2018 - Bulgaria - Vidin - Baba Vida Fortress - 2 of 3 — Ted's photos - Returns late Feb

In the Middle Ages, Vidin, then called Bdin or Badin, was a major city in the Bulgarian Empire. At the end of the 14th century, the Baba Vida Fortress was the castle and capital of one of the last Bulgarian medieval Tsars, Ivan Sratsimir (r. 1371-1396) of the Vidin Tsardom, a rump state of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396/1422). Baba Vida Castle is said to be the best preserved medieval Bulgarian fortress since the numerous other Bulgarian fortresses were destroyed by the invading Ottoman Turks at the end of the 14th century AD (the Ottoman Turks called Baba Vida a “virgin" fortress because it was not taken by them by force). The fortress consists of 2 fundamental walls and 4 towers. It was the main defensive installation during the course of the Middle Ages and the most important fortress of northwestern Bulgaria.