Bolyarska House – Melnik

Bolyarska House is a monument from the first half of the 13th century and represents one of the greatest examples of Bulgarian residential architecture of the medieval period. It is also the oldest preserved building from the Byzantine era in the Balkans. The building is located in the eastern part of Melnik, not far from the city center. The building was built under the principality of Alexius Slav and Melnik was the capital, it was originally built as a residence of the ruler. The Bolyarsky House was born as a residence inside a fortress, typical of the medieval period, due to its strategic defensive position the house played the role of nucleus for subsequent settlements.