Attractions of Nessebar: overview, photo and description. Nessebar old town What to see in Nessebar bulgaria

Nessebar is one of the oldest settlements in Bulgaria. It was founded by the Thracians many centuries before the beginning of the new era, since then Nessebar has been a colony of Ancient Rome and Byzantium. And in the 15th century it became a colony of the Ottoman Empire.

In the XX century, Nessebar began to grow rapidly as a European tourist center. Today it is a great place for a lovely family vacation with a wonderful infrastructure, cafes, restaurants, excellent souvenir shops, etc.

We bring to your attention a short description of the sights of Nessebar in Bulgaria with a photo and a name, and we wish you to visit and relax in this paradise of Europe as soon as possible.

Map of attractions of Nessebar in Bulgaria

What to see in Nessebar: TOP-10 attractions

At this place in the X century BC. the first Thracian colony arose. Much later, a New City was built nearby, today both cities are connected to each other by means of a bridge. The most ancient buildings and structures have been lost over the centuries.

In the Old City, many buildings, erected by the Ottoman Turks around the 15th century, remained intact; today they have been restored and are in excellent condition. There are also many beautiful buildings of the 18th century in the Baroque and Classicism styles.

This mill is located where the Old Town joins with its modern part and forms a single Nessebar. The windmill has a stone foundation, and the structure itself is made of wood.

Before us is one of the visiting cards of the ancient city. This mill was once a Byzantine temple, but it was rebuilt. Today it is a romantic place where townspeople and guests of the city like to stroll in the evenings.

During the Early Middle Ages, the town of Nessebar was surrounded by a powerful fortress wall. Since those early years, about 100 meters have remained from the wall. The height of this fortification is about 8 meters.

Today, the remains of the ancient wall have been restored, and the area around it is well-groomed. Tourists often come here to see this attraction and just walk in such a wonderful place.

Ancient Nessebar is famous for its Christian churches built in the Early and Advanced Middle Ages. Bulgarians treat them with special care. Separately, we note the Church of St. Paraskeva and the ruined Church of St. Archangels, both 12th century.

These temples are included in the famous UNESCO list and are protected by the state. It should also be said about the Church of St. Stephen and the Church of Christ Pantokrator, both XI century, during the Early Middle Ages. The temples are perfectly preserved.

This museum is located at the entrance to the Old Town and was opened in the mid-90s of the last century. Within the walls of the museum, on its four floors, there is a huge exhibition of archaeological artifacts from the Thracians to Roman and Byzantine times.

Lovers of antiquity will see a huge collection of old icons, ceramics, women's jewelry and coins. The audience will see burial slabs from the era of Thrace, Ancient Greece and Rome, statues from the Hellenistic era, etc.

Located on a peninsula bordered by the Black Sea, Nessebar is the oldest settlement in Eastern Europe, founded by the Greeks at the end of the 6th century. It is a historical treasure of Bulgaria, declared in 1956 as a “city-museum” - an archaeological and architectural reserve. The beaches of the Black Sea coast of Nessebar are cozy and clean: they stretch as far as Sunny Beach and offer tourists many opportunities for entertainment.

The main attractions of Nessebar are its 26 churches, which allow the city to hold the record for the number of churches per capita. And there is nothing strange that many of them are included in the TOP-10 tourist sites of the city.

Included in the UNESCO heritage lists, the Church of St. Stephen in Nessebar is today an episcopal residence. It was built in the 11-13th centuries. The first frescoes appeared here in 1599. Today, about 260 frescoes depicting the miracles of Jesus can be seen here. Other attractions of the temple are: a painted curtain from the 16th century; a gorgeous chair carved from wood; a pulpit made in the 18th century.

Location: Ribarska street - 117.

In the northern part of the peninsula, where Nessebar is located, you can see a church built in the 6th century. It was part of a monastery complex that occupied the area more than 500 square meters.

It was destroyed by a strong earthquake, after which the northern and central parts of the sanctuary went under water. However, after excavations that began back in 1920, the basilica was partially restored and today it is also included in the UNESCO heritage lists.

