Alexander's Tomb

Alexander's Tomb was discovered in 2000 during excavations of the mound Roshavata Chuka, located on the western outskirts of the village of Alexandrovo, about 20 km east of Haskovo. The tomb is Thracian and is one of the most significant discoveries of Bulgarian archeology.

It was built in the second half of the IV century BC. It served as the last home of a rich Thracian ruler, whose name remains unknown.

 

The frescoes on the tomb are unique and relatively well preserved. The architecture of the tomb is also impressive. The height of the mound of Roshavata Chuka is 15 m, and its diameter exceeds 70 m. The tomb has a corridor, 15 m long, and its entrance is from the east. The corridor leads to a rectangular chamber with dimensions of 1.92x1.5 m. It is followed by a round chamber with a diameter of 3.30 m and a height of 3.40 m. Its vault has a bell-shaped shape and starts from the floor. A stone bed was built next to its southern periphery, which was destroyed in antiquity.

 

The tomb is believed to have two periods of use. This is evidenced by the two floor levels of the round chamber - one of stone blocks, the other of compacted clay.

 

The tomb in the village of Alexandrovo is one of the largest facilities of this type. Her murals are unique in their kind. They are all over the tomb, in the chambers, in the corridor, in the vestibule and present different plots.

 

The most diverse are the murals in the round chamber - it is painted in six horizontal bands of different widths, located one above the other. Most frescoes depict hunting scenes.

 

In 2009, the Museum of Thracian Art in the Eastern Rhodopes opened next to the tomb. An exact copy of the Alexander Tomb has been built in the museum, which is accessible to tourists, unlike the original.