Nebet Tepe, the Ancient Hilltop Citadel of Plovdiv
Nebet Tepe is one of the hills of Plovdiv where the ancient town was founded, and its archaeological complex is a cultural monument of national significance. Walls, towers and a Roman postern show how the Thracian hilltop settlement became the citadel of Philippopolis. It is a free, atmospheric stop above the Old Town, with views over the Maritsa valley and the surrounding mountains.
A secret tunnel from the age of Justinian is cut into the rock under the northern wall of this hill. Some historians say the Apostle Paul once walked through it, though this is only a supposition.
The history of Nebet Tepe
Nebet Tepe is the oldest part of Plovdiv. The first prehistoric settlement here is dated to the fourth millennium BCE, in the age when copper and stone were both in use, and it grew on a naturally protected spot at the front of the northern hill before spreading across the other hills. The place was later inhabited by the Thracian tribe of the Bessi, and scholars still debate whether the town was called Eumolpias or Pulpudeva.
In 342 BCE Philip II of Macedon captured the Thracian settlement on Nebet Tepe and renamed it Philippopolis. In the Hellenistic period the town spread eastwards across the three hills and their foot, and the old hilltop fortress became the citadel of the town’s acropolis. From this age come the remains of the western wall with its imposing four-sided tower and an entrance on its inner side. The oldest stretch of wall, from the fourth century BCE, was built of large syenite blocks fitted together tightly without mortar, in so-called cyclopean masonry.
Under Roman rule the fortress was strengthened again. Excavations in 2016 brought to light a Roman wall bastion from the first century CE. In the sixth century, in the reign of Justinian, a secret tunnel with a staircase was cut into the rock under the northern wall, a postern thought to have led down toward the Maritsa river, whose channel once ran much closer to the hill. Some historians say the Apostle Paul walked through it, but this remains a supposition. The hill also kept water reservoirs for times of siege, among them a large rectangular cistern of 350 cubic metres, built from alternating layers of stone and brick and coated inside with a water-resistant plaster.
The complex went on playing an important part in the defence of the city, with many additions and improvements in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, until the fourteenth century. The present name comes from Turkish: nevbet means guard and tepe means hill, so Nebet Tepe is the hill of the guards, a reference to the garrison that is thought to have watched over the city. The hill also had an older name, the hill of Musaeus, after the Thracian who was the most gifted pupil of Orpheus.
In modern times the site was researched, conserved and displayed as part of the project “Along the Fortress Walls of Philippopolis”. After its renovation it was officially opened to visitors on 20 March 2025, when the Municipality of Plovdiv assigned its management to the Regional Archaeological Museum – Plovdiv. Access is free, and the museum offers specialised guided tours by prior reservation only.
Curious facts about Nebet Tepe
- The name Nebet Tepe means roughly the hill of the guards, from the Turkish nevbet and tepe.
- An older name for the hill was the hill of Musaeus, after the Thracian said to be the most talented pupil of Orpheus.
- The oldest walls were laid without mortar, using large syenite blocks fitted tightly together in the cyclopean style.
- A secret postern with a staircase cut into the rock under the northern wall dates from the age of Justinian, and some historians suggest Paul once passed through it.
- A Roman cistern holding 350 cubic metres of water survives in the southern part of the hill.
- For a short time the hill was named after the newborn heir to the throne, Prince Simeon of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Tours near Nebet Tepe
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv
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Plovdiv, Asen's Fortress and Bachkovo Monastery small group tour with pickup
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E-Motorcycle Tour in Rhodope Mountains to a Beautiful Canyon View
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Plovdiv Full-Day Small-Group Tour from Sofia with Pickup
See details ›Visiting Nebet Tepe
- Entry to the archaeological complex is free, and it has been managed by the Regional Archaeological Museum – Plovdiv since 20 March 2025.
- Guided tours are offered by the museum but only after a reservation made in advance; check current visiting conditions before you go.
- Look for the western wall with its four-sided tower, the cyclopean masonry, the Roman postern and the large cistern.
- From the top you can see the Maritsa valley, the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) and the Sredna Gora; winding stone steps lead down toward the river.
- At the foot of the hill stand the churches of Saints Constantine and Helena and of St Kevork, and the Ethnographic Museum is housed in a house of 1847.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Nebet Tepe is
Photos of Nebet Tepe
Questions
What is Nebet Tepe in Plovdiv?
Nebet Tepe is one of the hills of Plovdiv on which the ancient town was founded, now an archaeological complex with fortress walls, towers and a Roman postern. It is a cultural monument of national significance.
How old is Nebet Tepe?
The first prehistoric settlement is dated to the fourth millennium BCE. The hill was later a Thracian settlement, the citadel of Hellenistic and Roman Philippopolis and part of the city’s defences until the fourteenth century.
Is Nebet Tepe free to visit?
Yes, access to the archaeological complex is free for visitors. Guided tours run by the Regional Archaeological Museum – Plovdiv are available only by prior reservation.
What does the name Nebet Tepe mean?
It comes from the Turkish words nevbet, meaning guard, and tepe, meaning hill, so it is the hill of the guards.
Did the Apostle Paul really walk through the tunnel?
Some historians say so, but it is only a supposition. The postern itself is a real Roman-era tunnel with a staircase, built in the sixth century in the reign of Justinian.
What can you see from Nebet Tepe?
The top gives views over the Maritsa valley, the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) and the Sredna Gora.
Also nearby
Dzhumaya Mosque
Plovdiv · early Ottoman mosque with a disputed birth date
500 m away
Plovdiv Roman Stadium
Plovdiv · a 30,000-seat Roman stadium under the main street
550 m away
Bishop's Basilica of Philippopolis
Plovdiv · giant 4th-century church with exotic-bird mosaics
800 m away
Alyosha Monument
Plovdiv · giant Soviet soldier watching over the city
1.5 km away