Kavarna

On the Sea | Kavarna

Kavarna is a small port town which has a broad outlet on the Black Sea to the Eastern and Southern sides. The coast is varied and there are cliffs combined with beaches and abrasive formations such as caves, fissures, etc.

There is a steep cape called Kaliakra near the town, famous for the romantic legend about forty ‘maidens’ committing suicide in the name of Christianity. It is also famous for the caves - once the habitat of the extremely rare Black Sea monk seal.

Kavarna is one of the ancient towns on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. First it was situated nearer to the sea but after an eartquake in I c. B.C. the old town Byzone has been partly drawned into the sea and later, in Roman times, it was rebuilt at a new place, 3 km inland. During the times of the First and Second Bulgarian Kingdom it was the administrative centre of Dobrudja. The main tourist centres in the nearby area are Roussalka, Kavarna and Karvuna.

Places of special interest to environmentalists are the reserve areas of Yailata, Chirakman historic site and Kalyakra itself. They are famous for steppe and endemic vegetation, birds and animals.

Kavarna is a seaside town situated 2 km north of the Black Sea coast, 18 km from Balchik. Like most seaside towns, Kavarna has a rich history. The town sprang up on the place of the ancient Thracian settlement called Bizone, the erliest finds dating back to the end of 6th century BC. Later on Greek settlers came here and turned it into one of the noumerous Greek colonies along the Black Sea coast. In 1st century BC the town suffered a devastating earthquake that swallowed it almost completely. Then it was restored and included in the territory of the Roman Empire and consequently in that of Byzantium. The ruins of that antique town, which was a commercial and agricultural center, can be seen not far from modern Kavarna. After the foundation of the Bulgarian State on the Balkan Peninsula the town changed its name several times. It was called Karvouna, Karbona, Karnava and finally Kavarna.

In the 14th century Karvouna was the main town of the semi-independent Dobrudja rulers-the boyars Balik, Dobrotitsa and Ivailo. The Turks conquered it in 1393. The town moved slowly to its present day location. It suffered the Russian-Turkish Wars of 1828-1829 and of 1850. Shortly before the liberation the inhabitants of Kavarna rebelled and as a result of the supression of the rebelion the town was put to fire and devastated. 1200 people found their death.

The town of Kavarna was once again rebiult and became an agricultural and fishing centre. In 1900 it took part of the revolts of Dourankoulak. Nowadays Kavarna is an industrial centre. There is an agricultural technical school and a It\'s a small town in north-eastern Bulgaria. The town is situated 12 km away from Cape Kaliakra, the most northerly point of Bulgaria.

Nowadays Kavarna is an important agricultural center. It is also a developing resort with great potential. If you are looking to buy land along the Black Sea the area around Kavarna one you see most land for sale. Kavarna is part of the Northern wine growing region of Bulgaria.

The region enjoys long, warm autumns which ripen the fruit to full maturity, retaining good levels of acidity, producing dry and semi-dry whites notable for their fruitiness and freshness.

Sparkling wines also come from this sub-region. Kavarna is one of the relatively bigger towns along the Black Sea coast: its population is 12,225, while the town\'s port handles passenger and cargo vessels of medium size.

The town is situated 48km north of Varna and just 12km away from the picturesque Kaliakra cape. The coast to the north of the town is high and steep, shining with its limestone rocks against the sea while the south of the town boasts with an excellent beach. The town dates back to Thracian times. In ancient Greek times, the area was dominated by the Greek fortress of Bizone established in the 5th century BC. In the 1st century BC, however, the town was almost completely ruined down by a severe earthquake. Later on, it was rebuilt and grew into a strong Bulgarian fortress – Karvuna, only to be destroyed again soon afterwards by an invasion of Tatar tribes in the Middle Ages. Following a thorough reconstruction by the Boyar Balik, the town became an independent principality named Karvounska Hora. After the foundation of the Bulgarian State the town changed its name a few times, from Karvuna to Karbona and then to Karnava, before it eventually received its current name, Kavarna. The Turks conquered it in 1393.

Shortly before the liberation of the Bulgarian state from Ottoman yoke, Kavarna\'s witnessed a ruthless suppression of a rebellion of the local Bulgarian population, which ended up with setting the town on fire and a death toll of about 1,200 people. The town of Kavarna was once again rebuilt into agricultural and fishing centre. The high hill of Chirakman keeps the remains of Roman villas and walls, medieval buildings and churches. There is a town museum hosting interesting exhibits of the town\'s history, including an impressive Thracian collection, and also an Art Gallery and an Archeological Museum. Old buildings dating back to the Ottoman era, as well as remains from Greek and Roman times, are also preserved. Six kilometres away from the city to the east is the Kaliakra cape, where an ancient fortress called Tirisis was located. According to legends the fortress was guarding the treasuries of Lyzimah, successor of Alexander the Great.

Today there are quite many remains of those ancient settlements. One can also reads there a legend telling the story of several Bulgarian girls who chose to jump from the high cape into the sea but not to be captured and converted to Islam by the Turks.

There are several big restaurants offering seafood and traditional Bulgarian cuisine in the centre of the town and close to the port. The small restaurants offer local dishes, pizzas, spaghetti, etc.

The prices in the town are moderate and the products in the grocers\' shops are cheap. The local producers sell fresh, fruits and vegetables. There are enough small snack-bars and pavilions in the town. Kavarna is connected to Varna with a road passing through Balchik. Regular bus transport is complemented by private minibuses and taxis.

One can also negotiate low-fare sea transport from the town to the nearby town of Balchik, the Kaliakra cape, nearby villages or camping sites with local boat owners. Kavarna is a small port town which has a broad outlet on the Black Sea to the Eastern and Southern sides.

The coast is varied and there are cliffs combined with beaches and abrasive formations such as caves, fissures, etc. The area lacks surface running water and irrigation is most valuable.

First it was situated nearer to the sea but after an eartquake in I c. B.C. the old town Byzone has been partly drowned into the sea and later, in Roman times, it was rebuilt at a new place, 3 km inland.

During the times of the First and Second Bulgarian Kingdom it was the administrative centre of Dobrudja. The geographical location of Kavarna, together with the inheritance of the ancient seaport fortress of Bisone makes the resort a must to visit.

Kavarna is also famous for its ecological clean area with preserved marvellous nature and beautiful sea coast. It is a resort with perfect conditions for enjoyable and relaxing summer vacation and for great huntinh tourism in the autumn.