The Kaleto Fortress of Belogradchik is one of the most spectacular tourist attractions in the area. The total area covered by this fortification is over 10,000 square meters. The first military construction belonged to the Romans, who in the 1st – 3rd centuries used the fortress to guard the strategic roads in the area. The Roman engineers have used with great skill the surrounding rocks and the configuration of the place to ensure the defense of the whole area.The highest part of the fortress is known as the Citadel, and here are traces of defense walls and military buildings dating from both the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages. This fortress was one of the last fortresses that fell under the Ottoman occupation at the end of the fourteenth century. After the conquest, the Turks placed a large garrison here, which played an important role in defending the western part of the country and suppressed the periodic revolts of the Bulgarians. During the period from 1805 to 1837, the fortress was extended and rebuilt by the Ottoman regime, with the help of French and Italian engineers, to allow the use of firearms. The fortress has two gates, named Vidin and Niş. In some places, the walls have a base thickness of about 2.5 meters and between 3 and 15 meters high. Along the walls there are over 400 openings through which you could shoot with rifles or artillery. Usually the garrison here numbered about 1,000 soldiers, but during the war the number of defenders could reach 3,000. Belogradchik Fortress is one of the best preserved fortresses, being declared a cultural monument of national importance in 1985.