Archaeological reserve Nicopolis ad Istrum
The ruins of the ancient Roman town "Nicopolis ad Istrum" are located on a plateau on the left bank of the river of Yantra, south-west ot village of Nikyup. The town was founded by the Roman emperor Marcus Ulpius Traianus to honor his victories over the Dacians tribes in 101 and 106.
The town was built on the cross-point of two main roads of the Danubian Roman provinces - one from the town of Odessus (Varna) to the western Roman provinces and other was the link between the Danubian fort Nove (Svishtov) and the Roman provinces in Asia Minor.
"Nicopolis ad Istrum" was a classical town, planned according to the orthogonal system. The network of streets, the forum surrounded by an Ionic colonnade and many buildings, a two-nave room later turned into a basilica and other public buildings have been uncovered. The town was supplied with water very well via one main (26km long) and two smaller aqueducts which brought the water to a particular water-tank, built close to the west fortress wall. After then the town water-main system provided the water to public and private buildings, baths and toilets.
In the middle of V century Nicopolis was destroyed by Attila`s Huns and rebuilt again in VI century as a powerful fortress enclosing little more than military buildings and churches. It was finally destroyed by the Avars at the end of the VI-th century. Later (in X-th), over its ruins was built a Bulgarian medieval settlement.
