History

Cape Kaliakra is situated at the end of a long and narrow peninsula on the Bulgariansector of the north coast of the Black Sea. It is located 12 km. east from Kavarna and 60 km. north - east from Varna. The coast has very steep with vertical cliffs with a height of about 70 m. The cliffs consist of solid limestone and conglomerates, formed in the prehistoric Sarmat Sea. The iron oxides, which they contain are the reason for the crimson - red colour of the rocks.

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The inaccessibility of the cliffs is the reason, that fortifications were built on the cape in ancient times. The earliest finds were dated to the IV cent. B.C., when the cape was inhabited by the Thracian tribe "Tirizis", which gave the first name of the fortress - Tirizis. During the late antiquity the settlement was called Acre Castellum and was one of the fifteen towns included in the Roman Province of Scythia, which contained the land of the region now known as Dobrudga. During this period the fortress was an important station on the Via Pontica. The name Kaliakra (from Greek - means "good cape") was mentioned for the first time in the historical sources in XIII cent. A.D. Kaliakra hay day was during the second half of XIV cent.A.D., when it became the capital of the so called Dobrudga (also called Karvun) Despoty of the Bulgarian independent ruler Dobrotitsa. It spreaded all over the north - east part of Bulgaria and was independent from the authorities. The name of the geographical area Dobridga comes actually from his name.

In 1444 the knights of Wladyslaw III of Poland(known in Bulgaria as Vladislav Varnenchik) stopped near the fortress on their campain against the Ottoman Empire. On 31 July 1791 near the cape Kaliakra the biggest marine battle in Black Sea took place . The Russian squadron, lead by Admiral Ushakov, demolished the Ottoman armada, which brought to an end of the Russian - Ottoman war (1787 - 1791). During the period of the Ottoman yoke the fortress was used as a moslim spiritual centre.

The remains of the fortress are mostly from the period of the Despotitsa Despoty, which is the last Bulgarian land to fall under the Ottoman yoke. The remains include also parts of the water-conduit, bathes and the residence of Dobrotitsa.

Finds from the excavations are exhibited in a small archaeological museum, situated in one of the caves.

Legends

A legend about the 40 virgins
The most famous legend is about the 40 virgins, who tied their hair together and jumped together in the sea, to escape from the Turkish soldiers. Nowadays in the start of the cape, there is an obelisk, called "The Gate Of The 40 Virgins", built in their honour.

A legend about Saint Nicholas - the patron of the fishermen
The saint was running away from the Turks and God was enlarging the ground under his feet, to help him to escape. This act lead to the creation of the long narrow cape. Despite of this, he was caught and killed. Nowadays there is a small chapel, restored in 1993, which symbolizes his grave. At the same place during the Ottoman yoke, there was also a Dervish monastery, which kept (according the legends) the relics of the Turkish saint Sara Sultuk.

A legend about the treasure of Lyzimah
On the cape Kaliakra once there was a thracian fortress. Undrneath, in the rocks were a lot of caves. In these caves Lyzimah hid his treasures after his campains.

Articles

Цар Лизимах криел съкровища в Калиакра

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Visit

The fortress Kaliakra is included in the list of The 100 National Tourist Sites, and has a status of an archaeological reserve.

Opening time : 10:00 - 19:00 7/7, has a seal.
Kaliakra is also a nature reserve with a unic wild environment. Near the cape dolphins can be observed along with cormorants, starlings and rock blackbirds. There are also still a population of monk seals (unfortunately a very small one).

On the cape, there is also a lighthouse, chapel and restaurant.