Cape Kaliakra

Kaliakra is a beautiful cape close to the Romanian border. Usually, it is the final destination of foreign tourists looking for wonderful sights and places to the north of Varna. Close to Kaliakra (12 km.) one can visit the town of Kavarna, which lies 60 km away from Varna.
The cape stretches 2km deep into the sea and consists of 60-70m-high limestone rocks, which are hardly accessible because of the construction of an ancient fortress named Tirisis there. The fortress was successively used by Tracians, Romans, Byzantines and Bulgarians. According to legends, the fortress was guarding the treasuries of Lyzimah, successor of Alexander the Great. Today there are quite many remains of those ancient settlements, which can be seen in a small museum. One can also read there a legend telling the story of several Bulgarian girls who chose to jump from the high cape into the sea but not to be captured and converted to Islam by the Turks.

The steep 70 meter high rocky cape Kaliakra has many surf-formed caves and underwater rocks. It has been declared a protected historical site. The fortified settlement was founded as early as the 5th century BC while the name has been changed several times - Tetrasiada, Akre and then Kaliakra. It means beautiful cape, because of the abundant pink. It was the capital of the Kavrun Duchy of the 14th century with three lines of defence. Today there are numerous remains of those ancient settlements. Part of the material culture can be seen exhibited in a small archaeological museum sheltered under a limestone cave. There is a light-house on the cape.
Kaliakra reserve is situated on the cape and the surrounding aquatic territory. It was established in 1941 in order to preserve the specific vegetation, the "monk" seal, which is almost extinct today, and diverse bird population.