Anthropogenic resource characteristics

Balchik municipality is among the richest in cultural monuments in the country. Their number exceeds 300 and provides condition to the municipality to be one of the leading destinations for cultural tourism in the Black Sea region and the country.

In the municipal strategic documents[1] monuments are divided into two groups according to their spatial coverage: group monuments of culture consisting of two complexes - Architectural and Park Complex The Palace (including 15 single monuments of culture) and the complex on the area of the former residence; single monuments of culture – 109 (including 16 within the complexes and 3 architectural sites).

The municipal center – town of Balchik is an ancient city which dates back to prehistoric times. From the times of Antiquity until today cult, religious and royal buildings were built within its scope, which preserved the cultural diversity of ancient tribes, Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Protobulgarians and Slavs, Turks. The city was named Kruni, Dionysopolis, and Karvuna.

According to the historical, cultural, but also tourist significance, among the sites in the municipality stands the palace complex in Balchik. Every year it is visited by over 250 000 tourists[2]. Built by the Romanian Queen Marie, today Architectural and Park Complex The Palace is focus of the typical for the region tolerance to the differences of ethnic communities.

Built for a period of nearly 11 years (finished in 1937), the palace was designed and constructed by the Italian architects Augustino and Americo and the park to it – by the famous Swiss florist Jul Joni. In fact, the start was made already in 1924, when the Queen Marie of Romania visited the area of Balchik and was fascinated by the beautiful scenery and landscapes[3]. As a result of the work of the prominent artists, today the palace complex consists of the main palace with a high tower and many individual villas located in the adjacent park, park terraces, paths, walkways, stone alcoves, columns, special wooden throne, small chapel.

Researchers of the palace believe that its fascination and charm are due to the special melancholy hovering around it. Queen Marie who was of Scottish origin married King Ferdinand of Romania for political reasons and was very unhappy in her marriage. That is why she created her refuge on Balchik beach. At the same time, details in the palace reveal a different picture. The park and architecture of the palace have a strong religious significance, for which some scientists believe that the idea of the Queen was to create a copy of the God’s land. It is known that she spent part of her life in Egypt, where she adopted Bahai faith[4]. And since the philosophy of the teaching preaches equality between religions, genders and races, the complex combines many cultural and religious influences. It combines Christian and Muslim sacred buildings and the columns, arcs, fountains and bridges are decorated with Oriental, Thracian, Roman and Christian Symbols[5]. The White Well Spring (Byal Kladenets Spring) and the Chatal Fountain Well (Chatal Cheshma Well) are an interesting element. Except the tangible heritage, the Palace is also associated with many legends which additionally enchant visitors[6].

To the palace in Balchik there is a Botanical Garden. It is university and was created in 1955 by Academician Prof. Daki Yordsanov, Rector of Sofia University. Reference to the website[7], on which it is presented, indicates that the area of the garden is 194 acres on which there are plant collections of over 3000 species. The University Botanical Garden is a cultural monument and a protected area under the Protected Areas Act and also an important tourist destination.

The spatial situation of the Garden forms three separate parts: park, nursery garden and protected area.

In landscape terms the Park, which was built already at the time of the Romanian Queen, now has the status of group immovable cultural heritage – a monument of garden and park art.

The nursery garden was designed and constructed in a way so as to be accessible for both the wide public and people with disabilities and includes a variety of compositions of seasonal flowers, alpine places, cactuses and other. There is a special place for blind people, where they can make familiar with the different species described with Braille by touching. The main attraction of the garden is the permanent exhibition of cactuses and succulents and many tree species that are not typical of Bulgaria such as metasequoia[8], candy tree, rubber tree and other exotic trees.

Since 2005 the Botanical Garden has been declared a protected area conserving characteristic landscape created by the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

In Balchik there is another particularly valuable cultural landmark – the best preserved in the world and only known until now in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula Temple of Cybele – the Great Mother of the Gods. It was discovered in 2007 and is a rectangular antique building with an area of 93,5 square meters and dates back to 280-260 BC. Finds in it are rich and significant. Almost all found statues are of Cybele; partly or wholly preserved inscriptions are 27 (the earliest are from the 3^rd century BC) and are in Greek language, with the exception of the latest dated text, which is in Latin from the 4^th century.

In Balchik you can also see the ruins of the Ancient Thracian and Greek polis Kruni. Later the town was renamed Dionysopolis.

It is believed that on this place a settlement has existed since І Millennium BC.

In the 6^th century, about 544 – 545, Dionysopolis was destroyed by a terrible natural disaster – a powerful earthquake which caused high tidal waves that destroyed the temples and residential buildings. The surviving inhabitants moved to a plateau located northwest of the ancient city and almost immediately began building a big fort[9]. Today Horizont quarter is located on the remains of the fort, where you can see part of the excavated fortress walls, gates and defense towers. Archeologists and historians assume that Emperor Anastasius had started the construction and Emperor Justinian І had finished it.