A former episcopal residence, the Church of Hagia Sophia was built in the 5th century in the Byzantine style. It got its present appearance in the 9th century, when it was completely rebuilt. In the Middle Ages, it served as the cathedral of the diocese, but in 1257 it was plundered by the Venetians, who took many religious treasures for the Church of San Salvatore in Venice.

Today, the interior is decorated with many frescoes and marble floors made from many colored stones. The Church of Hagia Sophia is the largest temple in Nessebar, so well preserved.

The Baptist Church of St. John, built in the 11th century, has a cruciform dome supported by 4 columns. The exterior of the church is rather simple, with no decorative niches or tiles, with jagged cornices around the windows.

Inside the temple are several 13th century frescoes and several paintings, one of which depicts the Holy Marina, which was prayed for by the locals during the pirate raids in the 17th century. Today, the Church of St. John houses a small art museum.

Location: Mitropolitska Street - 19A.

Built in the 14th century, the Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel has one nave in the shape of a cross and 3 miniature vipers. A typical representative of medieval architecture, the temple has several decorations: the arches are distinguished by 3 rows of green plates, and several decorative bricks, black and white, are arranged like a checkerboard. Since 1927, the church has been under the jurisdiction of the state and is considered an important monument of “national antiquity”.

Location: Mula-Mustafe Baseskije - 59.

The Church of Saint Tudor was built at the end of the 13th century. The only parts that have survived since then are the north and west facades. She had 1 naos, hub and apse. The exterior of the temple is quite opulent, with zig-zagging façades decorated with brick patterns. Today, an art gallery is located in the Church of St. Tudor.

The Archaeological Museum of Nessebar was opened in 1956 in the Church of St. John. Since 1994, it has had its own building, which was built according to a special project by Hristo Koev. The museum consists of a hall and 4 exhibition halls, in which, in chronological order, you can get acquainted with the periods of the city's development. Interesting rooms: "Messembria and Thracians", where you can get acquainted with the life of the Thracians and contemplate a number of unique statues dedicated to Apollo, Hercules, Tiche, as well as "Messembria in the territory of Rome, Byzantium and Bulgaria" with a huge bronze statue of Emperor Claudius. An impressive hall dedicated to icons, where many masterpieces of icon painting are exhibited, including icons of St. Nicholas and the Holy Mother of God, painted in the 13th century.

Location: Messembria street - 2.

Located on the southern coast of the peninsula, the Ethnographic Museum of Nessebar is housed in the house of the wealthy merchant Panayot Moskoyani, which was built during the Renaissance and is a typical Bulgarian representative.

There are exhibits, acquaintance with which makes it possible to have an idea of ​​the life, everyday life, habits, holidays and even gastronomy of the local population, from ancient times.

Location: Messembria street.

Located off the west coast, the Byzantine Baths began operating here in the 6th century, during the reign of Justinian the Great, and were discovered during excavations in 1973-1975. The baths were supplied with water through an underground sewage system, had walls made of brick and stone, a ceiling covered with marble slabs, and a marble floor. According to the written sources of the chronicler Theophanes, the emperor Constantine Pogonatus himself treated his feet in this complex in 680.

The largest water park in Bulgaria is located in Nessebar. He occupied the area 30,000 square meters with 40 rides and water slides. If you count the total length of the slides, you get an impressive figure: 1,300 meters. Much attention is paid here to safety: since the opening in 2006, not a single serious accident has been recorded.

The rides and slides are designed for different age groups. The craziest are "Descent from Space" and "Kamikaze", and the quietest - "Lazy River". Many slides and attractions are offered to the smallest visitors, and the most popular are “Butterfly” and “Paradise Island”. After excursions to the many places of worship and culture in Nasebar, you should definitely relax. This can be done on the comfortable beaches of the city and, of course, in the water park “Water Paradise”.

Nessebar is one of the oldest cities in Europe - it was founded in the 12-11th century BC. It is located 37 km from Burgas. The old town is spread over a small peninsula, which is connected to the land by an isthmus of 400 meters. Pretty interesting. If you have never heard of this city, but are going here, then, congratulations, an excellent choice. The resort town, however, has a lot of interesting things (no wonder when the city is so old!).

