628 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp636–8 and pp639–41
Varna q
Варна
With wide pedestrianized boulevards and a sandy beach,
Varna has the tranquil air of a coastal resort, despite
being a centre of commerce and Bulgaria’s third largest
city. As Varna’s remarkable Archaeological Museum
shows, the city’s history goes back to the 5th millen-
nium BC. In the 6th century BC, it was settled by Greeks.
The thriving colony fell to the Romans in the 1st century
BC, but retained its role as one of the Black Sea’s key
ports. Varna became part of Bulgaria in the 8th cen tury.
It was taken over by the Ottomans in 1393, but after
the Liberation of 1878 it rapidly grew to become the
bus tling modern city, port and resort that it is today.
Iconostasis made by Macedonian craftsmen, Cathedral of the Assumption
E Archaeological Museum
bul. Maria Luiza 41. Tel (052)
681 011. # 10am–5pm Tue–Sun.
& 8 - =
Over 100,000 ancient artifacts
discovered in and around
Varna fill this museum. It
was founded in 1888 by
the Czech archaeologist
Karel Škorpil, who pio-
neered the exploration
of Bulgaria’s ancient past.
The collection is housed
in 40 rooms on two floors.
The most intriguing sec-
tion is that devoted to
Varna’s necropolis, west of
the modern city. It con-
tains some stunning gold
items. The upper floor
has pottery, weaponry
and religious art from
the medieval period.
T Roman Thermae
ul. Han Krum. Tel (052) 600 059.#
Nov–Apr: 10am–5pm Mon–Sat. &
A monument to the ingenuity
of Roman architects, this mas-
sive public baths complex
covers over 7,000 sq m
(75,000 sq ft). It was built in
the 2nd century AD for what
was then the Roman city of
Odessos. Although in ruins,
enough of the complex is
still intact to give an idea of
Roman bath ing habits. The
exorbitant amount spent on
the baths is said to have
caused their steady decline
in the 3rd and 4th centuries.R Church of the Assumption
ul. Han Krum 19. Tel (052)
633 925. # 7:30am–6pm
daily. 5
This small church, built in
1602, is set below ground
level, in accordance with the
orders given by the Ottoman
rulers that churches should
be no higher than a man on
horseback, lest they outshine
mosques. The attractive
wooden bell tower was added
after the Liberation. The
church con tains Varna’s oldest
icon, a brilliant 13th-century
depiction of the Virgin.A surviving section of the Roman
Thermae baths complex
R Cathedral of the
Assumption
pl. Mitropolitska Simeon. Tel (052)
613 005. # 7:30am–7pm daily.
5 =
The second-largest place of
Christian worship in Bulgaria
after the Alexandûr Nevski
Memorial Church in Sofia (see
E Ethnographic Museum
ul. Panagyurishte 22.
Tel (052) 630 588.
# Nov–Feb: 10am–5pm
Mon–Fri. & =
Housed in a fine 19th-century
National Revival-style house,
this is one of Bulgaria’s largest
ethnographic muse ums. The
ground floor is devoted to
farming, with a wide array of
tools for harvesting, beekeep-
ing and viniculture. Upstairs,
traditional costumes are on
display, along with theArchaeological
Museum exhibitE City History Museum
ul. 8 Noemvri 3. Tel (052) 632 677.
# 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. &
Constructed in 1851, this
building is one of Varna’s
oldest surviving houses.pp608–609), this cathedral
was built to commemorate
the Russian soldiers who died
in the fight for liber ation from
Ottoman rule. Funded by
Varna’s citi zens and
designed by Russian
architect Maas, it was
completed in 1886. The
interior is covered with
over-life-size murals
painted under Russian
supervision in 1949, and
the vast icon ostasis and
splendid bishop’s throne
are the work of master
craftsmen from Macedonia.re-crea tion of a typical
farmer’s house used by the
Gagauz, a Turkish-speaking
Christian peo ple who settled
on the Black Sea coast in
the 12th century.