ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR VRATSA (Nartsis Torbov – natorbov@abv.bg, Nikola Theodossiev) The central fortification had a pentagonal layout. The western and the eastern walls of the fortification were built of ashlars bonded with mortar with an emplectum of roughly cut stones and mortar. A building with trapezoidal layout, probably barracks, was situated between both walls. The second fortified line of the fortress was situated to the south of the fortification and parallel to the Leva River. In 2009, the explorations of the western fortification wall with square Tower No. 1 and the eastern fortification wall with triangular Tower No. 2 continued. The fortification system was built during the Early Byzantine period. During the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (12th – 14th centuries), the fortress was called Vratitsa and it was restored and extended. The finds from the excavations included a bronze fibula and bronze coins of Maroneia and Philippi dated to the 4th century BC – 1st century AD, bronze coins of Gordian III, Claudius Gothicus, Constantine the Great and Constantius II, a lead seal and bronze coins of Justinian I, and bronze coins and jewelry of the 12th – 14th centuries.