Cape Kaliakra: a legendary place. Cape Kaliakra near Varna. Photos, how to get there? Cape Kaliakria on the map of Bulgaria

Cape Kaliakra (or Kaliakra Nose, as the Bulgarians call this place) is one of the main attractions north coast Bulgaria in general and the Dobrich region in particular. Cape Kaliakra is one of the hundred national tourist sites, so excursions there are very popular. If you wish, you can go to the cape on your own. The rich history of this legendary place and its absolutely fantastic beauty are worth coming here.
The exact location of the attraction can be seen at.

History of Kaliakra

The fortress buildings have been partially restored. The most ancient settlements existed here already in the 4th century BC. The Thracian tribe Tirizi lived here, who gave the nose of Kaliakra its first name - Tirizis. Here was the capital of the Thracian king Lysimachus, one of the heirs of Alexander the Great. On the edge of the cape in a cave he hid countless treasures previously looted in Persia.
Over time, the fortress grew and expanded. In 341-342, round towers were built here and inner and outer cities were established. Then a third fortification was built with 10-meter walls almost 3 meters thick. During archaeological excavations Ancient and early Christian necropolises were discovered here.
In the 5th-6th centuries the fortress was already called Acre Castelium. And in the 7th century, the settlement fell into decay: researchers attribute this to the fact that the Slavs and Proto-Bulgarians showed no interest in settling the cape.
In the 14th century, the fortress flourished under a new name - Kaliakra. Here was the capital of the Bulgarian rulers (princes) Balik and Dobrotitsa. According to written evidence, it was a large medieval city that minted its own coins. The monument to Admiral Ushakov is located right next to the parking lot. The remains of the fortress walls, part of the water supply system and the princely residence have survived to this day. Around the same time, the history of the Bulgarian navy began here: the galleys of Dobrotitsa successfully participated in naval battles. However, in 1393-1394 the principality came under the rule of Ottoman Empire.
On June 31, 1791, the largest battle in history on the Black Sea broke out near the shores of Kaliakra. The Russian squadron, led by Admiral Ushakov, defeated the Turkish armada, which was significantly larger than it. This victory ended the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1792. On August 10, 2006, a large monument to Fyodor Ushakov was erected at the beginning of the cape.

The Legend of Forty Girls

Monument to 40 Girls Cape Kaliakra is associated with a legend about 40 Bulgarian girls who tied their braids together and rushed into the sea so as not to fall to the Turkish conquerors. Thus, they preferred death to shame and defended the honor of Bulgarian women. One of the girls was supposedly called Kaliakra, and the cape was named after her, which, however, is unlikely, because the name of the cape appeared before Bulgaria fell under the rule of the Ottomans.
Today, at the beginning of the cape, an obelisk has been built in memory of those girls. In our opinion, it does not look very attractive, and it is located somehow unsuccessfully - somewhere on the side, at the very entrance to the territory. But the memory is respected, and this is the most important thing.
Chapel of St. Nicholas. Unfortunately, there are no dolphins on the horizon. Another legend of the cape is associated with St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. The saint was running away from the Turks, and God lengthened the earth's firmament under his feet - and this is how the cape turned out, protruding two kilometers into the sea. At the very end of Cape St. Nicholas they finally caught it - today there is a small chapel there. They say you can see dolphins frolicking in the waves from there. But when we were there, we didn’t meet any dolphins, so we can’t say anything about it. By the way, during the time of Turkish rule, in the same place there was a dervish monastery in which the relics of the Turkish saint were kept. This is it interesting place.

