History of Hisarya

Prehistoric settlements found in the vicinity of the town of Hisarya date back to the V^th millennium BC. Subsequently settlers on these lands were Thracians, Romans, Slavs and Bulgarians. All have been attracted by the favorable climate and beautiful scenery, in a unique combination with the mineral springs with healing properties. At the beginning of the 4th century, when Roman Emperor Diocletian gave his name to the city, restored it and built it, a period of economic growth began. Very well preserved from that time are the Roman baths and administrative buildings, part of the archaeological reserve with an area of over 300 decares, in the park in the center of the town of Hisarya, next to the AUGUSTA SPA HOTEL.

V-th mill. BC

Prehistoric settlements in the southern plane part of the Hissar valley like the settlements of the New Stone Age in the town of Hisarya and in the village of Chernichevo.

V-th century BC

The Romans conquer Thrace. The settlement was called Augusta.

Римляните завладяват Тракия. Селището е наречено Аугуста.

ІІІ century

Goths devastate and burn the city.

293

The Roman Emperor Diocletian restored the village and gave it his name. The city was set up with the Roman-style architecture: wide, straight streets, a cold drinking water system, and the cooling of the hot mineral water in Roman baths, proportionately located architectural ensembles.

IV century

Diocletianopole was surrounded by fortified walls, reinforced by 44 towers, with four large gates.

IV, V, VI century

Diaklyianopol became the third largest city (after the then Plovdiv and Stara Zagora) in the province of Thrace. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it became part of Byzantium.

VІІ-Х century

Ten Christian basilicas were built. The city became a spiritual Christian center.

820

The Plovdiv region was part of the First Bulgarian State.

ХVІІ century

After the fall under Turkish slavery, at the beginning of the 17th century, Turks from Anatolia settled near the Hisarya mineral springs. They called the village Hissar, which means a fortress. The healing mineral springs were rapidly gaining popularity throughout the Turkish Empire.

1876

In the period of our national and spiritual renaissance, the waking Bulgarian population was revolting against the five centuries of Turkish slavery. In the “Verigovo” district of Hisarya, the church in which the Apostle of Freedom, Vasil Levski, has been recaptured by the local Revolutionary Committee was restored

1878

After the Liberation of Bulgaria, Hisarya entered a new period of growth. The entire twentieth century is characterized by the ever increasing popularity of the town as a balneological center.

1882

Here is the first chemical analysis of the water from five local sources by the Czech chemist Sosterzonek. The “Rules for Operation of the Hisarya Baths” were issued. The first balneotherapy in the country was organized.

1964

The first balneotherapy in the country was organized.

2014

Recent archeological finds in Roman thermae – a lion’s head of a marble statue in real stature, which was a mouth of a fountain with mineral water, and a votive plate with three nymphs of the III century. Recent discoveries testify that a Roman sanctuary of the mineral springs had existed before the construction of Diocletianopole.