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RECREATIONAL FISHING
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Cultural and historical heritage
Anthropogenic resource characteristics The existing cultural and historical sites in Kavarna municipality are concentrated in the town of Kavarna. Among them are the Historical Museum, Art Gallery, Saglasie Community Cultural Center and amateur theatre.
Other major attractions of the town and municipality of Kavarna are: Kaliakra Cape, Chirakman Cape, Yailata National Archeological Reserve near the village of Kamen Bryag, Rusalka Holiday Village, Hamam, fountains, churches and port shops.
The Historical Museum of Kavarna has existed since 1971. In 2003 it was moved to a new building, specifically designed and tailored to the museum functions as a cultural, historical, scientific and public institute. In 2007 it experienced another movement, which opened opportunities to expose temporary exhibitions.
The main exhibition of the museum is focused on presenting the development of the town in the period from the 5th and 6th century until 1940. Some of the exhibits are related to the period, during which Kaliakra was the capital of the Despotate of Dobrudzha. The latest findings of the Bulgarian archeologists in the stronghold, located on top of the stone cape, from the expedition in 2008 are also exhibited.
The Historical Museum is situated next to the restored medieval Turkish bath, known as Hamam. Another interesting exhibition called Dobrudzha and the Sea is arranged in it. In this potentially unique maritime museum are exposed finds related to seafaring and trade such as: stone anchors, amphorae, treasuries, coins and many other objects that were used in the past. Color reproductions of ancient and medieval maps tell the story of ancient navigation along the northern Black Sea coast. Of particular interest is the finding exposed in the Treasure House Hall – unique polymetal ingot in the form of stretched cowhide, associated with the ear of the New Kingdom in Egypt[1].
Hamam, as a site, dates from the 16th century. It is a major part of the structure of the Ottoman city as public bath, and is an example of the typical Ottoman architecture from the period of the Late Middle Ages.
Among the anthropogenic attractions of Kavarna is the Ethnographic Museum as a museum of urban life, presenting the lifestyle and culture of Dobrudzha, Balkan Kotel and Gagauz people who inhabited the area in the past. In 1984 it was moved to a restored house dating from the late 19th and early 20th century. Owned by a wealthy family from Kavarna, the house impresses with its trim, green and beautiful yard. The museum curators have used the space and conditions of this house in the maximum possible way, showing on the ground floors the typical arrangement of storage facilities in the past - warehouses, basements and other. There is a slipper-making workshop and a small living room and specific folklore costumes of Northern Dobrudzha, Gagauz and Kotel people are exhibited.
Since the late 70’s of the 20th century in the town there is an Art Gallery, named after Hristo Gradechliev. In the gallery there are paintings of Boris Dankov – “Last Defense of Karvuna” and “Kavarna Uprising in July 1877”, of Petar Gochev – “Kaliakra” and of many other Bulgarian painters such as Georgi Bozhilov, Dimitar Kirov, Stoimen Stoilov, Mario Zhekov, Stoyan Venev and Zlatka Dabova.
Some interesting churches can be visited in Kavarna. For example St. George Church is one of the oldest buildings in Kavarna. Built in 1836 by voluntary contributions of local inhabitants, today it continues to receive worshippers after it was restored. Another church is Assumption, which was built after the Liberation at an old cult place on the earlier building ruins.
Kavarna is also known for its fountains. Once there were 12 spring fountains in the town, located along the road leading to the sea. Today only 6 of they are preserved. Each fountain has its own story. It is believed that the oldest fountain, which was built in the 15th century, is Gumus fountain, known with its other name Silver fountain. Once there was an inscription on the fountain: Drink from this fountain, wash your face and you will wash your sins. For this fountain legends say that the water was so clean and delicious that they sent it to Constantinople; another story says that the water from this fountain was used to make the especially tasty and quality Kavarna mastika in the past.
The sites of cognitive and cultural tourism in the town work every day from April 1 to October 15 from 08:00 to 18:00. Out of season, i.e. from October 15 to March 31, they are opened from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00.
The archeological reserve at Kaliakra Cape works from May to October all days in the week from 09:00 to 20:00.