Fortress Walls

Once these walls were very high - more than 8 meters. At first, the Thracian tribes were engaged in strengthening the city, then the Greeks also adjusted it a little, then the Romans joined in, and then the Byzantines. In short, by the Middle Ages Nessebar was already quite defended. The gate was founded in the 8th century BC. And, unfortunately, those ancient buildings have not survived to this day. Is that only a plot of one hundred meters on the western side of Nessebar and a little under water. These hundred meters are taken care of here with all their might, strengthened and will not completely crumble. So that. These ruins are now one of the main attractions of Nessebar. Look for walls in the Old City.

Byzantine Baths

The baths were built here during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, that is, somewhere in the middle of the 6th century AD. Construction techniques were borrowed from the Romans and even improved. The spacious rooms of the baths meant that several people would be inside, and the warm water that flowed through the pipes created different temperatures in different halls of the structure. There were semicircular pools, impressive ceilings, unusually decorated marble columns and marble slabs on the floor. In the main hall we not only washed, but also talked (like today, hehe), so here, presumably, it was very cozy - and the hall was covered with a massive dome.

This complex can be visited, however, part of the territory of the baths was built up with modern buildings, so the complex can be considered inferior. Anyway, be sure to visit this place, admire the ancient walls and colorful masonry. These baths are located in the Old City.

Windmill

There used to be dozens of similar structures in the city. Today there are only two left. The windmill at the entrance to the Old Town is the most popular one. Perhaps you can't leave the city and not take a photo with this mill. Very, very picturesque here, of course. The base of the mill is made of stone, which was collected from the ruins of an ancient Byzantine temple of the 6th century AD on the shores of the Black Sea. Of course, the mill was built much later, however, no one can say how much later. But her appearance suggests that she has been here for a very long time. The mill has three floors: on the first - a warehouse of sacks with flour and grain, on the second - the living quarters of the miller's family, on the third - millstones, shafts and other tools. The fact that the mill stands on the seashore was very beneficial - strong winds allowed the mill to run smoothly.

Museum "Old Nessebar"

The old town of Nessebar is included in the UNESCO lists due to its examples of perfectly preserved ancient architecture. That is, the city center is almost like an open-air museum. There are so many important sights here! The excavations carried out on the territory more than once made it possible to discover the most important finds, which were transferred to Archaeological Museum.
It was founded in 1956. The entrance ticket costs about 4 leva. This museum can be visited from 9 to 19 hours on weekdays, and on weekends from 9 to 13 and from 13: 30 to 18 hours. The collections of the museum will tell you about the rich and interesting history of ancient Messambria, which became Nessebar. Visit and Ethnographical museum, which is located in an old building, which can also be called a landmark.
In this museum you will see how people lived in the 19th century, how their life was adjusted, admire festive outfits, everyday clothes, utensils, tools and much more. The entrance to this museum costs approximately BGN 3. Old Nessebar includes and St. Stephen's Church.
It was built around the 11th century and was originally consecrated in honor of the Mother of God. The amazing iconostasis of the late 16th century, the throne and the pulpit of the bishop of the Bulgarian Renaissance, the 16-18th century murals depicting the Mother of God and the scenes of the Last Judgment (of which there are about 2,500 in total) are really impressive! During the construction of this church, parts of ancient temples and ancient Christian churches were used, which is important. The entrance ticket costs 5 leva.

Take a look at Church of the Holy Savior.

It seems like the church is big, but according to Turkish law, Christians were not allowed to build temples more than a certain height, so the church was dug into the ground. By the way, this is the only Christian temple in the city, which was erected during the era of the Ottoman Empire. The church was built with the money of a wealthy local in the 17th century. The walls of the temple are decorated with frescoes with scenes from the Gospel. A combined ticket to visit all the facilities of the complex costs about BGN 10, for children - BGN 5. Otherwise, you can buy a separate ticket for each museum. The museum is open until 7 or 8 pm, depending on the season (longer in summer). Please note that weekends are available on request from autumn to spring.

