The Horseman of Madara

(Bulgarian: Мадарски конник, Madarski konnik) is a big relief, depicted on the Madara Plateau in northeastern Bulgaria. The image represents a rider and is located at a height of 23 meters in a cliff with a height of 100 meters. The horseman is piercing a lion with his spear at the feet of his horse, while in his other hand holding a wine glass. Behind the rider is a god and there is a dog behind the horseman. The image is attributed to the ancient Bulgars, a nomadic tribe of warriors, who at the end of the 7th century settled in northeastern Bulgaria and by mixing with the original Slavic population was at the forefront of the current Bulgarian people. Other theories would say that this work should be attributed to the Thracians. The monument dates from 710, so about three decades after the founding of the Bulgarian state (681). Even today the horseman of Madara is unique, there is never anything like that found elsewhere. The inscriptions around the figures illustrate the historical significance. These inscriptions, written in ancient Greek language, talk about some Bulgarian rulers, and were made in three successive stages. The inscriptions indicate important events. The oldest inscription mentions the name of the Bulgarian khan Tervel, this shows that the image dates from the 8th century. These are the earliest Bulgarian inscriptions, the earliest written information about the Bulgarian history. The monument is since 1979 on the World Heritage List of UNESCO. The horseman of Madara can be visited in the National Historical and Archaeological Reserve Madara, 16 km east of Shumen. It is against the rocks of the Madara Plateau, an area rich in testimonies of several ancient cultures in the plains of the Danube. The plateau rises gradually to its highest point and then suddenly drops like a waterfall to the fertile areas. The rock cliff is one hundred feet high. The beautiful nature is definitely worth a visit. On top of the plateau is a medieval fortress with beautiful views over the region.