965. From 1992 until the mid-2000s an expedition led by Kitov studied hundreds of mounds and uncovered around fifteen tombs and three masonry graves, among them the Ostrusha complex, found in 1993.

The most famous finds came in 2004. The Svetitsa mound yielded a gold mask from the end of the fifth century BCE, the first found in Bulgaria. In the autumn the team opened the Golyama Kosmatka mound, with a chamber carved from a single granite block of about 60 tonnes, a bronze head and silver vessels inscribed with the name Seuthes. Kitov took it to be the tomb of Seuthes III, the founder of Seuthopolis, but this is disputed, since the burial seems to date from around 280 BCE or later.

Later work widened the picture. Finds at Topolchane, Staro Selo and Krushare extended the idea of the valley east along the Tundzha river towards Sliven, and more mounds were studied near Buzovgrad and Dolno Izvorovo. Much of the digging was a race against looters: remote sensing suggests that around 90 per cent of the mounds in the valley have been plundered, often as early as antiquity. Today the best-known tomb at Kazanlak is closed to protect its paintings, and an exact replica is open to the public.

Curious facts about the Valley of the Thracian Rulers

The name was modelled on Egypt's Valley of the Kings, but it is a modern invention with no official borders.
More than 1,500 mounds are believed to exist here, and only about 300 have been studied.
The Kazanlak Tomb was found by soldiers digging an anti-aircraft shelter on 19 April 1944.
Seuthopolis, the royal city of Seuthes III, lies at the bottom of the Koprinka reservoir and cannot be visited.
The Svetitsa mound gave Bulgaria its first gold mask in 2004, dated to the end of the fifth century BCE.
Herodotus described the funerals of wealthy Thracians: the body was laid out for three days, animals were sacrificed, there was a feast, and after the burial mound was raised, games were held.

Tours near The Valley of the Thracian Rulers

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Valley of the Thracian Kings, Hidden Treasures

★ 4.8 (33 reviews) · 10 h

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Kazanlak-Rose Valley-Valley of the Thracian Kings - private tour from Plovdiv

★ 4.9 (16 reviews) · 7.5 h

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A Day trip to the Thracian Kings, The Valley of Roses & Buzludzha

★ 4.6 (14 reviews) · 6 h

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Thracian Valley wine tasting - private day tour from Plovdiv

★ 5 (5 reviews) · 3 h

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Visiting the Valley of the Thracian Rulers: what to expect

This is a landscape with many sites rather than one monument, so decide in advance which tombs and museums you want to see.
The original Kazanlak Tomb is closed to visitors; a replica stands close to it in the Tyulbe park in Kazanlak.
Many tombs in the valley are open to visitors, though some are protected against damage; check the current opening hours and conditions before you go.
Finds from the excavations are displayed in the Historical Museum in Kazanlak.
Close by are the Ostrusha tomb (about 2 km), the Tomb of Seuthes III (4 km), the Buzludzha monument and the Shipka Memorial Church (each 5 km).

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where The Valley of the Thracian Rulers is

Photos of The Valley of the Thracian Rulers

Questions

What is the Valley of the Thracian Rulers?

It is a modern name for the area of more than 1,500 Thracian burial mounds in the Rose Valley around Kazanlak and Shipka. It has no official borders and is not a single site.

Where is the Valley of the Thracian Rulers?

It lies in central Bulgaria, in the Rose Valley between Kazanlak and Shipka, at the foot of the Stara Planina mountains.

Who coined the name Valley of the Thracian Rulers?

The archaeologist Georgi Kitov popularised the name, alluding to Egypt's Valley of the Kings. Specialists treat it with some distance, and UNESCO did not adopt it officially.

Can I see the Kazanlak Tomb?

The original is closed to protect its paintings, but a replica stands close by in the Tyulbe park. The tomb has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1979.

What happened to Seuthopolis?

Seuthopolis, the city of Seuthes III, was excavated between 1948 and 1954 and now lies at the bottom of the Koprinka reservoir, so it cannot be visited.

What else is worth seeing near the Valley of the Thracian Rulers?

The Ostrusha tomb is about 2 km away, the Tomb of Seuthes III about 4 km, and the Buzludzha monument and the Shipka Memorial Church about 5 km.