How did a small Thracian settlement turned into a thriving town of culture and trade?

By Viktor Lazarov | Viktor Lazarov lifestyle blog | 25 Jun 2021

Would you like to visit a city old, a city where cultures have been clashing and intertwining for thousands of years? Where is this place? How did it come to be? Today we will answer that and more through the perspective of a person who has been there.

Allow me to take you on a journey in a country far away, tucked between between Europe and Asia and more specifically to its seaside pearl.

Welcome to Varna, Bulgaria.

Aerial view of Varna

Landmarks and their history

The Euxinograd Residence

As Bulgaria’s location in the south-east part of Europe is right at the crossroad between Asia and the old continent, a lot of beautiful castles have sprung throughout the centuries. The Euxinograd Residence is no exception.

View of the residence

Sure it is pretty, but what is the story behind it? Since 1890 it has served as a summer residence for Bulgarian heads of state. During the 1946 – 1991 it was a meeting spot for high ranking officials of the communist party and its associates.

Statue of God Neptune at the Euxinograd residence

Nowadays it is a state owned residence and can be visited by tourists. Who are usually attracted by the architecture, interior, the vast park and the occasional cultural events such as opera festival “Operosa”.

Interior of the Euxinograd Residence

Winery at the Euxinograd Residence

What makes this place personally important to me?

The palace was one of the reasons my my interest in history sparked back in high school. As the teacher spoke I remember vividly imagining the history, first in the medieval ages when travelers from Genua came in and settled, welcomed by the Bulgarian aristocracy who were building monasteries and warm baths with mineral water.

Later on in the 19th century during the Russian-Turkish war this beautiful place was used as an infirmary. At that moment I imagined the exhausted Russian soldier coming back from the front falling asleep and waking up to a mesmerizing, lush scenery.

On top of that new ancient archeological sites are still being uncovered in the vicinity of the palace. So this fascinating place will likely never stop surprising us.

Alley in the Euxinograd Residence park

Varna Chalcolithic necropolis

A grave uncovered during archeological excavation

How was this dead man found with all of this gold? The year is 1972, a construction worker is tasked with making a tunnel near Varna, one day while digging with his bagger, Raycho Marinov notices that his progress is staggered and unusual items are popping out of the ground. That day he stops working and takes the items in a nearby village for archeologists to look at them.

Golden Bulls uncovered at the Varna Necropol

Like this just in the next following month the Necropolis was designated as an archeological site and in the period from 1972 – 1991, hundreds of ancient graves, thousands of golden and ceramic items were uncovered.

Golden scepter dated 4600 – 4200 year B. C

Later on it is discovered that the golden items are the oldest ones made by a man (which is still the case at the time of writing).

Upon further research scientists suspect that this is evidence of a highly developed society (for its time) and that people have been building communities very early on, based on the tens of graves and thousands of golden items.

What makes this place personally important to me?

As a child I used to imagine all kinds of fantastical scenarios with kings and queens, dragons and adventure based on fairy tales. So learning about it flipped a switch in my imagination and helped me think in the context of the real world.

The Sea Garden

Every major city has its park – New York has Central Park, Tokyo has Showa Memorial Park, Varna has the Sea Garden.

Up until the XIX century, this place was a bare field used for herding cattle. That changes when in 1881, the mayor Mihail Koloni, suggests that a park be built. His initial efforts are laughed off, but after rethinking and getting his friends in on the idea, 26000 m² are provided for the endeavour, 130 trees were planted, but that was not nearly enough, so the Czech landscape architect Anton Ian Novak who creates wonders.

Flower alley with soil taken from iconic places throughout Bulgaria

Under his project, numerous tree species from across the Meditterannean were transported to the park, soon after it was done it became beloved place to citizens and tourists alike. As thankfulness, the architect was given a house next to the park and his name was engraved at the entrance. Later on statues were built and placed to commemorate historical figures.

Bust of journalist, poet and revolutionary Lyuben Karavelov (1834 - 1879)

What makes this place personally important to me?

There was a period between 2010 and 2012, where there was a chance that a lot of building would be built inside the park, fortunately through petition and coordination these efforts were stopped and the park stays strong. That is a social victory which I value.