Pomorie

Pomorie is situated on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast’s southernmost point, 22 kilometers from Burgas and around 400 kilometers from Sofia. The town has a population of approximately 14 000 people. Pomorie is located on the E87 major route that connects the northern and southern regions of the Black Sea Coast. Pomorie Port connects Varna, Burgas, Sozopol, and Nesebar. The town is located close to Burgas’s international airport.

Pomorie is a popular summer resort due to the average air and sea temperatures of 23.6°C in July, the up to 2360 hours of sunlight per year, and the about 5-kilometer-long beach. Winters are moderate and precipitation is little.

Additionally, the area has long been known for the therapeutic properties of the mud recovered during the salt extraction process at Pomorie Lake. The town’s mineral water is also well-known for its curative properties. Slow cooling of the ocean is a particularly characteristic feature of the area. The air is dense with ozone, negative ions, UV radiation, and iodine gas emitted by seaweed in the morning before daybreak.

The oldest traces of human activity discovered in Pomorie extend all the way back to the Neolithic Period (6th millennium BC). Additionally, there exist evidence from the Chalcolithic (5th millennium BC), Bronze (3rd–2nd millennium BC), and Iron Ages (end of the 2nd millennium BC). Pomorie was renamed Anchialus in the second century BC. Anchialus became a province of the Roman Empire in 45. The town grew throughout the second century after it was relocated (in Paleocastro Area). The time in which Anchialus was a member of the Roman Empire was one of rapid development. The town’s economic and political prosperity was shown when it began minting coins.

During this time period, the nymph cult was immensely popular. The so-called Anchialic nymphs, according to indigenous people, were three females who lived in the mountains, woods, and rivers. They were revered as deities – spring guardians. This religion was associated with the adjacent Aqua Kalide natural springs — modern-day Burgas’s Anchialus baths. The town was personally visited by the Roman Empire’s rulers, as large festivities were staged on 28 October 294 in honor of Emperor Diocletian’s arrival.

In the Middle Ages, the town preserved its vital location. Frequently, the territory became the site of fierce clashes between Bulgarians and Byzantines, with possession of the town changing hands many times. The Ottomans captured Anchialus in 1453. The seaside town served as an administrative center throughout the second half of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century. On 7 February 1878, the town was freed from Ottoman authority.

After the Liberation, Anchialus continued to thrive — the local population participated in grape cultivation, wine making, fishing, and salt manufacture, among other activities. Salt manufacturing has traditionally been important to the Pomorie Region. Fishing is also critical to people’s livelihoods and the town’s economy. Maritime crafts and commerce were developed primarily. Anchialus was renamed Pomorie in 1934.

The Pomorie History Museum houses a significant portion of the objects unearthed during archaeological excavation in the vicinity. The archaeological exposition is divided into many rooms. The majority of the discoveries are on exhibit at the Prehistory Hall. They were unearthed at Kozareva Settlement Mound and date from the Chalcolithic Period (5th millennium BC). Many of the antiquities on display at the Antiquity Hall were discovered on the bottom of the sea, while artifacts from the Roman and medieval town of Anchialus were uncovered during excavations in the Paleocastro Area. There is a dedicated coin gallery at the museum. The Numismatics Hall’s earliest exhibits are from Greek coastal poleis, including coins of Thracian and Macedonian rulers (5th–1st century BC). The central position is reserved for Roman bronze coins made at Anchialus and medieval Bulgarian coinage.

On the second story, guests may see an Anchialian urban house in its conventional configuration – drawing room, bedroom, and miscellaneous belongings. There are displays of traditional clothing and feminine adornments from the region’s ethnic groups. Bulgarian history from 1878 to the present day is shown in two additional areas of the museum via an extensive collection of images and documents.

The Salt Museum, which chronicles the evolution of the salt manufacturing sector, which has played a significant role in the town and area both historically and now, opened its doors on the shores of Pomorie Lake in 2002. This is the only location in Bulgaria where ancient salt producing technology are still in use. Pomorian lye is extracted during the salt manufacturing process and is used to treat skeletal and skin problems. The museum display has an extensive collection of images, real tools, and other memorabilia. Visitors may enjoy a tour of the still-operational salt mines.

The Old Pomorian Houses Reserve is located on the eastern edge of Pomorie, near the sea. The structures discovered there are representative of the usual architectural style of dwellings in the Black Sea Region. While meandering around Pomorie, be sure to stop by some of the town’s Christian temples – St. George Monastery, the Church of the Transfiguration of God – the town’s oldest structure – and the Birth of the Virgin Mary Temple, to name a few.

To the right of the Pomorie – Burgas road is the Pomorian Beehive Tomb. It is unique in its architectural design in the Balkan Peninsula. According to others, the tomb functioned as the mausoleum for a rich Anchialian family. The History Museum houses some of the discoveries made there. It was designated a cultural architectural-construction monument in 1965 after publication in the State Gazette, edition No 35.