Located in the eastern part of Melnik and ten minutes from the city center, the Poliar House (or Byzantine House) is an important historical monument, reflecting the form of medieval Bulgarian architecture, and is the oldest preserved Byzantine building in the Balkans. Built in the first half of the thirteenth century, at the time when Melnik was the capital of the principality of Alexius Slav, this house had marble-paved courtyards, marble fountains and statues, mosaic floors, brightly painted walls, and stained windows. Today, only a few impressive monuments are left to be seen.