Many small objects made of some sort of yellow metal were discovered in the Black Sea port city of Varna back in 1972, while an electricity cable was being put in the ground. It turned out that these objects actually were the oldest processed gold discovered so far in the world!
Before that discovery, scholars used to say that Varna’s history had started in the 6th century BC with the ancient Odessos. It was established by migrants from Millet, along with another town situated on the other side of the Black Sea – Odessa. The most ancient part downtown Varna is still called Odessos and is full of artifacts.
However, we need to step outside Old Varna a bit in order to understand its messages. The most ancient findings turned out to be 12,000 years old. The solid stone walls up to three meters wide at the town of Provadia nearby were believed, until recently, to have been the protectors of the oldest gold in the world. However, latest excavations did turn history upside down. Salt was much more expensive than gold back in those ancient times and Provadia was a major producer of salt. Bullions of different sizes were formed and used as money. Gold objects were just a sign of prestige, bought with… salt.
The Archaeological Museum of Varna has on display nowadays findings from a total of 294 graves discovered in the Varna necropolis. Some of them were full of gold. In grave No 43 for instance, acherologists unearthed 990 gold pieces, weighing a total of 1.5 kg. Jewelry can also be seen in the museum, such as a diadem, earrings, bracelets, a belt etc. There are copper tools too, ceramic forms… An ancient boat with a length of over 3 m is among the most interesting and important findings in Varna. Just the thought of the creation method – with fire and primitive tools, is fascinating enough.
All kinds of tribes and ethnic groups visited the place for a while and stayed for good. The settlement was getting bigger. There are beautiful legends preserved in the deep waters of the Varna Gulf, legends of love stories… One of them tells the story of sea nymph Galatea who was deeply in love with a handsome shepherd, while at the same time the one-eyed cyclop Polyphemus had passions for her. Different versions of the legend lead us to the name of Cape Galatea…
The remains of the Roman Baths can be found near the harbor, in the southeastern part of Varna. The ancient center of public life with its stores, warehouses and others is full of drawings of ships and even graffiti. The Roman Baths are the biggest in the Balkan Peninsula and 4th in size in Europe, drawing the admiration even of contemporary architects with their precise construction.
Centuries later, when sunbathing at the sea became fashionable in Europe, the first dressing rooms at the beach became the subject of wild debate. The beautiful Varna women, who could barely breathe with their tight corsets till then, could finally undress and enjoy the sun and the water with their new bathing costumes. The first solid sea baths in Bulgaria were constructed there in 1889, with separate sections for ladies and gentlemen. The cabins were built up on metal rails stuck in the bottom of the sea, linked with the beach via a bridge. One could stroll along the beach, enter the cabin and enjoy the sea without the danger of being seen by the opposite gender. However, things gradually started to change and more flesh was now put on display. All gentlemen used to wear black swimsuits reaching the knee. The ladies wore some sort of beach pyjamas that practically covered their entire bodies. When the initial incomes were registered, the municipality had to declare Varna a sea resort as of 1921, thus laying the start of summer tourism in the city.
The number of tourists was going up, along with the number of attractions and revenue. The Bulgarian Folk Music Festival was unveiled in 1926, a predecessor of the Varna Summer festival. The History Museum of the town has still preserved the Pleyel royal, exclusively purchased back then.
The spirit of Old Varna can still be clearly felt amidst the numerous modern attractions nowadays – one simply has to search for it.
English version: Zhivko Stanchev
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