Madara Rider, Rock relief sculpture in Shumen, Bulgaria.
The Madara Rider relief depicts a mounted figure, a lion, and a dog carved 23 meters up on a 100-meter vertical cliff face.
Created between 700 and 800 CE during the First Bulgarian Empire, the relief includes three medieval Greek inscriptions mentioning Bulgarian rulers Tervel, Krum, and Omurtag.
The relief combines elements from Thracian and Bulgarian traditions, representing a warrior figure that became a symbol of Bulgarian national identity.
Visitors need to climb 300 steps from the parking area to reach the viewing platform, and binoculars help examine the details of the carving.
The relief stands as the sole example of medieval rock art in Europe that incorporates both figurative imagery and historical inscriptions in one monument.
Location: Shumen
Inception: 8 century
GPS coordinates: 43.27737,27.11889
Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:24
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