Bulgaria's Oldest, Highest Lighthouse Holds Open Day

Open-house day at the Shabla Lighthouse - the oldest and highest lighthouse on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, Shabla, August 18, 2023 (BTA Photo)

Shabla, Northeastern Bulgaria,

18.08.2023 17:37

(BTA)

The Shabla lighthouse, which is the oldest and highest lighthouse on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, opened its doors to visitors on August 18 on the occasion of the International Lighthouse Day. Tens of visitors climbed to the firsts viewing platform which is 10 m above ground. They were not allowed to go any higher.

The lighthouse sits 6 km from the town of Shabla and is one of the tourist attractions in the area due to its location making it one of the country's easternmost points, and its rich history spanning hundreds of years.

The lighthouse is built as a scaled down version of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is a monument of architecture and has a unique structure that uses only stones and mortar and no concrete and iron.

"The lighthouse has lasted 250 already," one of the long-serving lighthouse keepers, Nanyo Nanev, told the press. He has worked here for over 30 years now. "The lighthouse remained intact even after the earthquakes, which have been numerous as it is a seismic zone," he added.

The lighthouse was built in 1765 but then when the Russo-Turkish Wars started, it was burned and abandoned. It was only after the Crimea War that the Ottoman authorities remembered to take measures to light up the coast, said Nanev. The lighthouse still keep one of the old torches, a Swedish-made piece, as well as the old ignition tools. Archival photos have been put on display.

The guests can always purchase a copy of a bilingual edition of the Shabla lighthouse history, which was press-launched in June 2023.

/NF/