Nessebar

Situated on a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea, 20 km north of Burgas, Nessebar town is one of the oldest towns in Europe, originally Thracian settlement (Messembria).

By its historic buildings, churches and ruins mostly from the Hellenistic period, surviving through the ages, Nessebar town is one of the major cultural heritage destinations along the Bulgarian Black Sea coastline.

According to the large number of churches, Nessebar is often said to be the town with the highest number of churches per capita in the world. The city’s ruins, which date mostly from the Hellenistic period, include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian fortifications, very ancient monuments and records, fortresses, churches and many other architectural places.

The ruins of the three-nave Basilica, also known as the Old Bishopric date from the early 6th century, other best known churches are from 11th to 14th centuries almost.

The wooden houses in the Old Town, built in the 15th and 19th centuries, are typical of the Black Sea architecture of the period.

Nessebar Old Town was placed on UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983. Beside the cultural attractions, Nessebar is also a popular sea resort, attracting holidaymakers and tourists with its two beaches, near the new town.