Fortresses were built on hills and plateaus—the Byzantine historian Niketas Choniates said the Bulgarian castles in the Balkan Mountains were situated "at heights above the clouds".
Kindlused ehitati mägedele ja platoodele – Bütsantsi ajaloolane Niketas Khoniates ütles, et Bulgaaria lossid Balkani mägedes paiknesid "kõrgustes pilvede kohal".