| Tsepina Цепина | |
|---|---|
| Pazardzhik Province, Bulgaria | |
 Tsepina Fortress - plan. | |
| Site information | |
| Condition | In ruins |
| Site history | |
| Events | Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars; Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars |
Tsepina (Bulgarian: Цепина) or Tzepaina (Greek: Τζέπαινα) was a castle and town in the western Rhodope mountains, southern Bulgaria, now in ruins. It is 6 kilometres (4 mi) from the Dorkovo village in the north-eastern part of the Chepino Valley. Tsepina is 317 metres (1,040 ft) above sea level.[1]
The town was built on a steep height at 1,136 metres (3,727 ft) above sea level. Its outer walls closed an area of 25 decares and was dominated by a citadel at the top of the cliff. The foundations of three churches have been excavated as well as four large water storage tanks up to 10 metres (33 ft) deep.