The beauty of Kaliakra and personal experience

The views at Cape Kaliakra are stunning. Of course, looking at the place where the proud Bulgarian beauties jumped into the water is quite interesting. However, it seems to us that Cape Kaliakra is worth a visit just for the stunning beauty of the views: a photo as a souvenir of the trip can be proudly shown to distrustful acquaintances, confident that Bulgaria is not enough beautiful country. However, what to write: look at the photographs for yourself. High (70 meters) steep banks of a characteristic reddish hue are in harmony with the green grass and the endless blue of the sea.
The cape is quite narrow and long - it extends into the sea for about two kilometers.
Antiquity on Cape Kaliakra is adjacent to modern objects, access to which is prohibited. In the upper part of the cape there are some military installations, access to which is prohibited. There is also a meteorological station and a lighthouse. And throughout the accessible territory there are comfortable wide paths - all the way to the tip of the cape, where the small chapel is located.
A small room was carved right into the rock in the middle of the cape - a local museum with various ancient finds and a model of the fortress. Entry there is free, photography costs money. The museum is open from April 1 until the end of October.
The sculpture is one of the symbols of Cape Kaliakra. On the territory of the reserve there is a restaurant and even a small street with souvenir stalls where they sell all sorts of attractive junk at exorbitant prices.
Yes, the most important thing: entry into the territory is paid, and, it seems, for local residents the price is lower than for guests of Bulgaria. Unfortunately, we don't remember the exact prices. If anyone can tell you the cost of travel to Cape Kaliakra, please do so in the comments, we will be very grateful.
And one last piece of good advice: the winds in those parts can be very strong, so even on a hot day it would be advisable to take something windproof with you.
By the way, on the way to Cape Kaliakra (or back) you can stop by and taste freshly caught mussels prepared in a variety of ways.

Secrets of Cape Kaliakra

Despite numerous excavations and seemingly thorough study, Cape Kaliakra still keeps some secrets. For example, legends tell about the treasures of Lysimachus, one of the heirs of Alexander the Great. He collected countless treasures and hid them somewhere near Cape Kaliakra. Since then, many people have been searching for these treasures, but so far none of them have been lucky. Another legend concerns a find discovered during excavations at Cape Kaliakra in 2013. This is a bronze ring with a small reservoir for poison - just like in medieval legends. the find dates back to the fourteenth century, a time shortly before the Ottoman Empire's victory over the Bulgarians. it is assumed that the killer ring was used at a time when relations between the despot Dobrotitsa and his son Ivanko Terter became strained, but nothing is known for certain.
Finally, the third legend concerns an almost modern, well-studied time - that same legendary naval battle near Kaliakra, in honor of which a monument to Admiral Ushakov was erected there. In the summer of 1791, a large-scale naval battle, which ended with the unconditional victory of the Russian fleet over the superior forces of the Ottomans. It was a large-scale battle in which many Turkish ships were lost. However, the remains of none of them have so far been discovered at the bottom of the Black Sea. It is unknown where the traces of the ships went.
Can these mysteries be solved? Well, at least scientists are trying to do it. And some enthusiasts look for treasures and scuba dive around the cape. Along the cape itself, in addition to the equipped tourist road There is also a path along which trained people can go down to the foot of the steep cliffs, where the waves splash - the same as hundreds and thousands of years ago.

On the Bulgarian Riviera there is an incredible number of cities remarkable for their historical monuments. The same can be said about Cape Kaliakra, located near the village of Bolgarevo. This is a narrow rocky peninsula stretching far into the sea (2 km), and its name is not for nothing translated from Greek as “ beautiful cape": connected with a harsh, but also romantic, piece of sushi incredible amount myths, diluted historical facts. And the formidable ones rocky shores capes, attracting from afar with their cheerful red color, cannot go unnoticed by the ubiquitous tourists.

Cape Kaliakra in Bulgaria

It is believed that on Cape Kaliakra, so rich in caves, the heir of Alexander the Great, Lysimachus, hid treasures. They say that he captured rich booty - gold, silver and jewelry - and hid it just under the fortress in caves, and killed his slaves so that no one would ever know about this place. Therefore, the moss growing in those places changed its color to blood red. But the cruel Lysimachus did pay for his crime here: he, along with his entire fleet, died at the cape during a storm.

Gate destroyed medieval fortress on the isthmus of the cape

There is a sad legend relating to the name of the cape. It is about the Turkish conquerors who decided to destroy the fortress on the cape. In order to pay them off and save the building, the residents decided to sacrifice 40 of the most beautiful girls to the new owners. But those who were destined to become concubines decided to die rather than surrender into the hands of the enemy. The girls tied their braids and jumped into the abyss, and the name of the first, the bravest, was given to the cape. The Turks became furious and destroyed the fortress. Now there is a monument at the site of the mass suicide.

