site.btaMogilanska Mogila Mound in Vratsa to Be Preserved, No Construction Planned

Authorities have agreed that no construction will take place on Mogilanska Mogila mound in the centre of Vratsa, the municipality said on Wednesday following an interagency meeting.

The meeting, hosted by Vratsa Mayor Kalin Kamenov, brought together representatives of the Culture Ministry, the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Regional History Museum in Vratsa, local authorities and the site's investor, Ilian Tsvetkov.

After the meeting, Tsvetkov confirmed that he would not build on the property, as a monumental stone structure was discovered there in 2025 during construction work. The structure subsequently underwent emergency archaeological research, which showed that it belonged to a necropolis rather than a royal palace, according to Assoc. Prof. Hristo Popov of the National Archaeological Institute.

Popov stressed that this find is of major importance to Thracian studies and has no known parallel in Bulgaria or the Balkans. Participants therefore agreed that the Culture Ministry should acquire the property to enable its full research, conservation and presentation. Initial plans include temporary conservation, potential compensation for the investor and further archaeological excavations, with funding sought in the 2027 state budget.