Anthropogenic resource characteristics 

The cultural and historical heritage of the municipality of Shabla includes artifacts discovered in the area and the wealth of legends, myths, folklore and customs.

In ancient times a settlement named Karia existed at the location of the present town of Shabla. This was written by Pomponium Mela in his Geography. The archeological finds have established the existence of two prehistoric settlements (6th-5th century BC) between Shablenska Tuzla and Shabla Lake. Later, in the 4th - 3rd century AD, Thracians lived in these lands. The settlement of Karia, of which Mela writes, was built at a location where the lighthouse was built later. It existed until 6^th century AD.

The origin of the name Shabla is controversial. It was mentioned for the first time in an official written document in 1573. In the following centuries until today it remained unchanged. In fact, there are several hypotheses about the name of this northern Black Coast city. According to one hypothesis, which has a touch of local legend, the name of the town of Shabla is associated with a Turkish woman known as Aise Abla. She owned a mansion near today’s lighthouse, but during an epidemic of plague the mansion was moved inland and laid the beginning of the present town. Others associate the origin of the name with the plant wild sorrel or also called dock, whose leaves resemble swords (sabers). Apparently, it was grown in this area and it is considered that the word saber has given the name of the settlement[1]. There is also a Latin version and a second version of the Turkish origin of the name. According to the Latin one, in translation Shabla means sands, while according to the Turkish one, in translation Shabla means heron and is associated with the location of the settlement along the path for bird migration ViaPontica.

Today the town of Shabla and generally the municipality keep a number of interesting artifacts from different historical eras: Neolithic and Eneolithic settlements, mound necropolis, settlements from the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age, old Bulgarian settlement and others. Near the Big Island of Durankulak Lake the earliest stone architecture for continental Europe was discovered. In addition, the people of Shabla actively participated in the struggle for liberation of the Bulgarian in the 19^th century. The total number of immovable cultural heritage is 105; there are also 187 mounds and one tomb.

Cape Shabla Lighthouse is a major anthropogenic site in the area – built on top of the cape and painted in white and red. Being at an age of more than 150 years, it is considered by local people a small version of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – the Alexandria Lighthouse.

The Lighthouse at Shabla Cape is not only the oldest in Bulgaria, but also the highest – 32 m. It was built to warn ships of the danger of colliding with an underwater reef and getting stuck into the shallows between Shabla Cape and village of Tyulenovo. Its white light flashes three times every 25 seconds and can be seen even from a distance of 17 sea miles. Today there are four lighthouse keepers who work around the clock to monitor its trouble-free operation. The duties are changed every 8 hours

Two interesting representations can be seen on the lighthouse – the monogram of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid inscribed into the gateway of the lighthouse and a lion standing on its hind legs depicted on the northwestern edge of the base. According to experts and researchers, already in the 5^th century BC there was Fire watch at the location of today’s lighthouse. Later the Romans built a permanent fire tower.

Near the Lighthouse at Shabla Cape to the south the remains of a late antique fortification discovered on the very cape are interesting.

Two other sites in the municipality are of national importance – the excavated cultural layers of the prehistoric, antique and medieval settlement with adjoining cemeteries on the Big Island of Durankulak Lake and the historical area near Durankulak, associated with the rural rebellion against tithe in 1900[2]. Experts believe that the Big Island of Durankulak Lake is the home of one of the first settlements in Dobrudzha, which was settled by early farmers in the 6^th century BC. Attracted by the rich flora and fauna around the lake, they founded a settlement, on which one of the centers of the prehistoric era in the area developed for nearly two millennia. During this period six settlements appeared successively one over the other, which were built of stone due to the lack of timber. This fact is the reason to consider the place an example of the earliest stone architecture in Europe, outside Ancient Greece[3].

Architectural monuments of culture in the municipality of Shabla are 5 and were registered in the 80’s of the 20^th century. Four buildings in the town of Shabla and one church in the village of Gorichene are declared such. Seven other churches in the villages are of local importance. The Church of Saint Demetrius in the village of Smin and the Church of Saint Haralambos the Martyr in the town of Shabla are of interest.

The only officially registered fishing village in Bulgaria named after one of the ancient names of the town – Karia is also located on Shabla beach.

[1]Atanasov, А. L.Bobcheva, I. Vasilchin, 1985, Shabla, Publisher: Roden kray, p. 33.

[2]According to information from Shabla municipality.

[3]Stoyanov, Yu. The ancient civilization of the Island of Durankulak Lake, CHERGA Journal.