One place associated with Bulgarian history that deserves to be seen. A couple kilometers from Shumen, you will discover the Madara Horseman.
The stone relief is carved into the side of a mountain, and is about 23 meters above the ground. It depicts the first proto-Bulgarian symbol, a horseman with a spear in his hand pointed towards a lion with a snake in its mouth. Accompanying the rider are the images of two animals, a dog and an eagle. The inscriptions depict events that took place between the years 705 to 831, including many wars with the Byzantine Empire and their resulting negotiations. The Madara Horseman is a designated UNESCO world heritage site; the symbolic power of this monument can be found on the Bulgarian coins. Getting to the Horseman is no small task, visitors must climb a flight of 225 stairs. The museum found in the Madara reservation welcomes you to learn more about this unique monument and its time period.