Church of Christ the Almighty

A small church is the most important attraction of Nessebar. The temple was erected at the end of the XIII or the beginning of the XIV century, from brick and stone. We can say that the architecture of the building combines the best features of medieval architecture in Bulgaria. Unfortunately, part of the building collapsed due to time and weather conditions. But the main nave is still well preserved - and it is really very beautiful. It is a pity that the bell tower, columns and other parts have not survived to this day. But you can see arches, cornices, pediments and niches, which are also very beautiful. The interior of the church, of course, is simply magnificent: paintings, frescoes, and many of them were made in the Middle Ages.

Schedule: Mon-Fri: 9: 00-19: 00; Sat and Sun: 9: 00-13: 00

Entrance: 3 levs.

In general, as you can see, there is something to see in Nessebar! Indeed, the most amazing town, saturated with the breath of antiquity.

On the coast of sunny Bulgaria on the Black Sea, there is a small rocky peninsula, the size of which is only 850 meters long and 350 meters wide, where 3 thousand years ago the beautiful antique city of Nessebar, which is a masterpiece of European culture, arose.

In the 12th century BC, the peninsula was inhabited by the Thracians, who founded the city of Melsambria. In the 6th century BC, Greek settlers appeared, and in the 1st century AD, the peninsula was occupied by the Romans and became part of the Roman Empire until 812, when the Bulgarian ruler Khan Krum conquered the peninsula and renamed it Nessebar. In 1452, the city was captured by Turkish troops and, together with the whole of Bulgaria, for more than 420 years, it fell under the destructive yoke of the Ottoman Empire. Only in February 1878, during the Russian-Turkish war of liberation, by the forces of the Russian army, Nessebar was liberated.

Attractions of Nessebar

Nessebar is called the city of forty churches and is considered a sacred place where Orthodox believers have gathered for centuries. One of the oldest churches built in the 5th century is the Basilica of the Holy Mother of God Eleusa. Only the foundation of the church has survived to this day.

The Church of St. Sophia, called the "Old Metropolis", is also one of the earliest buildings, created in the 5th century. It is located in the center of the peninsula - now only the walls and a large arched vault can be seen.

The church of St. John the Baptist, built in the 11th century, has remained in good condition. Fragments of 13th century frescoes have been preserved in it, and a small archaeological museum has been organized.

Near the port is the Church of St. Stephen, also called the "New Metropolis", built in the 11th century. Inside, the ancient frescoes of the 13th century and the iconostasis of the 16th century are well preserved.

Partially restored two small churches, built in the XIII century and located close to each other - the Church of St. Theodore, with an area of ​​36 sq. M. and St. Paraskeva Friday, with an area of ​​50 sq.m.

The Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, built in the 13th century, and the Cathedral of Christ Pantokrator, built in the 14th century, are best preserved in Nessebar, both internally and externally. Also in good condition is the church of St. John Aliturgitos, during the construction of which a man died, so the temple was not consecrated and no services were held in it. Hence the name Aliturgitos, which means "without liturgies" in Greek.

In addition to numerous churches, there are other attractions. For example, the ruins of the baths built during the reign of the Roman emperor Justinian I the Great.

The city, in addition to the richest architectural heritage, is famous for the regular holding in the summer of a large number of festivals, concerts and open-air exhibitions. Most of the activities for tourists are free.

Souvenirs

On the territory of the entire peninsula, a large number of residential buildings have been preserved, built from the 15th to the 19th centuries in a special romantic style of the Bulgarian Renaissance. People living in these historical buildings have organized all kinds of souvenir shops and art exhibitions on the ground floors, where you can buy paintings with views of Nessebar.

In souvenir shops, in addition to traditional T-shirts, magnets, caps and flags with images of the peninsula's landmarks, you can buy the famous Bulgarian oil and cosmetics from rose petals, wonderful silverware with turquoise, ceramic dishes, as well as national teas and spices.

In small grocery stores located on the territory of Nessebar, tourists are happy to buy delicious Bulgarian goat cheese in beautiful gift wrappers, as well as rakia - grape vodka with excellent taste and quality.

