"Orpheus’s Sanctuary", village of Tatul

At around 20 km Eastern from Momchilgrad, in Asara area near the village of Tatul, is situated one of the most impressive megalithic monuments discovered on our lands. The complex consists of an ancient pagan sanctuary and antique temple. The earliest cult activities on the hill began at the end of Chalcolithic (V-IV millennium BC) and continue also during the Bronze Age when people laid the gifts to the gods on the rocks.

The first hewings in the neighbourhood of the sanctuary appear in XIX-XI century BC. Namely then the stone peak was shaped by a human hand as a truncated pyramid on top of which was shaped a ‘sarcophagus’ and on the crag was hewn numerous steps and niches for laying of sacrificial gifts. Around the main altar of the sanctuary were discovered tens of vessels for drinking of holy wine as well as many findings with which the ancient people predicted the future and foretold the will of gods.

Discovered were two entrances to the sanctuary – Eastern and Southern. It is supposed that the Eastern, through which on roughly hewn steps one can enter inside the sanctuary, was used only by the priests. Extraordinary impression creates the monumental staircase which leads to the main altar under the truncated pyramid. Remains of a magnificent temple-mausoleum, as well as part of the stone wall serving to protect the sanctuary, were preserved. There is an existing hypothesis that namely here, into the rocky sepulchre, was buried the mythical Thracian singer Orpheus. The sanctuary near Tatul will send you 6,000 years back – in one fairy-tale world of enigmatic cults and sacred rituals, in times of gods and priests, of legends and sagas.