Tomb of Seuthes III – Golyama Kosmatka

Thracian tombs / Valley of the Thracian Kings, near Shipka town

The burial of King Seuthes III: a 26 m corridor and three chambers. The famous bronze head of the king was found here.

Excavated in 2004 by Georgi Kitov's team, this is the most striking tomb in the valley. You walk into the mound itself: a corridor, a round domed chamber and a sarcophagus-like chamber carved from a single granite block. The king was buried with his horse, a gold wreath, a helmet and over 70 objects, now in the Iskra museum in Kazanlak. The bronze head of Seuthes III, an icon of Thracian art, was ritually 'buried' in front of the entrance.

Good to know:

Add the neighbouring Shushmanets, Griffins and Helvetia tombs 2 km away; the curator often gives one talk for all.

12 km from Kazanlak on the Shipka road; signposted turn to the right before the town. Car park on site. The Kazanlak–Shipka bus stops 1.5 km away.

Closed · Opens at 09:00

distance

30 min

duration

#2 / 24

sights

Address: Valley of the Thracian Kings, near Shipka town
Opening hours: Daily 09:00–17:00
Tickets: Adults about €3, reduced for students and pensioners, children under 7 free. Free entry on the last Monday of each month.
Phone: +359 431 99031
Website: muzei-kazanlak.org

Hours and prices come from public sources as of September 2026. Check before you go.

Photo: Nenko Lazarov, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons