Weekend with a baby in Hisarya - a holiday among healing waters and ancient lands

We have been to Hisarya many times, but always in winter months, so we could take advantage of the warm mineral pools and spa treatments. This time though, we went in the spring and were fascinated by the beauty and richness of the town.

It was our first mini holiday with a six-month old baby. We wanted to go to a quiet place so that the baby could sleep outside longer and breathe fresh air. For us, it was important to reach our daily target of at least 10,000 steps. This condition applies to any choice of destination. And so we chose to spend a weekend in Hisarya. The city is really good for holidays with babies and small children. There are wonderful walkaways and playgrounds for the kids. Although, the little ones know nothing about history yet, teenagers and adults can really feel that the time spent inbetween the fortress walls is like going back in time to the ages of the Roman Wmpire.

About the town

Hisarya is small town in the south-central region of Bulgaria, the Thracian lowland. It is characterized by a favorable climate, which, combined with the many mineral springs, is the reason why different civilizations have settled here since ancient times. All of them have left their material and spiritual legacy. Proof of this are the different names that the it has had over the years: Diocletianopol, Vetus Augusta Aria, Termeitisina, Toplica. Hisarya arose as a small village in the second half of the 17th century, rising on the well-preserved ruins of ancient fortress walls and medieval buildings. The name comes from Arabic language, where "Hissar" means "fortress".

Prehistoric people first liked this habitat for its nature, climate and mineral waters. There is evidence of the existence of a settlement as early as the 5th and 4th centuries BC. After that, the Thracians, the unsurpassed masters of architecture and applied arts, left their mark and turned the settlement into a nymphaeum - a healing and religious sanctuary.

The Roman emperor Diocletian, attracted by the healing properties of the waters, founded one of the largest Roman cities in this place 17 centuries ago and gave it the name Diocletianopol. It was the third largest city in the province of Thrace after Philippopolis (Plovdiv) and Beroe (Stara Zagora). Then the enclosure of the city with the high fortress wall had begun. It is one of the best-preserved late Roman fortresses with its 2,315 m lenght. The exposed massive residential buildings, amphitheater, baths, shopping complexes and streets are an indicator of its high economic status in the past.

Nowadays, Hisarya is a balneological resort famous for its healing waters, warm climate and beautiful nature. The remains of Roman times bring back even the most ordinary city walk to another era.

Unlike the previous times, when we almost didn't leave the hotel, this time the purpose of the vacation was not the SPA. We stayed in an apartment in order to be more comfortable with the baby, as we had just started the feeding period. We spent two days in the town, walking around the central parts, baby naps in the parks and sightseeing.

Fortress walls

The greatest historical treasure of Hisarya are the unique remains of the massive fortification system of the city during the time of Emperor Diocletian. The shape of the fortress walls is an almost regular quadrangle. In addition to the walls, reaching 13 meters in height, 44 defensive towers reinforced the fortification.

Four gates led to the ancient city - one on each side. The force of erosion over the years and weather conditions have largely changed their appearance. The largest of them is the southern one. It is better known by the name "Camels" and it has become a symbol of the town. It is so called because by the beginning of the 20th century it was divided and looked like two one-humped camels, facing each other. The southern gate was the main entrance to the city. The main road leading to Philippopolis (now Plovdiv) passed through it. To the left of the gate were positioned the barracks for the fortress garrison.

Following the footsteps of the poet

Between 1880 and 1885, the folk poet Ivan Vazov often visited Hisarya. He and several other young MPs and senior officials boarded the phaetons from Plovdiv and went to the Hissar Baths. Besides the weekly walks to Hisarya, they also spent their summer vacations at the resort. For Vazov, Hisarya is not only a place for relaxation, but also for inspiration and creativity. In this place he wrote 17 poems.