In the 14^th century the city was named Kravuna and was a center of the Despotate of Dobrudzha. There are few written sources for this period, but it is known that one of the city rulers was boyar, whose name was Balik[10]. The city, as Balchik, was mentioned only in the 16^th century.

Other sites having the status of cultural monuments of local importance are the remains of a Roman and Medieval settlement in the area Dzhini Bair and the mound Mal Tepe (ancient settlement) located near the town of Balchik; the late ancient fortress on the banks of Kranevska River, village of Kranevo; the late ancient fortress north from the village of Obrochishte; the ancient village about 5 km from the village of Hrabrovo; the ancient necropolis near the village of Rogachevo; the medieval necropolis near the village of Bezvoditsa; the burial mounds in the lands of the villages of Zmeevo and Sokolovo.

Not far from the town of Balchik near the village of Obrochishte there is a very interesting cult and religious place – the Tekke of Akyazili Baba. The place is revered by both Muslims and Christians. Muslims believe that the Moslem Saint Akyazili was buried here, while Bulgarians believe that this is the grave of St. Athanasius.

In the 17^th century the Tekke was impressive and surpassed only by those in Baghdad according to contemporaries. However, today only two monumental buildings are preserved from the once large religious complex; they are isolated from each other and have the same planning decision and construction, but different size – turbe or the tomb of the saint, and imaret – the place where dervishes performed their rituals and welcomed guests of the Tekke. The walls are decorated with stylized plants and geometrical figures in eastern style. It is believed that the place has extraordinary power[11].

In Balchik you can visit the largest ever mill on the Balkan Peninsula. It was built in 1909 by an anonymous industrial company. Designed and constructed by two German companies, it is one of the modern for its time. The mill had capacity of 75 tons of flour a day, but also produced semolina and pasta - for the first time in Bulgaria. It operated until 1916, when it came under the fire of the Russian Navy and suffered considerable damage. Over the years it underwent partial reconstructions. In 2001 a project was started to restore it in its original condition.

The town of Balchik has its own Historical Museum, which was launched already in 1907 with the studies of Karel Škorpil, and today more than 20 000 moveable cultural heritage is preserved in it. The museum is housed in four different buildings and its exhibitions display the wealth of cultural artifacts in the time from the 6^th century BC until the 40s of the 20^th century. They are associated with the existence of the town. Interesting are exhibits from the Temple of the Great Mother Goddess Cybele, the ancient burial mound in the area Taushan Tepe, the settlement near the area Dzheni Bair and the artifacts found in Horizont quarter from the time of the late antique and medieval stronghold.

The ethnographic peculiarities of Balchik and the region can be seen in the Ethnographic Museum House next to the Historical Museum. In the 60’s of the 19^th century it was owned by a local wheat merchant. Today it is restored and reproduces by exposures the lifestyle, crafts, traditional clothes and jewelry of the population.

Traditional architecture and urban planning from the Bulgarian National Revival (18 – 19 century) can be seen in the Revival Complex. It integrates the fully restored Mutual School and the Church of Saint Nicholas by 1866, as sites symbolizing the struggle of the local people for own church and education. A Revival classroom and an exhibition called Balchik during the Revival are arranged in the school. St. Nicholas Church is active and preserves valuable specimens of church icon-painting and carving from the Revival.

A valuable site in Balchik is the Art Gallery. It was founded in the 30s of the 20^th century. It is located in the renovated building of the former high school of the town and magnificent works of art can be seen on an area of 800 square meters. A curious detail is that even paintings of Salvador Dali were exhibited at it.

In Balchik municipality many events of periodic and episodic nature are organized. Some of them have become annual and are included in the municipal cultural calendar[12]: St. Lazarus Saturday Amateur Art Groups Festival, National Festival Artists, Balchik, Love – meeting of European seas, National Singing Competition of the Elderly, National Folklore Festival Sea of Rhythms, Young at Art Festival, National Culture Celebration Albena, International Dance Festival Sunny Bulgaria, International Choir Festival Black Sea Sounds, International Children’s Festival The Smiles of the Sea, International Children Art Festival TRIXIE – Eco Forum, International Short Film Festival, International Festival Balchik Classic Days and other.

[1]Development Plan of municipality of Balchik 2014-2020, p. 21.

[2]Interview with the Director of Cultural Center The Palace, Zheni Mihaylova, http://www.ndt1.com/article.php/20131007102830330.

[3]At that time the town of Balchik and entire South Dobrudzha were part of Romania.

[4]http://www.visitbulgaria.net/bg/balchik/press-releases/20070827/balchik_palace.html, Balchik Guide.

[5]Quoted source.

[6]For more information, refer to: http://www.visitbulgaria.net/bg/balchik/press-releases/20070827/balchik_palace.html

[7]http://www.ubg-bg.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=25&lang=bg.

[8] An individual with such dimensions and at such age outside the natural area there is only in the Royal Botanical Gardens in London – information is available on: http://www.ubg-bg.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=25&lang=bg.

[9]http://tic-balchik.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_31.html.

[10]About 1346.

[11]http://www.dobrudzha.com/bg/90.html.

[12]http://www.balchik.bg/bg/infopage.