Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Nessebar recounts memories from the time of the Ancient Thracians

4
Photo: Veneta Nikolova

A rocky piece of land, as if thrown into the sea, yet it is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Asylum and security - this is probably what the ancient Thracians saw when they founded their city of Mesembria here more than three millennia ago.

The Mesembria of the ancient Greeks surrounded the city with a massive fortress wall. Mesembria of the ancient Romans created the water pipe system and erected basilicas and named one of them Saint Sophia similar to the one in Constantinople. Nessebar of the Bulgarians, first included in the borders of the Bulgarian state in 812, built and painted the churches of Saint Stephan and St. John the Baptist, which became a prototype of the masterpiece Bulgarian churches of the 13th and 14 centuries.

You can learn more about the ancient settlement called by Bulgarian and foreign researchers called the place "the Bulgarian Ravenna" because of its numerous and well-preserved churches, in this week’s Editor’s picks from Radio Bulgaria’s collection – “Nessebar - the ancient town inside the sea”.


Written by Diana Tsankova

Photos: Veneta Nikolova, BGNES and archive



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

Gallery

More from category

Valeri Petrov

105th anniversary of the birth of Valeri Petrov – the Knight of Poetry

Today we mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of academician Valeri Petrov - poet, novelist, screenwriter, playwright and translator. Born in Sofia on 22 April 1920 under the name of Valeri Nissim Mevorakh, he graduated in medicine from Sofia..

published on 4/22/25 1:29 PM

Metropolitan Antony: The Light of Christ’s Resurrection gives us grace-filled strength on the path of life

Today, the entire Christian world celebrates the Bright Resurrection of Christ. For Orthodox peoples, this is the most radiant and joyful day - the Feast of Feasts - which proclaims the victory of life over death. In Bulgaria, we call it Velikden (“Great..

published on 4/20/25 8:00 AM

Palm Sunday – with a scent of spring and anticipation of the great Resurrection

With a scent of spring and anticipation of the great Resurrection of Christ, Palm Sunday is among the most beloved holidays in Bulgaria. From early morning, people fill the churches and share their joy through prayer at the festive..

published on 4/13/25 5:55 AM