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Varna |
 VARNA
- a district town, situated on Varna Bay
on the Black Sea, 469 km north-east of
Sofia; a seaside resort. Population of
301 000. Third in population after Sofia
and Plovdiv, called the seaside capital
of Bulgaria. Terminal station on the railway
lines Sofia-Varna and Rouse-Varna, a sea
port, an international airport, second
in traffic after Sofia.
Long sand-covered beach strips.
The earliest archaeological finds on the
territory of the town refer to the Varna
Eneolithic necropolis, uncovered on the
northern bank of Varna Lake. In the investigated
280 graves there have been uncovered 3010
golden objects of overall weight of more
than 6 kg, dated as the oldest golden
find in Europe (second half of the 5th
millennium B.C.). Around 560 B.C. in the
place of an ancient Thracian settlement
the ancient town Odessos appears. It is
an important trade, crafts and agrarian
centre. The town mints its own coins (drachmas).
Strengthened with fortified walls in the
4th C. B.C. and later, after being conquered
by the Romans - in the 1st C. B.C. and
the 4th C. A.D. Bishop's seat. Roman thermae,
basilicas, mosaics have been uncovered
there.
 Towards
the end of the 8th C. Varna is included
in the territory of the Bulgarian state.
After the conversion to Christianity (864)
it becomes a centre of the newly adopted
creed. Towards 971 the town falls under
Byzantine rule, in 1201 it is liberated
by Tsar Kaloyan's troops. In the 13th
C. and the 14th C. it is a strong fortress
and a significant commercial port, used
by ships from Venice and Genoa. In 1389
Varna falls under Ottoman rule and 10
years later it is devastated by the Tatars.
Near the town the battle between the united
Christian troops led by King Ladislaus
III Jagiello and the Ottoman Turks is
held (1444). The army of Ladislaus III
suffers defeat.
 In
the Middle Ages Varna is the strongest
fortress on the western Black Sea coast.
During the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829,
after a three-month siege, the town is
taken by the Russian troops, but under
the Odrin Peace Treaty it is given back
to Turkey and a part of the Christian
population flees to Bessarabia and South
Russia.
During the Crimean War (1853-1856) the
town is a military base of the English
and French troops that fight against Russia.
In 1878 the Russians liberate the town.
The architectural outline of the town
is accomplished at the end of the 19th
C. and the beginning of the 20th C. The
older architecture is represented by a
clock tower in the city centre and the
Church of the Holy Virgin (1602) with
an iconostasis (1896) by a master artist
belonging to the School of Debur, and
valuable icons (the oldest dating back
to 1646).
In Varna there are 4 higher educational
institutes, a theatre, an opera theatre,
art galleries, a historical arts museum.
Annual International Festival of Music
"Varna Summer", International
Ballet Competition, Festival of the Bulgarian
Feature Film.
Roman thermae - the biggest Bulgarian
find so far. Built at the end of the 2nd
C. and the beginning of the 3rd C. Covering
an area of 7000 sq.m. Numerous rooms,
typical of such buildings (frigidarium,
tepidarium, caldarium with 3 swimming
pools, reception halls, etc.). A museum
compound.
 Seaside
Park - the biggest park of Varna, situated
by the beach. Its construction begins
in 1878. Within the park area one can
find the Seaside Baths, the Navy Museum,
the Museum of Natural History, the Aquarium
(unique exposition of water organisms
- Black Sea, freshwater, tropical fishes),
the Astronomical Observatory and the Planetarium
which organizes observation seances for
visitors, Dolphinarium with an amusing
show, etc. The Church of the Assumption
- this church is second in scale after
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia.
Erected in 1884-1886 by the master builder
Gencho Kunev in honour of the Liberation
from Ottoman yoke. Modern Byzantine architecture.
Spacious interior, woodcarved iconostasis
by masters belonging to the school of
Debur, stained glass. The church is painted
in 1949-1950. Declared monument of culture.
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