Yailata is located between Shabla Cape and Kaliakra Cape. The area is a unique place, wild and unknown to the wide public. It is a big terraced landslide with a length of about 2 km. It has potential both for forms of tourism oriented to nature and form of tourism related to culture and history. Here a number of water caves can be seen – Seal Cave, Blue Cave, Dove Cave and others From early spring to late autumn the terraces are covered with dense vegetation. Local people call it “yaila”, which has given the name of the area[2]. It is especially beautiful in the period of blossoming peonies, irises, poppies, cornflowers, etc. At the same time, the inaccessible location of Yailata attracted people since ancient time (in the northern part of the area, on the so-called Big Yaila, there was a small stronghold). Archeologists have found that the oldest finds of human presence in the area date back from the 6th millennium B.C. The discovered rock tombs are of particular value and interest, for which in 1989 Yailata was declared an archeological reserve.
Kaliakra Cape, once named Teziris on behalf of the ancient Thracians – Teziri who inhabited the area, received its present name in the Middle Ages, when it was named “kaliakra” or beautiful. The view to it reveals the forms of a narrow rocky peninsula, projecting in the south at about 2 km into the sea.[3]. Already in 1941 the area was declared one of the first protected areas in Bulgaria. Since 1966 it has become a nature reserve and since 2003 it has been declared an archeological reserve. Today Kaliakra Reserve is among the 100 national tourist sites.
In fact, today the protected area protects representatives of steppe vegetation. Typical are 359 grass, 17 bush and 18 tree species, which comprise about 29 % of the flora of Dobrudzha. The cape is part of the majestic path of migrating birds ViaPontica. Kaliakra Cape also protects many important archeological finds. Due to its difficult accessibility, a stronghold was built here already in ancient times. It was later converted into medieval fortification center, the capital of the Despotate of Dobrudzha from the era of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom and residence of Despot Dobrotitsa. After the big earthquake in the early 20th century a part of the cape and the finds were destroyed. Today a small archeological museum is organized in one of the caves, in which some of the finds discovered during the archeological excavations are exhibited. Interesting are the many legends of Kaliakra Cape. The most popular is that of the forty Bulgarian girls, who, not to fall into the hands of the Turkish invaders, intertwined their hair and jumped into the abyss of the sea. Today an obelisk rises in the beginning of Kaliakra Cape, which is called “The gate of the forty virgins”. The memorial of Admiral F.F.Ushakov – Russian naval commander, one of the founders of the Black Sea Fleet, can also be seen here. He led the Russian squadron, which participated in the biggest battle in the Black Sea during the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-1791. It took place near Kaliakra on the 31st of July 1791 and ended with victory for the Russians, which put an end of the four-year war. Another curious detail about the cape is associated with a crusade led by Vladislav Varnenchik against the Ottoman Empire, who passed here in 1444. Chirakman Cape is another landmark near Kavarna – 3 km south of the town. The name of this cape mean torch. This is the reason to believe that once there was a towering lighthouse on it. In terms of resources the cape is of interest as a form of relief, but also as an archeological site. Once there existed a Thracian-Greek Colony Bizone – and important port between Odessos (Varna) and Callatis (Constanta)[4]. A strong earthquake from the 1st century BC split the cape and threw down much of it into the sea[5]. In the Middle Ages the ancient settlement was converted into Kravuna stronghold. Today its powerful stronghold wall is restored and is interesting to visits by tourists. The basilica discovered during the archeological excavations dates back from the same historical period. The town declined after the conquest by the Ottomans, who moved inhabitants to today’s Kavarna. At the foot of the cape a small fishing village, marina and beach are of additional interest. There is also a mussel farm in the area.
[1]However, similar ingots, made of gold, were discovered only in El-Amarna – the ruined and lost capital of Echnaton in Egypt.
[2]More than 100 wonders of nature in Bulgaria, the Black Sea coast,Yailata, Fiut Publishing House, 2009, p. 93 [3]More than 100 wonders of nature in Bulgaria, Black Sea Coast, Kaliakra Cape , Fiut Publishing House, 2009, p. 94. [4]http://paper.standartnews.com/bg/article.php?article=442069. [5]http://www.kavarna.bg/index.php?do=34&id=118. |
