Thracian Vault

The Thracian vault is a unique monument representing the Thracian Hellenistic art, dating back to the first half of the 3rd century B.C. The Thracian tomb of Sveshtari was discovered in 1982 near a village bearing the same name, located in northeastern Bulgaria, 7km away from the town of Isperih. It comprises of a passageway and 3 almost square chambers, covered by semicircular vaults. In the central chamber 2 stone beds can be seen and above the ornaments, one could admire a religious scene, revealing the act of praising the distinguished Thracian. The funeral ritual, the construction, architecture and ornaments show that a Thracian ruler has been buried in it. The vault nearby Sveshtari is a magnificent monument of significant historical and cultural value. It is situated 34 km away from Razgrad.

The tomb, built in the first half of the 3rd century B.C. has a majestic architectural design, colourful and impressive wall paintings. The 10 female figures depicted on the walls of the central chamber and the decoration of the lunette in its vault are unique by their kind. They were found in the lands once belonging to the Thracians.
There has been a belief or rather a hypothesis put forward by the leader of the archeological team that discovered the tomb, Maria Chichikova, and it is that the tomb of Sveshtari hosts the body of King Drumihed, leader of the Thracian tribe of Getes. The people of the Getes are thought to have been in contact with the Hellenistic and Hyperborean worlds. Moreover, Ms Chichikova suggests that the tomb was built near the former capital of the Getes, Hellis, which along with Sveshtari lies in the historical and cultural reserve of Sboryanovo. The tomb was included in UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1985.