Stones on which, according to legend, beautiful Bulgarian girls died

The historical events that affected Cape Kaliakra are captured here, it seems, forever. These are the ruins ancient fortress, built back in the 4th century BC. e., mentioned in the Phoenician chronicles, and the famous grotto caves, one of which is now occupied by a museum offering visitors a collection of artifacts from a large period - from the 3rd to the 17th centuries.

Restored gates of the Kliakra fortress

Cape Kaliakra was the site of a battle during the Russian-Turkish War: in the summer of 1791, Admiral Ushakov’s flotilla so confidently defeated superior enemy forces that the Turks fled from the battlefield at breakneck speed. This battle was the last naval battle of that war. And in one of the caves there is now a museum of the admiral, and on the cape there is a stele dedicated to him.

Memorial in honor of Admiral Fyodor Ushakov

Kaliakra also has its own chapel, connected with another legend. It is dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen, Nicholas the Wonderworker, who fled here from the Turkish invaders. Despite the fact that it is impossible to officially confirm the version, in 1993 a chapel was built on the site of the supposed grave in memory of the patron-miracle worker.

Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker at Cape Kaliakra

Also on the cape there is a stone lighthouse, which appeared in 1901, because Kaliakra has long acquired the glory of a cemetery lost ships: Unpredictability of sea currents, harsh winds and strong waves can lead to the death of even the most experienced sailors. And in 1912, a Turkish ship said goodbye to life here, famously sunk to the bottom by the Bulgarians.
Despite the dark legends, Cape Kaliakra is loved local residents and tourists who are not afraid of squally winds or steep cliffs...

Cape Kaliakra is a place of intertwining incredible stories and legends, so its attendance is maximum among both residents of the Black Sea coast and foreigners. The attraction is located 12 kilometers southwest of Kavarna and 6 kilometers from the village of Balgarevo. How did the history of this extremely important tourist attraction in Bulgaria begin?

Pages of history

Cape Kaliakra (Bulgaria) is widely known for its rich historical heritage. The fact is that it is a narrow peninsula of a rocky nature, cutting into the sea, the length of which is two kilometers.

Over a long period of time, waves formed niches and grottoes inside the rocks, which in ancient times served as warehouses from where products were loaded onto merchant ships. It is important to note that this place has been actively inhabited since ancient times, because the cliffs, whose height was 70 meters, served as excellent protection against attacks from the sea. And the first inhabitants who found Cape Kaliakra as a suitable place for living were members of the Thracian tribe of Tirizis (hence the original name - Tirizis). In the 6th century BC, they built a stone fortress on the territory of the modern cape.

However, a little later, the lands of Kaliakra were captured by the Romans, as a result of which they received a different name - Acrus Castelum, translated as "fortified cape". Already in the 4th-6th centuries AD, the settlement was called Acre and had a significant (compared to previous) scale.

Thus, to this day, a significant part of the walls made of stone from the times of antiquity and the Middle Ages, which annually attract a huge number of tourists, have been preserved in the presented territory.

Landmark today

Despite the fact that little has been preserved from the ancient settlements (and in fact, during the time of the Dobrudzhany principality, the city was the capital, and therefore had a significant number of incredibly beautiful buildings), tourists have the opportunity to see elements of history, which for the most part have been reconstructed. For example, the gates of the Kaliakra fortress stand out noticeably from the great variety of ruins. It should be noted that an archaeological museum was erected on the territory of the cape. And its location in a cave attracts tourists even more. However, to achieve the goal, it is necessary to overcome the difficult path along a paved path to the very edge of the cape, for which people often do not have enough energy and time.

Undoubtedly, visitors this place I am glad that not far from the museum there is a restaurant with traditional cuisine, as well as a monument to the defenders of the fortress who fought in 1388. In addition, inside the rock there is a chapel of St. Nicholas, considered the patron saint of sailors and travelers.

