Madara Rider

Мадарски конник

A unique early medieval rock relief carved high on a cliff, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and symbol of the First Bulgarian Empire. The surrounding archaeological complex includes caves, ruins and sweeping views.

Things to do

• View the Madara Rider relief — Gaze up at the famous horseman carved 23 meters high into the vertical cliff, dating to around 710 AD.
• Climb the 379 steps to the plateau — Ascend the long stone staircase up the Madara cliffs for sweeping views over the Danubian plain.
• Explore the Madara Fortress ruins — Walk among the remains of the medieval fortress crowning the plateau above the relief.
• Visit the rock cave sanctuaries — See the caves and rock-cut niches at the cliff base used as pagan sanctuaries and later Christian hermitages.
• See the Great Cave (Golyamata Peshtera) — Enter the large natural cavern near the relief that sheltered early medieval religious and ritual life.
• Tour the Madara archaeological museum — Browse artifacts from Thracian, Roman and Bulgarian periods excavated across the complex.
• Walk to the villa rustica remains — Explore the foundations of a Roman-era estate at the foot of the plateau.
• Discover the Byzantine-era water cistern — Find the large rock-hewn cistern that supplied the fortress with water on the plateau above.

Food to try

• Banitsa — Flaky filo pastry layered with white brine cheese and eggs, a classic Bulgarian breakfast sold in nearby Shumen.
• Kavarma — A slow-cooked clay-pot stew of pork or chicken with onions, peppers and spices found in local taverns.
• Shopska salad — A refreshing salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and grated sirene cheese, ubiquitous across the region.
• Shumensko beer — A crisp lager brewed in nearby Shumen, one of Bulgaria's oldest breweries and the natural local drink.
• Grilled kebapche and lyutenitsa — Minced-meat rolls served with the roasted red pepper and tomato relish popular at roadside grills.
• Homemade rakia — A strong fruit brandy, often plum or grape, offered as a traditional welcome drink in village guesthouses.

Local customs & good to know

• Arrive early and wear good shoes — The site is exposed with hundreds of stone steps, so visit in the morning to avoid heat and crowds.
• Respect the UNESCO monument — Do not touch or climb near the relief, as it is fragile and protected as a national symbol.
• Combine with Shumen and Pliska — The site pairs well with the medieval capital Pliska and Shumen's Founders of Bulgaria monument nearby.
• Check opening hours seasonally — The complex and museum keep shorter hours in winter, so confirm times before traveling.

Nearby

• Pliska — 9 km
• Shumen & Fortress — 15 km
• Veliki Preslav — 28 km
• Varna — 65 km