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The City of Varna
Varna -seaport and third largest city in Bulgaria. It is situated on nearly 29 sq. km and its
population is
Varna was founded as Odessus by Milesian Greeks in the 6th century BC; later it was
Thracian and Roman. In AD 681 it became part of the First Bulgarian empire (c.
679-1018) and was named Varna. During the reign (1218) of Ivan Asen II, it became a
thriving centre of trade with Genoa, Venice, and Dubrovnik. After falling under Ottoman
domination in 1391, it continued to grow in importance. In 1444, in a pitched battle
fought nearby, the Turkish armies of Murad II routed the armies of the last Christian
Crusade against the Turks in the Balkans. The Russians captured Varna in 1828 during the war for the
liberation of Greece, but, when they left, the city reverted to the Turks. In 1854 Varna
became a base for Anglo-French troops operating against Sevastopol during the Crimean War.
It was liberated from the Turks in 1878 and ceded to Bulgaria by the Treaty of Berlin.
After the building of the Ruse-Varna railway in 1866 and the rail link to Sofia in 1899,
the town expanded further. A modern harbour was constructed in 1906. The city has regular domestic airline services and, in the summer, international flights. Regular boat and bus services connect the Black Sea towns. Much of Bulgaria's maritime and river transport passes through Varna's harbour, which accommodates vessels up to 20,000 tons. Major export items are livestock, grain, and processed foodstuffs. Industries include flour milling, boatbuilding, and manufacturing.
Varna hosts some prestigious cultural events: the Varna Summer International Music
Festival, the International Ballet Competition, the International Print Biennale, the
Prof. G. Dimitrov International Choral Competition, the Love is Folly International Film
Festival, the Golden Rose Festival of Bulgarian Feature Film, the Golden Dolphin Festival
of Puppet Art. The city has several universities, a naval academy, an oceanography and fishery-research institute, a medical school, museums, a theatre, an opera house, and art galleries. The 4th-century Aladzha Monastery, one of the earliest Bulgarian monasteries, overlooks the city from the north; its cells and chapel are carved out of the rock. A 5th/6th-century basilica is a reminder of an ancient Genoese colony.. Pop. 335,000.
Varna History (in Bulgarian for now, I am sorry - will be translated soon!) Roman Thermae ->
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the Black Sea coast, the city is sheltered by
the Dobrudzhansko plateau, which rises to more than 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level. A
narrow canal (1907) links Varna Lake--a drowned valley into which the Provadiyska River
flows--to the Black Sea. The city is an important administrative, economic, cultural, and
resort centre. It is a modern city, with wide, tree-lined boulevards, a fine park on the
waterfront, and spacious beaches. Along the coast north of Varna are several popular
resort towns, including Druzhba, Zlatni Pyassutsi ("