Cafes and restaurants

The mouthwatering smells of Bulgarian cuisine emanating from the numerous restaurants and cafes of Nessebar are literally maddening.

It is impossible not to resist and not to taste the Bulgarian "baked agne na shish" - young lamb on a spit with a crispy tender crust, baked in wine with spices. Or how can you not taste the delicious "pig sach" - stewed pork with potatoes, onions, vegetables and lemon, which is cooked and immediately served hot in a huge earthen pan? Restaurant menus are full of hot, soups, appetizers, salads, cold cuts, as well as amazing sweet desserts.

In fact, most catering establishments offer a similar Bulgarian national menu, but at different prices. If you want to relax in a restaurant located in the center of Nessebar on a hill with a good panoramic view, then you need to be ready to pay exactly twice as much as for the same , no less delicious food, but in a small national cafe, which will be located right next to the sea water or near the pedestrian promenade.

The portions in Bulgaria are striking in their size. For example, a frying pan of a pig sacha is barely eaten by two adult tourists, and a standard portion of a Shopska salad with goat cheese will feed a child to their fill.

About prices in Nessebar

A special priority for holidays in Nessebar, as in the whole of Bulgaria, are low prices. The cost of the lev, the national local currency, is tied to the euro exchange rate - 1 Bulgarian lev always costs 0.5 euros. On average, any hot dish in an inexpensive restaurant costs 10-15 levs, salad 5-6 levs, a whole large pizza 7-8 levs, a bottle of wine from 7 levs, a mug of beer 2 levs, a bottle of brandy from 12 levs. The average cost of a dinner for two is 25-30 lev.

The cost of souvenirs is also not high - magnets from 1 lev, spices from 3 levs, all cosmetics from 4 levs, silver jewelry from 15 levs.

Today we will talk about a stunning country located on the seashore, with sandy beaches, crystal mountain air, delicious wine and the feeling of a constant holiday - Bulgaria.

Vacationers always note unusually low prices, delicious, healthy and ecologically impeccable cuisine, as well as excellent beaches and a winter ski "gurney" in this country. Yes, the mountains here are not the Alps, but everything here is done in order to get the most out of both winter and summer holidays. And our tourists especially like the warm, almost kinship attitude towards the Russians, which Bulgaria has preserved.

The city of Nessebar, the attractions of which we will consider today, perhaps, one of the most amazing places in this state.

Nessebar is a world heritage

Nessebar is a city-museum, which is the property not only of Bulgaria, but of all mankind. Imagine that it was founded over 3,000 years ago!

According to the reviews of tourists who have visited it, this is a bit of a fabulous, almost doll-like town, like a brave little bird that has made a nest in the middle of the water.

Throughout its long life, this city defended itself in a battle with a formidable element. Almost half of it in the entire history of its existence went under water and, unfortunately, there are now many belonging to the 4th century. sights of Nessebar. Bulgaria and the whole world remember them and try to return at least some of the amazing artifacts to the surface.

And now a little geography

Nessebar is located near the famous Sunny Beach. It can be divided into two parts: the Old City and the New City. Old Nessebar is a very tiny area located on a small peninsula, only 800 m long and 300 m wide. It is connected to the land by a narrow isthmus, through which light, water, food and, of course, tourists fascinated by the surrounding beauty get here.

Imagine that there are only a little more than 1000 inhabitants here! And since the city has the status of a city-museum, each of them, in fact, is its employee, preserving the sights of Nessebar for descendants. We bring photos of the inhabitants of this amazing place and its ancient buildings to your attention in this article.

The town is filled with restaurants, souvenir shops, and a colorful market where you can buy leather, fur, silver and clay products. All this is the subject of constant delight of tourists, but the peculiar architecture of this center of history is especially interesting.

Old Nessebar landmarks

The city was once claimed by Greeks, Byzantines, and Bulgarian princes, and from all of them it took originality, beauty and its amazing atmosphere.