Luxurious views

Inaccessible rocks, an incomparable sea rushing into the distance, intoxicating air, rich flora and the smell of absolute freedom - all this is directly related to the cape (Kavarna, Bulgaria). By the way, the latter is enjoyed not only by numerous tourists, but also by cormorants, which usually nest in this area. You can also see dolphins at the cape, but to do this you need to be absolutely lucky. The cliff is completely treeless, and then there is a bare steppe, which the May flowers make simply incomparable, so it is very advisable to visit the attraction in the spring.

On the territory of the cape there is a stone lighthouse, the height of which is 68 meters. In addition, the place is decorated with such buildings as the obelisk of 40 girls, as well as a stele in honor of Admiral Ushakov and the Chapel of St. Nicholas (1993), mentioned in the previous chapter.

Cape Kaliakra, as a rule, is visited by tourists in an organized manner resort tour. In addition, people are actively transported from Kavarna to the village of Bolgarevo (Balgarevo) by buses. From there you can walk to the cape. It should be noted that the historical landmark has its own information center located in Bolgarevo.

Holidays in Bulgaria

Any tourist vacationing at resorts such as sunny Beach, Golden Sands and others, can visit Cape Kaliakra, because periodically they organize most interesting excursions. In addition to the legendary place of the northern coast of Bulgaria and the Dobrich region in particular, this area has many other attractions:

• Varna Aquarium (also the Black Sea Museum);
• the ancient fortress of Serdika, which today is in a state of ruins, is nevertheless very popular among the population;
• The Bachkovo Monastery (formerly called Petritsonsky) is one of the hundred national treasures of the country;
• Library named after Cyril and Methodius, located in the center of Sofia;
• Lake Varna, which is the largest on the entire coast of Bulgaria;
• the village of Bata, with 1,500 inhabitants;
• Valley of Roses, located on a significant hill;
• Evksinograd ( summer residence royal family on the Black Sea coast) and others.

It often happens that vacation falls precisely in the autumn period. What if you really want to go to Bulgaria, but summer is already over? No problem! Although beach holiday officially excluded, this resort has a great variety of other entertainment, in addition, the cost of trips to autumn season, of course, pleases.

Bulgaria in October is popular with tourists who prefer leisure. Such people are happy to attend excursions, see the sights and explore with special comfort, because there is no heat as such, and serious autumn cold has not yet arrived. Moreover, it is not rainy at all.

You can enjoy the most beautiful views without fuss, because the number of tourists is decreasing compared to previous months. If you want to go on vacation with your children, it would be advisable to choose one of the balneological resorts (Sapareva Banya, Sandanski or Velingrad). If a tourist is “fired up” by cycling along the coast or simply exploring the area, you can visit another equally prestigious resort.

It is a serious misconception to call winter holidays in Bulgaria is boring, because incredible beauty and a great variety of entertainment are its main advantages. Alpine skiing takes first place in the range of pastime options. Snowboards, skis, sleds and ice skates are just as natural for Bulgarians as summer diving or surfing. In addition, you can swim and sunbathe there even in winter in specially designed hot-type mineral pools.

It is important to note that Bulgaria often lives without snow in winter. This trend especially applies to coastal cities (Varniv, Burgas and others). This is what gives value and beauty to the mountains. And how romantic the snow-covered villages located at a considerable altitude look! It is important to note that even with a significant delay in snow, specialized generators do not start working. This suggests a conclusion: the organizers tourist recreation They do everything to avoid disrupting the holiday season, which naturally deserves praise and respect.

Why Bulgaria?

How much do the sights of a given area ignite your soul? When is the best time to visit one of the resorts? And how much does a trip to Bulgaria cost? Such questions are often asked by tourists who, of course, are attracted by the comfort and safety of a given country. There are the cleanest beaches exciting entertainment and incredible beautiful views at any time of the year. In addition, a whole fireworks display of impressions can be obtained not only from contemplation surrounding nature and active pastime, but also from the hospitality of the local population.

