Thracian Cult Temple Starosel

Really amazing. It is small but I could have stayed there and enjoyed it for hours. The place is just extraordinary and the area around it is gorgeous!

The Thracian Temple Complex in the Chetinyovata Mogila, at a distance of 4km from the village of Starosel, was found in 2000. It has a statute of a group archaeological monument of culture. This is the oldest ever found royal Thracian complex with a mausoleum. It dates back to the end of the 5th and the beginning of the 4th century BC.
The Thracian Temple Complex at Starosel covers six underhill temples, four of which are unique, as well as a few royal burials.
The entire hill is surrounded by a wall made of processed granite blocks. The wall is called krepis and outlines a circle which according to the Thracian religious believes symbolizes the Sun. The entrance of the temple has a parade staircase and two pedestals, on which statues of lions were sitting.
The staircase leads the visitors to a flat platform, used for ritual dances. A corridor leads to the real facade of the temple and to the round hall containing 10 decorative semi-columns and tryglyphs (a rectangular plate above each column) with blue and red decoration. Religious ceremonies, related to the cult to the Mother Goddess, her son the Sun and Orpheus were performed in the temple.

The Thracian Cult Temple in Starosel is an absolute gem. The temple's intricate designs and beautiful location in the Bulgarian countryside make it a must-visit destination for history and architecture enthusiasts. The relics on display provide valuable insights into the Thracian civilization, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended!

One of the relatively well restored and maintained place. I wish there were more signs which is where when you park your car at the parking, but we found out way around (I guess).

The place is magic. You can feel the strong energy of the ancient times encapsulated in it.
I can not help but compare it to the pyramids in Egypt. Although the place is much much smaller in size the stone blocks that were used to build it are massive and weigh around 300 kilos each. It is truly astonishing what methods they used 25 centuries ago to move and lift them as high as 10 meters.
The cone shaped ceiling and round room are truly mind blowing. Everything is built with such precision and each stone is chiseled to perfection. I spent about 20 minutes in this room as I could not believe the complexity and level of detail that our thracian ancestors achieved when building that place. Truly a work of art.
The choice of the location is also very good with its wide view of the thracian valley.
Needless to say I recommend everyone to visit this monument and spread the word of its greatness.

Amazing place. The energy that you feel when you are there is indescribable. The temple is 25 centuries old. Everything is authentic. The tour guide is great. You should definitely visit it if you have a chance.

I found this place breathtaking.
Beautiful views - you could see for miles, I felt so relaxed just watching the day go by.
It's such a special piece of history that has been uncovered. It's a special story behind it.
It was interesting to hear the stories that happened..

Wonderful views from the hill, it's impressive. Good place to enjoy and relax. It was closed when we went, but the nature surrounding is really inspiring.

It's a place that will astonish everyones understands. There's enough parking space for everyone who intend to visit the place.

Loved it. Its really interesting to see how people thousands of years ago have built something so magnificent.

BC 500 year's heritage of human in Balcan mountains. It was a dom shape temple construction by stone which seems like a seokgulam in shilla 1000 years ago in korean peninsula. I was so surprised by its similarity.

The place is interesting - take the guided tour to learn more.

The temple is worth visiting. Unique of its kind around. Not too much historical info though.

There are two tombs to visit after you leave the village of Starosel heading west. First is the Horizont tomb - please do visit this as it is surrounded by gardens and grassland, with a small restored church, all lovingly tended by an elderly gentleman who is extremely proud of his many years "arbeit" (he speaks almost no English) to create and tend the beautiful environment. Entry is free. A few kilometres further on is the much bigger and hugely impressive Chetinyova tomb, which has been very well excavated and the mound (which you can climb) is covered in wild flowers - a very beautiful setting with great views. There is a small entry fee. Of all the tombs we visited in Bulgaria, Chetinyova was the best and Horizont the most idyllic.

Absolutely amazing! Certainly worth to be visited.

Wonderful History and architecture!!!

The road to the place is narrow but in very good condition. There is a large parking 400 metres from the tomb. It is possible to continue with a car up to the tomb but it is nicer to walk.

Very cool temple chamber, both thermally and emotionally - the resonance within cupola is amazing.

Beautiful place to start a little hiking tour.

The guided tour was excellent- the guide was kind and knowledgeable and answered my 9 year old's many questions. It is a nice place. I recommend parking down at the foot of the hill and walking to the tomb on foot.