The Assenova Fortress rises majestically in the Rhodope Mountains, on the fringe of the town of Assenovgrad. You can see its silhouette even from the centre of the city.
The glorious history of the Assenova Fortress begins even from the ancient Thracians who settled in this location. In the 9th century the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Assen II built a city in the same place and defended it with a fortress. Today this fortress bears his name.
The fortress guarded closely the pass to the mysterious Rhodope Mountains. A water reservoir has been preserved from which the people supplied themselves with water and a medieval inscription cut into one of the stones. Today you can climb along the castle walls and an impressive view of the vicinity and the fast river at the foot will unfold before your eyes.
One of the most interesting buildings in the Assenova Fortress is the church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Petrich. Perched on the rim of the rock it hides many mysterious legends about kings, princes and sirens.