The main boulevard, which leads from the city center to the "Camels", today bears his name. And beyond the gate, where Vazov's steps once echoed, has been placed a bronze bas-relief of him, to remind that on July 6, 1882, during his stay in Hisarya, he wrote the great poem "Fatherland kind, how beautiful you are".

Walking along the boulevard is very nice. Sidewalks are lined with shade trees a and on the left handside is the central city park "Lily of the Valley".

Park "Momina salza"

It is also the oldest park in the city. On its territory there are four mineral springs - Momina salza, Bistrica, Toplica and Stublata. The park is located on several levels and bears the name of a spring "Momina salza" associated with a legend about a young maiden from whose tears the hot spring gushed. The fountain at the park's main entrance is also linked to the legend and was erected in honor of the maiden who lost her life but kept her honor.

The colonnade is one of the symbols of the town and it is also located in the central park. It was built in 1960 as an exact copy of the ancient Roman colonnade and is fed with mineral water from the spring "Momina salza".

On an area of 3,000 square meters stretches one of the best-preserved Roman baths on the Balkan Peninsula – the Baths of Diocletianopol. In the ancient city healing procedures with mineral water were carried out at this place. The complex of representative buildings in the "Momina salza" park also includes a Roman amphitheater with a stage for fighting and ancient games.

Roman tomb

Outside the fortress, through the "Momina salza" park, you can reach the Roman Tomb. It is a late Roman family tomb from the second half of the 4th century. It was opened in 1957 and is the only one in Bulgaria with a floor mosaic. Two burial beds were carved into the chamber. Small remains of bones and ceramic vessels were also found. The walls are painted in motifs of plant ornaments and the floor is arranged with a multi-colored mosaic panel in geometric shapes. The colors are impressive. Cinnabar, a tile-red color, was the most expensive in ancient ages and was obtained from gold and silver mines. In addition to it, the most expensive colors - blue - lapis lazuli and green - malachite, were also found in the tomb.

Park "Orfeev dol"

Our favorite place for the evening walks was "Orfeev Dol" park. A very well maintained and tidy park with lovely cycle and walking paths, perfect for a pram. The feeling of being close to nature and the centuries-old history of the city combine extremely nice. Walking through the pretty alleys, among green meadows and trees, almost along the entire length of the park to our right, we enjoyed the remains of the eastern fortress wall. The summer amphitheater is also located in this park and it delights residents and guests of the town with concerts and shows throughout the whole summer.

Park "Momina banya"

"Momina Banya" Park was the closest to the apartment we were staying and that's where the baby has taken her afternoon naps - among the tall chestnut trees and some cheerful birdsongs. The park is named after the "Momina Banya" spring. Its temperature is about 47 degrees and heals kidney-urological diseases and those of the musculoskeletal system.

The name of this spring is also connected to a legend, saying that a long time ago, before even the bath was built, there was a warm water pool in this place, in which a girl from a nearby village liked to bathe. Together with her friends, she often left the fortress walls and went to the spring, but once she went out alone. Just then, the fortress was surrounded and attacked by enemies. The gates were locked and the girl could not get back home. The foreign soldiers noticed her, chased her, and in order not to catch her, she went to the spring and stepped into the hot water. She would rather die than fall into their lap. The water started boiling, made a noise, and when the steam dissipated, the girl was gone. Only the pool kept bubbling...

And so, immersed in late antique history and resting among the green parks of Hisarya, our two days flew by quickly, but very pleasantly. And although we didn't take advantage of any medical treatments this time, we couldn't help but pamper ourselves at least a little. In Medical and rehabilitation center "Nolina" we were given great relaxing massages, after which we felt like reborn. I highly recommend it!

After such an invigorating weekend, all of us were happy and satisfied. We diversified the environment, enriched our knowledge and rediscovered a wonderful Bulgarian town, which really deserves to be visited often by us - the Bulgarians and necessarily at least once by the foreign tourists.

Do you have any friends from Hisarya? Share this article with them and remind them that they have to be proud of their town.

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