Nessebar. Walk through the ancient miracle of Bulgaria
Nessebar is one of the most amazing and beautiful cities in the world, a city-museum, an architectural and archaeological reserve protected by UNESCO.
Administratively, the city is divided into New Nessebar, Old Nessebar (the peninsula) and Sunny Beach.
Sunny Beach is a relatively young and actively upset area, which is a hotel resort recreation with elite houses, as well as residential medium-storey houses.
Of the Nessebar regions, the most remarkable is Old Nessebar, located on a rocky peninsula, 850 m long and 300 m wide.
The history of the amazing peninsula begins with the beginning of the first millennium BC. Old Nessebar is the successor of the ancient Thracian settlement, Mesembria. 510 BC - Greek colony. Since modern times - the cultural treasury of the country. Life in this city has not been interrupted for thousands of years.
The romantic streets of this city attracted tourists from all over the world, gave inspiration to the casual traveler and permanent resident.
Acquaintance with Nessebar begins with a long street, extending into the distance to the peninsula, surrounded on both sides by the sea. Chic moraines are diluted by the silhouette of an ancient mill, once bread was made on it.
The sea is a symbol of infinity and freedom with yachts drifting on it and the symbolism of bread, craft labor, inspires respect for the ancient people, who seem unsinkable, invincible, passed through the centuries.
Nessebar is an ancient fortress, the city on the peninsula begins with the remains of its gate and part of the wall. The main street of Old Nessebar is called Mesembria, you get to it immediately at the entrance.
Almost every house of Nessebar is engaged in trade and contains a trading shop. They sell mainly souvenirs, cosmetics, wine, sweets. All this is produced by local craftsmen and craftsmen.
Residential houses are typical southern architecture: the lower floor is made of stone, repeating the masonry of ancient walls that once surrounded the city, and the upper one is made of wood. The old paving stone is made of the same stone.
Residents love their city and decorate it with flowers that stand in abundance on windows, balconies and in tubs under the house. Of course, most of the bushes are roses.
The rose is a symbol of Bulgaria. Roses eat, drink tea from them, make cosmetics: soap, perfume, shampoos. Especially tasty Bulgarian jam from roses and the legacy of neighboring Turkey: lukum from roses. Rose is pleasant and useful for the skin, contains many natural substances that give the skin beauty and elasticity - rose cosmetics, products based on natural rose oil.
So, rose water is a natural elixir for the skin, which has many useful properties, here are just some of them: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, softening the skin of the hands and face, bodies. The pink water has a pleasant smell of bushy white Bulgarian rose. Only aromas of roses in Bulgarian cosmetics can be found more than ten! The Bulgarians themselves subtly distinguish the aroma of a rose by its color: the aroma of a pink rose, red, white.
Having experienced the miraculous properties of Bulgarian rose cosmetics, you can enjoy delicious sea delicacies in restaurants, lovingly prepared by locals, decorated in an ethnic Bulgarian vintage style. Lobsters, mussels, shells, shrimp, fried fish are just some of the goodies served by polite waiters in snow-white shirts in non-Sebrian restaurants.
For the convenience of visitors, warm blankets hang on the backs of chairs - you can not be afraid to stay behind a glass of wine until late.
In Bulgaria, wine is also made from roses. It is offered to taste in shops at private small wineries located immediately at the courts.
In the wine boutiques of Nessebar, Bulgarian wine is presented for every taste. Drinks are mostly varietal, but blends are also enough, a lot of dry wine. The wine you are offered at the tasting is not sour. The drink has a pleasant aftertaste and, combined with the fresh sea wind, aroma and taste of roses, will undoubtedly impress you. Truly women's wine!
Perhaps the first rose wine was made by the ancient Bulgarians for Hagia Sophia, in memory of her, one of the most ancient churches has been preserved in Nessebar: the Church of St. Sophia (Old Metropolis), which is located in the center of the city.
The three-nave basilica was built in the 5-6 centuries, on the site of the ruins of an even more ancient temple. The church of Sofia is the largest in old Nessebar. In the 9-10th century, the residence of Metropolitan of Nessebar was located here. In 1157 the church was looted by the Venetians. It is now in ruins.
In the design of churches, ceramic sockets of round and four-leaf shape are used, covered with glaze greenery.
In total, about 9 churches have survived in modern Old Nessebar. Part of the peninsula once went under the sea, carrying with it about 40 churches and 40 hectares of land.
A powerful earthquake almost destroyed the then Greek city. The peninsula has survived a lot.
Be sure to visit Old Nessebar if you happen to visit Bulgaria. It is a very beautiful and picturesque place, which breathes with antiquity, beauty and love of local residents for their own remarkable history.
Text and photo: Madeleine Barr
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