Ten kilometers from the town of Kardzhali near the village of Wide-Field are the ruins of the fortress Monyak. The defensive structure was built in 12-13 centuries in the Rhodope Mountains at an altitude of about 600 meters above sea level. Monyak Fortress is one of the largest medieval fortress in the Bulgarian Rhodope Mountains and the highest situated. It occupies an area of ​​about 5 acres, access here is very difficult, as complicated by a very steep, almost vertical in some places, the rise.

Fortress Monyak fulfills an important strategic function, she was on the way to pass the Iron Gate (Iron Gate), as well as guarding the approaches to the way located near the monastery of St. John Prodromus medieval town (he was on the territory that is now the modern Kardzhali). In the historical chronicles preserved information about the siege of the Latins in 1206 (the Fourth Crusade, which culminated in the conquest of Constantinople by the Crusaders). It was in the fortress Monyak was crowned emperor of the Latin Empire, Henry I of Flanders.

In the course of archaeological excavations discovered the ruins of the city wall, the preserved part of which has a length of about 270 meters, a height of 7-8 meters, eight defensive towers height of 3-4 meters, and water storage tanks. The building was built of stone blocks cemented with lime-and-sand mixture.

On the site where the ruins of an ancient fortress Monyak, panoramic view of the town of Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets Reservoir.