The town of Hissarya is situated in Central Bulgaria, in the southern foothills of the Sredna Gora Mountains. Hissarya is located 170 km from Sofia, the national capital, and 42 km from the city of Plovdiv. The town is famous for its mineral water and ancient history. The 22 mineral springs have attracted inhabitants to the region since the 5th century B.C. The Roman fortress, which encompasses many ruins and part of the modern town, has been declared an archaeological reserve. Today, Hissarya has 9000 residents and attracts thousands of tourists from around the world. Numerous hotels and medical facilities offer balneotherapy and spa treatments using modern equipment and techniques.

Quick facts about Town of Hissarya
In Bulgarian Alphabets: Хисаря
Location: South-Central Bulgaria
Distance to capital city: 115 km from Sofia
Latitude: 42.5 N
Longitude: 24.7 E
Altitude: 300 - 499 m above sea level
Province: Plovdiv District
Municipality: Hissarya Municipality
Area size of Town of Hissarya: 90.115 sq km
Population of Town of Hissarya: 7691 inhabitants (to 01/01/2007)
Post code (ZIP): 4180
Phone code: 0337 from Bulgaria, 00359337 from outside

History
The modern health resort , with its more than 20 mineral springs and mild climate, has an ancient past. During the Roman rule the town (called Augusta and Sevastopolis) was a wealthy resort centre with Emperor's palaces, wide stone streets, marble baths, a sewage system and lots of statues of Roman gods. Sick people from all over the Balkan Peninsula , Asia Minor and the Aegean Islands crowded here. The white-as-marble town could be seen from far away, like a dream among luxuriant vegetation, it was famous for its mineral springs throughout the Roman Empire. After being burnt down by the Goths in the 3rd century, it was rebuilt in the beginning of the 4th century, this time with massive and high defensive walls. During the 5th and 6th centuries the town reached its zenith, being part of the Byzantine Empire. After the 6th century it slowly started to decline. Almost all the time between the 9th and the 14th century it's within the borders of Bulgaria and is known by the name of Toplitsa. When the Turks invaded Bulgaria, the town put up a rugged resistance, for which it was completely destroyed and the population was massacred. It was in the 17th century when the Turks finally appreciated its natural assets and re-populated the ex-resort, giving it its present name - Hissar (fortress) because of the many fortress remains in it. While in Hissar the population was mainly Turkish, in the nearby villages Verigovo and Momina Banya (now quarters of the town) there lived enthusiastic Bulgarians who took an active part in the struggle against the Ottoman rule. In 1868 Vassil Levski founded a revolutionary committee in Verigovo, 15 members of which took part in the Grand People's Gathering at Oborishte. The village rose in rebellion against the Turkish rule in April 1876 together with other villages in the area, but it was devastated when the April Uprising was suppressed - the village was burnt down, many people were slaughtered, others sent on exile to Cyprus Island, some were driven away.

Present
Today Hissarya is a flourishing town and resort of national importance. The mineral water's temperature is 24^o - 49^o C and its output is 40 litres per second. It cures diseases of the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, gastrit, diabetes and many more. The most famous spring is the one in the Momina Banya Quarter (Maiden Bath) with its radioactive alkaline water. There is also a mudcure establishment, which increases the quality of the therapy. There are some mineral drinking-fountains, balneotherapy establishments, a lot of sanatoriums, few dozens of recreational facilities, hundreds of private and departmental villas, a mineral water beach, many parks and gardens.

Landmarks
The Archaeology Museum with a rich archaeological (mainly) and ethnigraphic exposition (working hours 8.00 a.m. - 12.00 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. - 5.30 p.m. all week round). The Hissar Fortress has the shape of an irregular tetragon with an area of 300 decares. Its 4th century walls still look impressive and are some of the best-preserved fortress defences in Bulgaria. Their total lenght is 2315 metres, the walls's thickness ia about 2.5 to 3 metres and their height is 10 metres. The fortress were strengthened with 43 quadrangle turrets. One could enter the town through 4 gates, the main of which was the southern, called Kamilite (The Camels). The northern side has 2 walls, the outer of which is 10 metres away from the inner one, in front of the southern wall there was a 4-metres deep and 10-12 metres wide moat. Inside and outside the fortress different kinds of buildings from the ancient town were found - barracks, ancient Roman baths, a late-Roman building (with a colonnade), churches, necropolises. Out of the 5 late-ancient tombs, found in the area, the so-called Hissar Tomb, also known as the 3rd tomb, is the biggest and most famous. It is a late-Roman (from the 4th century) family tomb, consisting of an overarched passage, a staircase and a burial chamber. The walls of the chamber and the passage are decorated with colour frescoes, and the chamber's floor is covered with a 4-colour-mosaic. Other interesting sites are the banski buildings (baths) at the springs of Havuza, Momina Banya and Indzheza, The Old-Christian Basilicas from the 5th and 6th century, the Church-Tomb from the 10th - 12th century, the Holy Virgin Temple in the Momina Banya Quarter, the St. Dimitar Temple in Verigovo Quarter, the St. Pantaleimon Temple, St. Peter and Pavel Church and many more.

Surrounding areas
In 2000 during archaeological excavations in the region of the village of Starossel (25 km west of the town) was discovered the grandiose Thracian Temple (5th - 4th century BC) ever found. It is surrounded by a stone wall (up to 5 m high and 240 m long) made of huge stone blocks. The Thracian temple has one front and two side stairs, a long corridor between 5 metres high stone walls. The actual temple consists of a facade, a rectangular premise and a round premise with an unknown ceiling construction - a unique semi-cylindrical arc and dome. The entrances were closed with massive stone gates. Tens of burial mounds were found nearby, some of them containing tomb-mausoleums of Thracian rulers of the 5th and 4th centuries BC. The tombs contain extremely valuable articles - golden jewelry, a set of silver adorning as part of horse ammunition, full armament and other pieces of high scientific, art artistic and museum value. The ult complex is a unique evidence of the Thracian orphic belief in our lands. The complex became attractive for tourists long before its final arrangement and opening.
Starosel Wine Cellar - At this modern facility, visitors can enjoy wine tasting, undergo a new type of SPA treatment called wine therapy, and watch performances of Thracian ritual dances.
Piasachnik Dam - located 30 km from Hissarya, this protected site of international importance attracts migratory birds and offers visitors with fishing opportunities.
Thracian residence on the Kozi Gramadi Peak in the Sredna Gora Mountains - located 22 km from Hissarya, this site includes ruins of a royal residence and a massive fortress wall dating from the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 5th centuries B.C.