The Western Gate of Serdica

As a result of the archaeological excavations resumed in 2011, the Western Gate site of Serdica gained great public and academic popularity and occupied its rightful place on the archaeological map of modern Sofia.

The archaeological excavations carried out in the period 1974-1980 brought to light the western gate of the city, the northern pentagonal gate tower attached to it, parts of the curtain wall and a triangular tower. Layers dated back to the Early and Late Medieval periods were excavated. Late Roman layers (the 4th - the 6th century) were reached at various parts of the site.

The new discoveries confirmed some of the observations made in the past, specified others and contested part of the hypotheses on the life in Serdica in the Roman, Early Byzantine and Medieval periods. The large scale archaeological excavations carried out in Sofia in the recent years shed light on aspects of the early history of Serdica unknown until present.