Places of interest
Sozopol
Location:
The town of Sozopol stands at 31 km South from Burgas and 421 km south-east from Sofia.
Rocky peninsula, connected to the mainland with narrow isthmus: Greeks choose that charming place to settle here 2700 years ago. Today besides beautiful beaches and well developed tourist amenities, Sozopol has preserved its magic: narrow streets covered with cobblestones, wooden houses with oriels, small churches, serene atmosphere all that surrounded by the sea. Sozopol is divided by two – Old town and New town. Each of them occupies small peninsula and the two of them enclose a bay area where the city beach spreads. A little more to the south there is another beach covered with fine sand – it is called “The South beach” and along it all these small thatched roof food stands, restaurants and souvenir shops.
Population: 5 816 inhabitants.
History:
Sozopol is the oldest town on Bulgarian coast. Archaeological diggings in the port of Sozopol have discovered remnants from dwellings, ceramics, different instruments made out of stone and bone dating from the Bronze Age. First dwellings here were Thracian. In VIIth century B.C. a Greek colony settles here. The town was called Apollonia after the name of Apollo, God of music, poetry, medicine and sun. Apollonia developed mostly as a trade center and it seems that was the most significant trade center on the whole coastal area. In 72 B.C. Apollonia falls into Roman hands and continues to prosper until the Barbarian invasions. A 13 m statue of Apollo was erected in the city center. The very same statue which became symbol of the town was later carried to Rome. Later Sozopol is either part of the Bulgarian kingdom or Bisantium until it ultimately fell under Ottoman rule in 1453. Main fishing port in this part of the coast, Sozopol is one of the most visited places in the region. The “Old town” is not just another place to be visited it is a place where someone should wander through the streets without being pressed by time…The town is small and in the same time it is a whole world.
Landmarks:
Location:
The town of Sozopol stands at 31 km South from Burgas and 421 km south-east from Sofia.
Rocky peninsula, connected to the mainland with narrow isthmus: Greeks choose that charming place to settle here 2700 years ago. Today besides beautiful beaches and well developed tourist amenities, Sozopol has preserved its magic: narrow streets covered with cobblestones, wooden houses with oriels, small churches, serene atmosphere all that surrounded by the sea. Sozopol is divided by two – Old town and New town. Each of them occupies small peninsula and the two of them enclose a bay area where the city beach spreads. A little more to the south there is another beach covered with fine sand – it is called “The South beach” and along it all these small thatched roof food stands, restaurants and souvenir shops.
Population: 5 816 inhabitants.
History:
Sozopol is the oldest town on Bulgarian coast. Archaeological diggings in the port of Sozopol have discovered remnants from dwellings, ceramics, different instruments made out of stone and bone dating from the Bronze Age. First dwellings here were Thracian. In VIIth century B.C. a Greek colony settles here. The town was called Apollonia after the name of Apollo, God of music, poetry, medicine and sun. Apollonia developed mostly as a trade center and it seems that was the most significant trade center on the whole coastal area. In 72 B.C. Apollonia falls into Roman hands and continues to prosper until the Barbarian invasions. A 13 m statue of Apollo was erected in the city center. The very same statue which became symbol of the town was later carried to Rome. Later Sozopol is either part of the Bulgarian kingdom or Bisantium until it ultimately fell under Ottoman rule in 1453. Main fishing port in this part of the coast, Sozopol is one of the most visited places in the region. The “Old town” is not just another place to be visited it is a place where someone should wander through the streets without being pressed by time…The town is small and in the same time it is a whole world.
Landmarks:
- The Archaeological museum is dedicated to the past of Apollonia; it illustrates the trade between Thracian tribes and Hellenistic world (anchors, amphora etc.), very good ceramic collection, remnants, jewellery, documents from the period of the Bulgarian kingdoms and the long Ottoman epoch.
