Pliska

Pliska, the first capital of the First Bulgarian Empire, served as a significant political and cultural hub during the Early Post-Classical Period. Established around 681 CE by Khan Asparuh, it was an extensive fortified area with both wooden and stone structures, including palaces and defensive walls. The city underwent several reconstructions, notably by Omurtag, who incorporated Roman architectural influences. The conversion to Christianity under Boris I saw the adaptation of religious structures, including the construction of the Great Basilica. Pliska was a center of cultural and educational development, exemplified by the Pliska Literary School. However, its prominence waned after Simeon I moved the capital to Preslav, and it was eventually destroyed during the Byzantine conquest in the late 10th century.