The Ryahovetz fortress is situated on the northern slopes of the Arbanassi mountain . These slopes are cut by small gorges : Eastern gorge , where nowadays passes the road from G.Oryahovitza to the town Russe ; Middle gorge- it is about 1 km west of the Eastern gorge ; Northern gorge , where the small river Gaber runs . The fortress is built on a hill , which is between the Middle and Northern gorges .

   The east ,south and west sides of the hill are naturally protected by sheer precipices which are from 15 to 30 metres deep .

   The northern slope is so steep that it nearly “falls down” straight into the valley of the river Yantra.

 

 

 

 

Plan of the main gate of tha fortress "Ryahovetz"

The first well-organized archaeological excavations are started in 1985 in two sectors-I sector- fortress walls( a main gate, eastern and western fortress walls, a northern and a western gate, a northern battle tower) and II sectora southern  foot of the fortress.

The localisation  of the main gate is facilitated by  Shkorpils description of the architecture of the Ryahovetz and his plan of the main gate.

 The main gate is in the south-eastern side of the hill.It is on the narrow terrace(12-15m/60m),which is surrounded by the cliffs.The main gate  is connected with a ford.The ford is 2.5 m wide and 15.80 m long.It is closed by three gates.

 The first gate is in front of the ford.It is shaped by two pilasters. Between them  the ford is 2.40 m wide.

The distance between the mentioned pilasters and the pilasters,shaping the second gate is 3.60m.

 At the third gate the ford is wide 2.05m.The eastern pilaster is 0,82x0,27m and the western one-1.03x0.29m.After the third gate the ford turns to the inner side of the eastern fortress wall.

To the east of the ford there is a square (8.40x8.20m)To the east of this square there is another one(5.40mx3.60m)

 The ford is covered with coarse crushed gravel.The main street of the fortress has the same pavement.The street is wide about 2.70-2.80m.10 km after the gate, the street changes its direction from north to north-west.A different kind of pavement is discovered in a sector after the third gate.This sector is covered with flag stones(0.40x0.30m) and there are tracks from mortar on them.It shows that these flag  stones were used for the second time. This kind of pavement and the buildings of the third gate show that they were built a bit careless.

  The level of the stone pavement is in line with the level of the bricklays,building on the destruction

These bricklays are built in the western side of the medieval street and in this way they protect this street from the landslide.