Varna

Varna is the largest city in Northeastern Bulgaria, beautifully situated along the shores of the Black Sea and Lake Varna. Serving as the administrative center of the Varna Municipality and Province, it is the largest urban center in Northern Bulgaria and along the Bulgarian coast, as well as the third-largest city by population in the country. The Admiralty of the Bulgarian Navy is based here. Varna is frequently referred to as the Maritime Capital or the Summer Capital of Bulgaria, acting as a crucial tourist, educational, and economic hub, and the primary gateway to the northern seaside resorts. The city is globally famous for preserving the Varna Chalcolithic Gold Treasure (dated between 4400 and 4100 BC). Discovered inside the Varna Necropolis, it gives its name to the Varna Culture and was long considered the oldest gold treasure in the world, though recent excavations at the City of the Birds near Pazardzhik revealed gold artifacts that are 200 to 300 years older. Cultural Events, Festivals, and International Achievements Varna was awarded the title of European Youth Capital in 2017. The city hosts prestigious international art events, including the International Ballet Competition (held biennially since 1964 at the Open Air Theater), the Varna Summer International Music Festival, and film festivals such as Love is Folly, The Golden Dolphin, August in Art, and Videoholica. Theaters and Performing Arts - Varna State Opera: Opened on August 1, 1947, it shares an iconic building with the Drama Theater in the central square. It organizes the annual Christmas and Easter Musical Festivals, as well as the Opera at the Open Air Theater. Today, it operates as part of the Theater and Music Production Center Varna. - Stoyan Bachvarov Drama Theater: In 1912, Mayor Ivan Tserov laid the foundation stone for the theater building on Nezavisimost Square. The first season opened in 1921 in the Saedinenie Hall (now the Filial stage) next to the Clock Tower. Designed by architects Nikola Lazarov and Dabko Dabkov, the neo-Renaissance building was fully completed in 1932 with financial donations from the local citizens. - Varna State Puppet Theater: Founded in 1951 by the renowned puppeteer and director Georgi Saravanov, who personally crafted the marionettes for the debut performance of The Duckling in 1952. These unique puppets are preserved in the Puppets Museum. Since 1985, the theater has occupied a beautifully adapted historical building in the city center. - Balgaran Theater: The first and only professional private theater in Northeastern Bulgaria, established in 2005 inside the Naval Club building. Equipped with its own recording studio and modern stage tech, it features performances by over 60 prominent Bulgarian actors. Architectural Complexes and Congress Centers - Varna Naval Club: Located in the city center next to the Central Post Office and the Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral. Built in an elegant Renaissance style between 1897 and 1899, it opened with a formal military ball. The building was expanded in the 1980s and completely restored in 2016. Today, it houses a 350-seat cinema hall, a concert hall, a hotel, and manages various amateur art ensembles. - Festival and Congress Center (FCC): Opened in 1986 near the entrance to the Sea Garden, it serves as the main venue and co-organizer for major film and music festivals, boasting the largest concert hall in the city. - Palace of Culture and Sports (DKS): Known locally as the Sports Hall, this complex features 6 multifunctional halls, a press center, and a wellness facility. The Open Air Theater in the Sea Garden is administratively linked to the palace. - Dobri Hristov National School of Arts: Established as a music school in 1944, it was the first state musical institution in Varna. Named after Academician Dobri Hristov in 1956, it became the first school outside Sofia to receive the prestigious National School of Arts status in 2004. Historical Landmarks and Museums The city is featured in the 100 National Tourist Sites of Bulgaria with several key destinations: - Roman Thermae of Odessos: Located in the southeastern part of the city, these public baths were constructed in the late 2nd century AD over an area of 7000 square meters, featuring brick vaults rising over 20 meters. They are among the best-preserved Roman monuments in Bulgaria. In the 19th century, the vaults were used as a prison where the legendary freedom fighter Captain Petko Voivode was held. - Varna Archaeological Museum: Occupying the grand building of the former Girls High School (established by Karel Skorpil), the museum features 32 exhibition halls showcasing the prehistoric Varna Gold, which is over 6000 years old. - Other Museums: The Naval Museum, the Vladislav Varnenchik Park-Museum, the Museum of the History of Varna, the Museum of the National Revival, the Ethnographic Museum, and the Natural History Museum. Parks, Gardens, and Nature Reserves - The Sea Garden: A national monument of landscape architecture spanning 850 decares. Designed by the Czech landscape architect Anton Novak at the invitation of the Skorpil brothers, the park features the Alley of the National Revival Heroes, the Mermaid Fountain (sculpted by Kiril Shivarov), the Varna Aquarium, the Nikolai Copernicus Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium (opened in 1968), and the Delphinarium. - Varna Zoo: Opened on April 30, 1961, by architects B. Markova and K. Karakashev. Located inside the Sea Garden, it is home to over 300 animals from 60 species, divided into sectors for birds (including a rare pink pelican), rodents, herbivores, primates, and carnivores (Siberian tiger, lions, bears). It features an active Wildlife Rescue Center. - Euxinograd Palace and Park: A 800-decare royal estate and government residence located north of the city, listed as a national monument of landscape art. - Golden Sands Nature Park: Spanning 13 207 decares near the city, this protected forest houses the unique medieval Aladzha Rock Monastery. It is the second-oldest designated nature park in Bulgaria after Vitosha.