Samouil's Fortress, Medieval fortress and archaeological site in Klyuch, Bulgaria.

Samouil's Fortress occupies Kufalnitsa hill above the Strumeshnitsa, 5 km north of Klyuch. Its core is an earthen rampart with a stone-and-timber core, topped by a mud-bonded stone wall, ringed by three ramparts and two ditches. Rectangular stone foundations of a wooden watchtower stand on the summit, and a bronze statue of Tsar Samuil by Prof. Boris Gondov rises over the ruins.

Built between 1009 and 1013 under Tsar Samuil, the fortress was the command post of a defensive line over 8 km long that blocked the Kluchka Gorge between the Belasitsa and Ograzhden mountains. In 1014 the Battle of Belasitsa was fought nearby; Basil II captured some 14,000 Bulgarian soldiers and blinded them, leaving one one-eyed man to lead every hundred. The site became a national park-museum on 23 October 1982.

This place reflects a period when Bulgaria was a powerful force in the region. The ruins and displayed objects tell about military traditions and how people defended their lands back then.

The park-museum lies 5 km north of Klyuch, on the right bank of the Strumeshnitsa. A tree-lined alley leads from the parking area along the river, crosses a footbridge and climbs to the foot of the Kufalnitsa hill. The bronze statue of Tsar Samuil and four concrete pylons on the hilltop are visible from a distance.

Archaeological finds show that this place was used by a diverse population over a long period. The excavations reveal everyday objects and tools that give a different picture of the people who lived there.