It is important to note that 80 percent of Bulgarian guests prefer to relax on the Black Sea coast, and this is not surprising, because the endless beach cannot fail to impress. This country has a wide abundance of factors conducive to relaxation: bright sun, inspiring sea, endless beaches with golden sand and, of course, interesting sights. Cape Kaliakra (Bulgaria) is one of the most popular of them.

Even the names of the resorts (Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Dunes) cannot leave anyone indifferent, so every year Bulgaria receives a huge number of tourists who subsequently sincerely enjoy the unusual and such a comfortable atmosphere.

Cape Kaliakra is a popular natural attraction in Bulgaria, and one of the generally recognized wonders of the world in the entire Balkan region. Today, the gigantic site overlooking the Black Sea is divided between a military base, a meteorological station and a nature reserve. It is the latter object that is the place of worship for tourists who come not only to admire natural beauties, but also to honor the rich history.

Travel to the cape has a limited season - from April to mid-late October. This was done for the purpose of basic safety - late autumn brings severe storms and high waves to the Black Sea region. The checkpoint at the entrance may be closed earlier - if weather will not allow excursion facilities to operate normally.

Story

The first documented mention of Kaliakra dates back to the 5th century BC and the reign of the Thracian kings. During this period, there were active wars with the Persians, and the ancestors of modern Bulgarians built the Tirizis fortress on the cape, which served not only as a bastion of defense against raids, but also as a a real treasure trove, where the stolen goods were kept. The fortress walls of that time have not survived - only earthen ramparts hint at them.

The heyday of antiquity occurred under the rule of the Greeks. The Hellenes understood the importance of the cape, and laid out a huge impregnable castle, which has not yet been possible to completely reconstruct even on a large scale. Based on the fragments found, it is hypothesized that the defensive walls alone were 3 meters thick. Under the rock layer, early Christian catacombs continue to be found - evidence of Roman persecution.

With the fall of Rome, the importance of the cape was lost, and the land gradually became depopulated. Until the chronicles of the 13th century there is not a single line about Kaliakra, but the Middle Ages inspired new life to an abandoned region. The nascent Bulgarian state needed a fleet, and there was no better place for strategic observations. But it did not last long - in 1394 the Turks came here, and long centuries of Ottoman rule began.

The liberator of the cape was the Russian admiral Fyodor Ushakov - the legendary battle of Kaliakra took place in 1791. In textbooks on the history of Bulgaria, the event is called the largest naval battle in Europe, and deservedly so. The Imperial Russian Navy defeated the numerically superior Turkish armada with minimal losses. The triumph allowed the Bulgarians to start a war for independence, and Ushakov was canonized by the grateful fraternal people.

The 20th century brought completely different goals. By 1900, the first lighthouse was operating on the cape, and after World War II, the territory actively began to be developed for military purposes - a radar base appeared, access to which is closed to tourists. In the 1980s, the cape received its modern decoration - several dozen wind turbines that generate electricity.

1 of 3

Attractions

The first person to greet guests of the cape at the entrance is Admiral Ushakov himself, or rather, his monument, erected in 2006, in honor of the 215th anniversary of the legendary battle of Kaliakra. The sculpture is unusual in style - it resembles Soviet monumental sculptures, but the appearance of the famous naval commander is immediately recognizable. Memorial meetings and celebrations are regularly held near the monument, including with the participation of Russian sailors.

Another interesting place is the reconstructed gate of a medieval bastion. Historians are still arguing how accurately they reproduce the ancient fort, but the construction is impressive - from afar you can see how well the surrounding waters were visible. Unfortunately, it won’t be possible to climb up - on both sides the gate abuts the walls of a steep cliff, behind which there are sharp rocks. You should not cross the warning signs; they are there for a reason.

The internal structures of the ancient period have survived to this day in ruins. Despite constant excavations, one object has been reliably identified - the Roman baths, or rather, what remains of them. Based on other fragments of the foundation, archaeologists speculate that there could have been princely chambers, armories, and even military burial grounds here. If you're lucky, you might see more archaeologists working in hard-to-reach areas.

