Nessebar

NESEBUR - a town, 38 km north-east of Bourgas; climatic seaside resort. Population of 8600.

The old quarter of the town, situated on the Nesebur Peninsula and linked to the mainland by a narrow neck of land, is declared an architectural and archaeological reserve. North and south of the peninsula beach strips stretch covered with the finest sand along the Black Sea coast. To the north these are linked with the beaches of Slunchev Bryag.

Nesebur is one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria. The ancient polis Mesambria appears in the 6th C. B.C. in the place of the Thracian settlement Melsabria (2nd-1st millennium B.C.). Invaded by the Romans (1st C. B.C.), conquered by Khan Kroum in 812 and annexed to the Bulgarian state.

Its efflorescence as a sea port and cultural centre is reached under Tsar Ivan Aleksandur (1331-1371).

About 1452 Nesebur falls under Ottoman yoke and the fortified walls are demolished. During the Bulgarian National Revival the town is revived anew. It develops as a fishing and vine-growing centre. Since antiquity to the present day there have been preserved sections of the fortified wall, towers, a gate, sanctuaries, inscriptions, reliefs.

The medieval churches are remarkable sites of Nesebur. In the past these have been more than 40, but only a few are still standing. The basilicas, most famous among these - the Old Bishopric, are early Christian. The construction and the plastic decorative peculiarities of the Nesebur churches, dating back to the 10th-14th centuries, sets them apart in a separate group, characteristic with the picturesque design of facades. The mural ornamentation of each church constitutes a unique harmony of stone, red brick, variegated ceramic rosettes and circular plates. The cross-dome churches are represented by St. John the Baptist Church (10th-11th centuries), Sts. Archangels Michael and Gavrail Church (13th C.), Pantokrator Church (14th C.) and St. John Alyturgetos Church (14th C.). St. Todor and St. Paraskeva churches are single-naved, St. Stephen Church (the New Bishopric) is a basilica.

In 1958 the archaeological excavations uncover a medieval golden treasure of adornments, which is kept in the Historical Museum of Bourgas.

The Bulgarian National Revival architectural ensemble encompasses about 60 houses, picturesquely overhanging narrow cobbled streets. The architectural design is typical of the Black Sea coast house - stone basement, wood-panelled upper floor, numerous bay windows, supported by corbels. The houses of Mouskoyani, of captain Pavel, the Bogatov house, the Rousiev house, and others, are of greater interest.

A historical museum with branches - the archaeological exposition in St. John the Baptist Church and the mural paintings in St. Stephen Church. A Turkish bath (18th-19th centuries) and 3 windmills are still preserved.

The old town is included in the list of monuments of the world cultural and natural heritage compiled at UNESCO.

Old Bishopric - built at the end of the 5th C. or in the beginning of the 6th C. Cathedral of Mesemvria Bishopric. Its dimensions are impressive: the middle nave dominated in height and width, initially separated from the side ones by columns and after the reconstructions of the 9th and 10th C. - with walls, cut through by semicircular arches.

St. Stephen Church (New Bishopric) - a church built in the 12th C. though other sources date it back to the end of the 10th C. It has been preserved almost in whole in its initial form. Here for the first time colour ceramic decoration is used. Mural paintings (14th-19th centuries) of high artistic value have been preserved. Most valuable are those dated to the 16th C. and the iconostasis icons.

St. John Alyturgetos and Pantokrator Church - the most picturesque churches in Nesebur. Raised in the 14th C. Exceptionally luxuriant plastic decoration. Lively wealth of colour of ceramic rosettes, decorative construction and plastic architectural elements create unique architectural and artistic effect.

Captain's house - built in the style of the Bulgarian National Revival, situated on the high stone coast above the port. The elevated stone basement is occupied by store rooms on two levels. On the floor above there are a T-shaped parlour and 4 spacious rooms in the corners, which open on the facade. A relief badge of the guild is in-built on the southern wall.

Mouskoyani house - follows almost the same inner design as the Captain's house. The parlour has an abundantly decorated ceiling, adorned with a round rosette. An ethnographical exposition has been arranged in the house.

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