site.btaSts Cyricus and Julitta Island Is Public State Property Managed by Culture Ministry

Sts Cyricus and Julitta Island is public state property and has been managed by the Ministry of Culture since 2012, the Ministry reported on Monday in response to inquiries about the status and development of the island. The statement also says that Sts Cyricus and Julitta Island is one of the most important archaeological sites in the country and plays a key role in the heritage of the Black Sea as an area of cultural exchange. The oldest known traces of Greek culture in the region have been found on the island, including the remains of several ancient pagan temples from various periods.

In 2011, the Ministry developed a comprehensive concept in the form of a preliminary study, which outlined the development of the island as a leading destination with a museum of Black Sea civilizations and an exhibition of archaeological structures in a park environment. The numerous buildings on the island were planned to house separate exhibition elements, including ones related to contemporary art. The main building, the old naval school, was planned to become the central part of the future museum. After a 15-year hiatus, renovation of the historic building began at the end of 2025 with a structural reinforcement contract worth BGN 1.87 million.

The museum complex will be administered by the Centre for Underwater Archaeology (CUA), which is a secondary budget administrator to the Ministry of Culture and is in an advanced stage of becoming a UNESCO regional centre. Underwater heritage will be the main theme of the museum work.

The Council of Ministers decided that the port area on the island should be managed by the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company under the Ministry of Transport. The decision was duly agreed upon, including with a positive opinion from the CUA. The goal is to ensure full public access to the museum and to guarantee a permanent base for the CUA ship. The legislation requires state ports to be managed by a specialized company, as cultural institutions lack the authority or funding for port activities.

A new detailed regulatory plan is to be commissioned. It will include an overall concept, communication and urban planning solution in line with the museum and research functions of the island, including the operation of a tourist terminal. According to the principles of the concept, only the existing building stock will be renovated, without the construction of new volumes. The protection regimes will be in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Act.

Sts Cyricus and Julitta Island will once again be managed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications to develop the tourism infrastructure and ease the traffic in the town's fishing port, outgoing Tourism Minister Grozdan Karadjov told a briefing January 21.