Golyamo Gradishte Fortress

 ruined castle, archaeological site, Thracian heritage

The ruined Thracian fortress atop Gradishte or Golyamo Gradishte (Gradište) Peak has given its name (Gradište) to the summit, which is the highest point the Bulgarian portion of the Strandzha Mountains (709.6 m a.s.l.). The fortress was in use into the Roman period, but was badly damaged by treasure hunters in the late 20th century. The walls enclosed a diameter of about 100 m, and were built of quarried stones without mortar. There are traces of an early Thracian rock-cut sanctuary at the site. Despite its archaeological significance, the site has not been the subject of detailed and systematic archaeological investigation. The fortress is located in close proximity to the so-called Cave or Tomb of Bastet (to its northwest) and the Mishkova Niva (Miškova Niva) sanctuary (to its southeast).