The ruins of the fortress walls at the entrance to the city, pentagonal towers and gates decorated with reliefs are, perhaps, one of the most ancient exhibits of the city-museum.

And special attention should be paid here to churches. Nessebar was once called the Balkan Jerusalem because there were over 50 churches in this small town. Now, unfortunately, only a fifth of them remain.

The greatest impression on tourists is made by the Cathedral of St. Stephen.

in Nessebar

Most of this cathedral, often called the New Metropolis, was reconstructed in the 16th century, and the oldest (eastern) part of the building has been preserved since the 11th century! Almost completely decorated on the inside with breathtaking 16th century murals depicting the life of the Virgin Mary and various saints, the cathedral will not leave indifferent any of the tourists. As evidenced by the many admiring reviews. Particular attention should be paid to the magnificent carved iconostasis that has survived from the late 16th century.

Due to the special value of this historical heritage, the church is not functioning now, it has been turned into a museum.

Church of Christ Pantocrator Almighty (13-14 centuries)

This ancient architectural monument, which has lost only the dome and part of the wall, cannot be ignored when listing the sights of Nessebar. Bulgaria, like the whole world, considers this church to be the pearl of the city. During its construction, brick was used in combination with decorative stone, which is why this building has a particularly "lace", "openwork" look. The combination of the facade decorated in the Turkish manner with Christian canons in the general appearance of the church is also striking.

Now this building houses a small collection of works by local artists.

Church of the Holy Mother of God

This church is the only one in operation, its gilded dome can be seen from afar. It was built at the end of the 19th century. (which is not age at all for such an ancient city), but, nevertheless, it can safely replenish the sights of Nessebar.

Bulgaria highly appreciates its miraculous or, in other words, "Black" icon. She is considered the keeper of the ancient city, and this is no accident.

The fact is that not so long ago this icon was stolen. The whole Nessebar, and the whole country was shocked by such blasphemy! And a wave of misfortunes swept through the city: 25 young people died in car accidents in the shortest time! For tiny Nessebar, this is a huge figure. The misfortunes stopped as soon as the icon was returned.

Archaeological Museum in Nessebar

As you have probably already seen, the whole old Nessebar is But it also has something that needs to be kept under a roof. For this, an archaeological museum was opened in Mesembria street in 1994, which is also included in the list of "Attractions of Nessebar". Reviews of its exposition are full of enthusiasm for tourists who have touched history.

Here you can see the most ancient exhibits of the Thracian and Roman times, a rich collection of icons and many more amazing antiquities.

All this is constantly being replenished, since excavations practically do not stop in the city. Much is taken from the bottom, where, as we have already said, part of the city is located.

It, by the way, can be seen during calm weather, on a clear day. Ancient columns and ruins of walls are clearly visible under the water.

Architectural landmarks of Nessebar (Bulgaria)

The architecture of residential buildings in Old Nessebar is also a monument. The style of the so-called Bulgarian Renaissance, characterized by tall, white stone foundations used in ancient times as wine cellars with dark wooden upper floors, protruding bay windows and decorated with large wide windows, is able to enchant anyone. As a rule, in the interiors of these houses, the walls are whitewashed, and the ceilings are dark, wooden.

Walking past these tightly packed houses and cobbled streets is almost like taking a trip in a time machine.

You can learn more about the life of the inhabitants of Nessebar in the local Ethnographic Museum.

A little more about the sights

The addresses of the sights of Nessebar can make a long list. That only is the church of St. John Aliturgetos (14th century). This unconsecrated church has its own tragic love story told by the guides. Or the Church of the Ascension of Christ (16th century), half dug into the ground at the request of the Turkish authorities, so as not to be taller than a Muslim warrior sitting on a horse. Or dated to the 5th century. remains of the Basilica of the Most Holy Theotokos.

All these are places that cannot be missed, and how many have not yet been named! We can only say one thing - Nessebar is like a magic box filled with jewels. They can be endlessly viewed and admired. Moreover, everyone here will find their own, amazing and unique, something that will make you return to this oasis of history many, many times, becoming a faithful admirer of the small cozy Bulgarian town of Nessebar.