You can get acquainted with the collection of finds in a small archaeological museum, the halls of which are carved directly into the rock. The display cases display authentic antique coins, weapons, models of medieval siege engines, amphorae raised from the bottom of the sea and other exhibits. What’s especially pleasing is that admission to the museum is absolutely free; you only need to pay if you plan to take photos or videos.

1 of 3

There are many legends associated with the cape that are still remembered today. One of the most popular myths is about the countless treasures of Alexander the Great, hidden by his heir Lysimachus in one of the caves of Kaliakra. So far, the search for the ancient treasure has not been successful, and all the precious finds date back to the 13th-14th centuries.

On one of the sites of the cape there is an unusual monument to 40 Bulgarian virgins. According to legend, during the years of the Ottoman invasion, young girls from neighboring villages jumped en masse from cliffs into the sea to avoid ending up in Turkish harems. The memory of self-sacrifice was immortalized with an emotional sculpture depicting falling female figures.

The farthest rock, facing the sea, is decorated with an Orthodox cross above an unusual stone dome. This is a symbolic repetition of the tomb of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, who was hiding on Kaliakra from the pagans. A beautiful legend tells that the sharp corner of the cape grew under the feet of a Christian saint so that he would not fall into the abyss while running away from villains.

How to get to Cape Kaliakra

Most of the routes towards the reserve begin in Varna - this is the closest Big City. From central station Buses go to Kavarna every day, they don’t have numbers, at the ticket office you just need to tell them where you need tickets. Having reached the commune, you can immediately change to tourist bus going to Kaliakra - communication has been established all season, transport runs every 45-50 minutes, the flight schedule is on the information board.

Delivery of tourists by taxi has also been established - Uber and Kiwi services have been operating in Bulgarian resorts for quite a long time. You can order cars either by phone or online using mobile applications— transport is provided quickly, prices are fixed during the season, and no overpayment situations arise. What you shouldn’t forget is that there is an additional fee for entering the cape; you will need to buy a ticket for yourself and the driver.

For independent travel with a rented car, there is only one option - strictly follow the coordinates of the navigator - 43.362126, 28.465219. Once you get there, it is recommended to study all signs regarding parking. Since we are talking about a protected area, you cannot leave your car on the side of the road; for this, the vehicle can be towed to a fine parking lot within half an hour.

Bulgaria Albena Kaliakra photo

Cape Kaliakra is located, as usual, on the coast, and it is not just the coast, but right Black Sea coast from stone rocks, which includes old fortifications and cities. is located southeast of the city of Kavarna, relatively close - only 12 km and you are there!

Cape Tirizis or Cape Kaliakra

For the first time, sources from the 4th century BC speak about Cape Kaliakra and the fortification at this place; in those distant times, the Thracian (Thracian) tribe lived in this place - the Tyrizians, from here it appeared, and then the oldest name went on Cape Kalikra - Tirizis.

Some time later, the destroyed fortress wall, built, was rebuilt to defend the city and even more: another additional line of defense was created. Apparently there were a lot of enemies at that time and what are now called pirates Caribbean Sea, appeared much earlier as a phenomenon. Of course, they knew how not only to trade, but also to fight, and to defend themselves, of course. :)

This speaks eloquently and clearly ancient settlement Thracians, which consisted of two parts - the inner and outer city. Usually 2 cities or cities out of 2 were created specifically - in case of a heavy siege...

The very first guard wall from the ancient Thracian fortifications (it stands intact and delights visitors today), its length is impressive, almost half a kilometer (440 meters) and its height is only 2 meters.

She, apparently and obviously, defended the fortress from attack from outside big land, and not from the sea. Today, on the lands of the outer city and its fortress, archaeological researchers have excavated the ruins of many buildings, for example, you can see large building- a terma or Roman bath, which functioned well and completely to the delight of guests in the distant 4th century AD, and not so long ago it actually happened. ;)

The stone crypt with a vault is dated by experts to the same time as the bathhouse, and the bathhouse has survived very well to this day. Also, thanks to archaeological excavations in the area of ​​the old cities, several Christian churches from the Middle Ages were found.

So we can safely say that Christianity at Cape Kaliakra had a good start and development.

