LATE ANTIQUITY BUILDING – VILLAGE DRENKOVO

Late Antiquity building is located in the village of Drenkovo, 16 km from Blagoevgrad.

Drenkovo is a scattered settlement; its neighborhoods are situated among the folds of the northern hills of Vlahina mountain.
Today’s area of Drenkovo has been inhabited since ancient times. Evidence of this is the prehistoric settlement located in the fields “Garleshkite nivi” (1 km south of the village). Based on the tools of stone and flint found there, it was dated to the Neolithic (late VII-VI millennium BC). In late antiquity (IV-VI c. AD) along the river Drenkovska passed one of the roads connecting the valley of the Struma valley of the Vardar. Perhaps this road was an important road artery linking the villages from the Struma valley with the large administrative center of Pautalia (today’s Kyustendil). Confirmation that gives the square building with semicircular defensive towers at each corner, located south of Drenkovo. 

The defense facility was connected to the road guard. Archaeological studies have found that it was used even in the Middle Ages (IX-X century). Today the building is almost entirely restored and has become a sight of cultural and historical tourism. In the area of Drenkovo there are also remains of a settlement, dating back to the late antiquity. 

The site has been restored and preserved with EU funds under PHARE – CBC Bulgaria – Greece.