Pliska - the first capital of Danubian Bulgaria
Two kilometers away from of today’s town of Pliska (prev. name Aboba) are the remains of the imposing construction of Pliska –the first capital of Danubian Bulgaria, founded in 681 by Khan Asparoukh. It existed until 893 – 894 when the capital was moved to Veliki Preslav by Tsar Simeon the Great.

The ancient town of Pliska
The town had area of 23 sq. km and was surrounded by a 21 km long defensive line made up of a moat and ramparts. The “Interior City” had area of 0.5 sq. km, was rectangular in shape and had 2.6 m thick and about 12 m high fortress walls, cylindrical towers at each corner, and two other towers in each wall. The Grand Palace is the best preserved building in the “Interior City”. The throne of the Khan’s Council was situated here. The size of the Palace is 52 meters long and 26.5 meters wide. Khan Omurtag (814 – 831) who rendered great services to turning Pliska into one of the biggest East – European centres in the early Middle Ages built it.