United Bulgarian Bank became the first winner of the Ring of Lyutitsa award in recognition of its contribution to the archaeological and historical research in the Eastern part of the Rhodope Mountains. The award was presented during a special ceremony held today at Lyutitsa Fortress near Ivaylovgrad town under the patronage of Ms. Diana Ovcharova, Mayor of the Municipality.

On UBB’s behalf, the award was received by Ms. Anka Kostova, the Bank’s Public Relations and Sponsorship Manager. Along with UBB, one of the major sponsors of the excavation works on the territory of Lyutitsa Fortress over the recent years, the first rings of honor were also presented to Mr. Zlatil Hadzhiev, a local farmer who contributed to the excavation works at Lyutitsa Fortress, and to Mr. Iliyan Popov, owner of Sofia Auto company, who rendered transportation services during a number of archaeological researches.

The event’s organizers, Cultural Projects Association and Kopam BG Association, have the ambition to make the award ceremony a traditional event. Each consecutive year the award will be presented to individuals or legal entities in recognition of their contribution to the research and preservation of the cultural heritage of the Eastern part of the Rhodope Mountains, said Ass. Prof. Bonny Petrunova, Vice-Director of the National Institute of Archaeology with a Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and a co-founder of the award along with her colleagues Mr. Bozhidar Dimitrov and Ms. Margarita Vaklinova. Ass. Prof Petrunova believes that the award will be an incentive for people and organizations to set aside funds for preservation of historical remnants as well as to invest efforts in the popularization of cultural and historical heritage.

The winners of the Ring of Lyutitsa award will be presented with replicas of the golden ring, discovered during the excavation works at Lyutitsa Fortress conducted in the summer of Y2011. The original ring was again officially exhibited with the opening of a new exhibition at the Municipal Museum of Ivaylovgrad town. The ring, weighing 13.5 grams, has a carved monogram with an inscription reading, according to experts, May God be with Us.    

The fortress is located in the Eastern part of the Rhodope Mountains some 6 km southwest of Ivaylovgrad town. While the 26 decares of fortified spacehoused a whole town, the fortress walls with over 600 m length and up to 10 m height were entirely marble-built hence the name of the site also known as the Marble City.