Thracian roots
The surroundings of Aytos were inhabited as far back as antiquity. Thracian settlements and burial mounds in the area testify to life here for millennia, thanks to the fertile land and the springs at the foot of the mountain.
An ancient stop on the road
The Aytos pass links the coastal plain around Burgas with the interior of Thrace. This natural corridor made the place a crossroads for travellers and traders already in antiquity.
The Aetos fortress
In the Middle Ages the hill above the town was defended by a fortress called Aetos — 'eagle' in Greek. It controlled the pass and guarded the road between the sea and the interior. The town's present name derives from it.
An Ottoman market town
Through the centuries of Ottoman rule, Aytos developed as a crafts and market centre on the busy road between Burgas and the interior of the country. The weekly markets gathered goods and people from a wide area.
Liberation and the modern era
After the Liberation in 1878, Aytos remained an agricultural and trading centre of the area. During the 20th century the town grew, and the Slaveeva Reka park and the zoo became its green calling card.