2 km away from today's town Pliska (previous name Aboba) are the remains of the imposing construction of Pliska – the first capital of Danubian Bulgaria, founded in 681 by Khan Asparuh. Its heyday continued until 893-894, when the capital was moved to Veliki Preslav by Tsar Simeon the Great.

 
     The town had area of 23 sq. km and was surrounded by a 21 km long defensive line made up of a moat and ramparts. The inner city had area of 0.5 sq. km, rectangular shape and had 2.6 m thick and about 12 m high fortress walls, cylindrical towers at each corner, and two other towers on each wall. The Grand Palace is the best preserved building in the inner city. The throne of Khan’s Council was situated here. The size of the Palace is 52 m long and 26.5 m wide. Khan Omurtag (814-831) who rendered great services to turning Pliska into one of the biggest East European centres in the early Middle Ages built it.

     The town consisted of three concentric fortifications. The Exterior City is marked by a moat in the ground with a rampart enclosing a rectangular territory of 23 square kilometers. Almost in the middle of the Exterior City is situated the interior fortress surrounding the Inner City. The fortress has a solid stone wall (2.5 m wide), made of huge slabs. At each corner there was a trapezium – shaped tower, and on each of the four walls there were two five-angled towers and a gate. The main entrance is the east gate. The third inner defensive zone is a solid built brick wall surrounding the citadel situated in the centre of the Inner City.

     The Small Palace occupying territory of 568 square meters. It was the Khan’s residence. Unlike the Grand Palace the Small Palace is more exquisite and richer. Pliska underwent not only great constructions but also a high degree of improvements, as floor heating installation, windows with glasses. There is a rich archaeological museum near the excavation.