Созопол

The oldest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast - the ancient Apollonia, which came to life in narrow streets and a fishing port.

Sozopol was founded in 610 BC. by Greek settlers from Miletus as the colony of Apollonia Pontica, named after the god Apollo. Ancient chroniclers point to the philosopher Anaximander as its founder. The city quickly became rich from trade with the Hellenic centers of Athens, Corinth and the islands of Rhodes, Chios and Lesbos, minted its own coins and erected in the 5th century BC. 13-meter bronze statue of Apollo, the work of the sculptor Calamis. In 72 BC the Roman general Marcus Lucullus captures and ravages Apollonia, and the statue of Apollo is taken to Rome. After the imposition of Christianity, the city received the name Sozopolis - 'city of salvation'. In the 8th–9th centuries, it fell briefly under the rule of Khan Krum, but remained a predominantly Byzantine possession until the campaign of Todor Svetoslav. During the reign of Emperor Anastasius (491–518), fortress walls were built, expanded and renewed in the following centuries. In 1366, the city was captured by Count Amadeus VI of Savoy and handed over to Byzantium. In 1453, after a long siege, Sozopol fell to Ottoman rule despite the help of Venetian and Genoese ships. In 1629, the Turks burned down all the monasteries and churches in the city. After the Liberation in 1878, Sozopol remained a small fishing town, but preserved its authentic Renaissance and antique architecture. In the 20th century, it became a favorite refuge of Bulgarian artists and writers, and the old town with its wooden houses with bay windows was declared an architectural-historical reserve. In 2010, archaeologist Prof. Kazimir Popkonstantinov discovered on the island of Saint Ivan a marble reliquary with relics believed to belong to John the Baptist — one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in recent Bulgarian history. Since then, the town has held an annual pilgrimage to the monastery on the island. Since 1984, Sozopol has been home to the International Arts Festival 'Apolonia', founded by violinist Prof. Dimo ​​Dimov, which every year at the end of August and beginning of September turns the city into a stage for concerts, theater, cinema and exhibitions. Today, Sozopol combines the ancient heritage, the preserved fortress walls and the Old Town with an active summer tourist and cultural life.