thracian temple of starosel

The temple is probably nice, however at arrival we were informed that it has been closed until further notice by the ministry of culture as there is some land sliding. The strangest thing is that the cashier is still working but the only thing you can do is walk around it which doesn't offer anything.

This site is well worth seeing if you have an interest in Thracian history, it's not too far from Plovdiv and is in an amazing setting. I visited from Hisarya and is really close by. Don't think you will see anything like it in Bulgaria.

It is really interesting to visit it, even if you are not a big fen of history, as this is uniqueThracian temple (probably IV century BC).

Well worth a visit, entry fees very reasonable. A bit of a hill climb to the site but well worth the breathtaking views on a clear day.Interesting visit.

Attending a conference nearby and we were able to spend some time visiting - the main complex is quite stunning and lovely location for views. Worth to explore smaller sites nearby as well

This was a lovely opportunity to see the ancient ruins of this temple and to have a walk in the nature. The marvelous view from the top is worth the trouble to climb the hill.

When you go to Thracian complex first after village and hotel is a small sing to left for Temple Horizont. Very intriguing and nice with preserved colonade. To the oddities of the place a bit contributes strange noises in the shelter of the temple. The place is still sacred and has an Orthodox chapel near temple.2km. after temple is a parking and souvenir shop. Here should leave the cars and go on foot to the tomb, but not necessary if you have a fat a..s. Admission ticket is ridiculous cheap compared to what you see. Tumb is so impressive and with so many fine crafted ornaments that immediately grabs you and immersed in ancient times. I strongly recommend.

The site is well sign posted on the road from Plovdiv to Hisarija, although it's a drive of about 20 km through small villages. The first stop is a tomb, which is approx 100 m from the free parking area. The first thing you walk past is a chapel (newly built, still under construction in Aug 2014). The tomb itself is protected by a wooden shed, so you can only see the wooden structure from outside. The tomb itself is impressive, but it would make viewing easier, and give a better impression if the protective structure was a bit larger (I know, money dictates). Also there were 2 identical posters explaing what was what. Unfortunately all in Bulgarian, nothing in any other language.We spent about 15 mins at that site, then drove to the temple. There is a car park at the bottom (for peak times), with a steep walk to the temple, or alternatively, drive up the road to the top car park. There is another tomb in the middle of the car park and the temple a very short distance away. To see the temple I paid 5 BGN (for myself and my daughter) - the 2 tombs are free. Again the temple is protected (inside this time) by wooden structures, but this does not detract from the "wow" effect.You can walk around the temple mound, on the rear are the remains of a thracian winery. For some bizarre reason the govt decided that it would be a good idea to put a garage in the mound, so there is a modern garage door on one side. It doesnt detract at all, but it does make you shake your head.Again, all the information is in Bulgarian, but you can buy a guide book very cheaply, and this is quite informative. To see the tombs and temple, you need maybe 30-45 mins. If on the other hand, you want to see all the burial mounds, and other excavations from this point, I would estimate at least a full day, with some hard walking. It was about 40C when we were there, so we took the easy option.

Well I would have to say I had the most informative day of my Life with Kris as my guide.The day started with just the two of us so it made for a very personal and informative tour .Kris showed great knowledge of the roads of Sofia and was very patient with the road closers as we headed out to Koprivshtitsa.A long the way he discussed Bulgaria history and informed in me in advance of the many sights we would see. On arrival we relaxed for a moment to have a coffee before touring the manyfamous homes of important people in Bulgaria History.The information become overwhelming at times for me as he was so knowledgeable about the Bulgaria History. I could hear the pride in his voice and his need to acknowledge the Bulgaria History. He was happy to meet my needs which was just to photograph the land scape and the many beautiful gardens I encountered. A lovely region worth the visit. We ended the day with a love lunch at a local restaurant and then headed for the temple.My only recommendation is make sure you wear comfortable shoes as I did because there is alot of walking and alot to see.If you want to know more about the history of Bulgaria I highly recommend Kris as your guide.Thank you Kris for a lovely day out.I highly recommend Traventuria tours while touring Sofia Bulgaria as it made my journey more informed about Bulgaria History, the people, the scenery and enjoyable experience.

The Thracian cult centre near Starosel consists of two tombs 2 km from each other that are clearly marked when you pass the village of Starosel. Both are really worth seeing. According to the map close to the main temple/tomb, there are more Thracian tombs all around Starosel, but those are not marked and we were not successful to find them. It would be a good idea to ask the staff at the main temple for the directions.

Should be more funding to reestablish the temple. There are several more in the region, all easy victim to thieves. Great view from the main temple.

An eye-opener, especially - to me - in what it suggests about the relationship, in Herodotus's time, between the Greek world to the south and the "barbarian" world to the north. There are explanatory panels on the walls, but it would be good if you could get someone to show you round. It's a pleasant drive there, too, along quiet country roads where you hardly meet anything but the occasional horse and cart, with a family who smile and wave.

Well worth a visit, it's in a good location so you can get a feel of why it was built there. It's a place the more you look the more see.

A beautiful and well-preserved example of a Thracian Temple. As an archaeologist I found this to be an amazing glimpse into the past of this country and culture.

Non affrescata come quella di Kazanlak - perché il tempo ha cancellato i dipinti che c'erano sulle pareti - e meno ricca di reperti - perché numerose razzie l'hanno predata -, questa tomba (come le altre già tempio orfico) è però molto ben conservata nella struttura e impressionante nelle dimensioni sia interne che esterne: un tumulo costruito con circa duemila pietre! Fa parte di un complesso di templi e tombe della zona non ancora valorizzato completamente perché scoperto di recente (la mappa posta a questo tempio indica molti siti, sia antichi che medievali, fra cui un palazzo reale a oltre 1300 metri di altezza), ma già ora vale la visita.