Kaliakra or just a beautiful cape

The word “Kali-acre” is found for the first time in historical chronicles of the 13th-14th centuries, and translated means “beautiful cape”. The thing is that at this time in the 14th century, the current Bulgarian state was different and was divided (officially, discord occurred in the royal family) into 3 huge regions. The cape and port, as well as the fortified city of Kaliakra, became the capital of a new independent eastern kingdom, the "Kingdom of Doom" or Dobruja, after which it became convenient place for later a major international port.

Legends and myths about Cape Kaliakra

There are several legends or folk Bulgarian myths about Cape Kaliakra. But perhaps the most famous (which is very reminiscent of horror stories from the films), is the one that tells how exactly forty young Bulgarian girls, led by the most beautiful of them - Kaliakra, rushed with high cliffs into the sea abyss and all in order not to become slaves and prisoners of the Ottoman Turks during the yoke.

And, to make sure that no one would survive, if suddenly one of the girls, let’s say, was afraid of jumping off a cliff, each of the girlfriends firmly tied her hair with the other girls. Terrible thing! Just awful! Well it was and it was... :(

Cave museum on the cape?

No matter how surprising it may look for an unprepared reader, there is even a cave museum on Cape Kaliakra, no, this is not the famous caveman museum, but a museum in a cave, where you can see with your own eyes many ancient rarities left over from past cultures of the inhabitants of Cape Kaliakra and all of them were found by archaeologists when they were excavating an ancient settlement.

One of the important rarities is a modern model of the old fortress, which recreates a clear and clear image of what it was like in those ancient times, when Thracian tribes lived here.

In 1941, Cape Kaliakra became a nature reserve (in Soviet time), years later - in 1967, it was decided to declare the fortress architectural monument culture - national significance.

Kaliakra - Archaeological Reserve

Near the cape there is an archaeological reserve, probably even one of the most important and largest on the Black Sea coast in the Republic of Bulgaria, thanks to its rich history, excavations and beautiful natural landscapes and sea views, sometimes very reminiscent of Aivazovsky’s paintings.

Cape Kaliakra today

The cape and the Kaliakra region today is, first of all, a natural and archaeological reserve. On a huge space of 69 hectares you can see the virgin untouched steppe, astonishing coastal cliffs, and a picturesque view of the Black Sea and the rocky coast.

The flora includes more than 400 species of animals. In the territory nature reserve Kaliakra has been discovered - 310 species of different birds, 100 of which are subject to conservation and protection. And 106 species of birds are of great importance for the biological diversity of birds and species throughout Europe. In these areas (Kaliakra and Kavarna), a rare bird nests and breeds its offspring: the long-billed or crested cormorant (lat. Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

Via Pontica and smart dolphins

The significance of this region of Kavarna is especially important during the annual bird migration, since the second largest bird migration route in Europe, Via pontica, passes through these places (Kaliakra and Kavarna). A huge number of birds fly over Cape Kaliakra every autumn from August to October - over 29 thousand storks, pelicans and cranes, more than 3 thousand birds of prey, and among them those that are endangered, like the steppe harrier (lat. Circus macrourus), saker falcon (lat. Falco cherrug) and imperial eagle (lat. Aquila heliaca). Schools of dolphins often swim in the sea near Cape Kaliakra.

Museum opening hours

from 9 to 19 hours, seven days a week.

The rest of the year the museum is closed.

Ticket price:

• adults - 3 levs,
• children – 1.50 levs,
• story – 10 lev.

Excursions are specially organized for tourists. The guides offer stories in Bulgarian and Russian.

Contacts

Historical Museum of Kavarna

Phone: +359 570 821 50

Kavarna Museum website

How to get to Cape Kaliakra?

To get to the archaeological reserve and Cape Kaliakra, you need to leave the city of Kavarna to the north on the way to the village of Bulgarevo, and from there continue to drive straight all the time, reaching the parking lot in front of the reserve.

Cape Kaliakra - video

Pavel Shumilov talks about Cape Kaliakra

Kaliakra Cape and Nature Reserve on the map