For many years the capital of Bulgaria has been a transit point on the way of tourists rushing to recognized seaside resorts. Today, more and more often you can hear a question from travelers what to visit in Varna, one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the country.
Local residents are proud of their city, its unique architecture, ancient temples and monasteries, palaces, museums and galleries. The guests of the city are immediately led to the architectural pearl of Varna - the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Varna Archaeological Museum demonstrates the richest collections of ancient gold items and icons, the Ethnographic Museum tells about how the ancestors of the modern inhabitants of the capital lived.
Interesting things to visit in Varna
In addition to the magnificent ancient architecture and rich museum collections, Varna also attracts with its parks. One of them "Morska Gradina", founded more than a hundred years ago, is located on the sea coast. Its length is several kilometers, there is a lot of entertainment for adults and young travelers. The first ones will be able to walk along alleys and paths, get acquainted with amazingly beautiful exotic trees and bushes.
The younger generation of tourists will be much more interested in the Varna Dolphinarium, known far beyond the capital. In addition to getting acquainted with the dolphinarium and its amazing inhabitants, little guests can visit the local zoo and the terrarium, where mysterious and creepy representatives of the world of reptiles and amphibians await them.
The world of museums
Varna is a city that occupies the top lines of the rating among other cities in Bulgaria in terms of the number of museums. Among the institutions in which ancient artifacts are kept, the following are distinguished: the archaeological reserve Abritus; the largest archaeological museum in Bulgaria; Naval Museum; Museum of the History of Varna.
You can get acquainted with the world of people who lived in these territories centuries ago in the archaeological reserve, which bears the name "Abritus". The centerpiece of this open-air museum is the remains of the ancient Roman city that gave its name to the complex.
The inhabitants of Ancient Rome founded a military camp here, around which civilians began to settle. The usual camp of the military turned into a fairly large settlement, claiming the status of an urban center. In the IV century, a powerful fortress appeared in Abritus, which had gates on four sides and thick walls that made it possible to repel the attack of any enemy.
It is clear that today the fortress and the city have survived only in fragments, but the remnants of its former grandeur amaze the modern guests of the ancient Roman city. On the territory of "Abritus" today there is an archaeological museum, its foundation is made up of objects found during excavations at the site of the settlement. Interestingly, in addition to the ancient Roman witnesses of the era, there are artifacts with inscriptions in ancient Greek and Latin, which indicates the political, economic, commercial and cultural ties of the city with different peoples and states.
The reserve is located outside the city, and in Varna itself there is a unique Archaeological Museum, it consists of exposition and exhibition halls, funds. There is a scientific library, an archive at the museum, educational premises are located. The expositions tell about the history of the Black Sea region and the Balkan Peninsula, the oldest museum items belong to the Paleolithic era.
The initiative to create the museum was taken by the Varna Archaeological Society back in 1866, based on the collections collected by local archaeologists. In 1906, the Varna Museum solemnly opened its doors to its first visitors, and has continued to do so for over a hundred years. The museum staff call the main exhibits the collection of gold items dating back to the 6th century BC. That is, found in Abritus (only photographs are now shown there). In addition to precious items, in the museum you can see objects of labor and worship, icons, art values.
Christian shrines
Many locals give advice on what to visit in Varna on their own: the list often includes the monastery complex of Aladzha. It is a stunning sight - the cells of Christian hermits who lived here many centuries ago are carved right in a sheer rock. The monastery is located fifteen kilometers from the city, and now there are no inhabitants in it.
But another Christian building remains active - the Church of St. Sarkis. From the name it is clear that the temple is Armenian. It was erected in 1842, has a red brick facade, against which the snow-white walls stand out, an elegant bell tower adorns the temple. It is especially pleasant to visit here when a divine service is taking place or on major Christian holidays.
