Kaliakra Fortress and the legends surrounding it

Until the 7th century the fortress kept developing, then fell into decline, only to be reborn in the 14th century as the capital of the Principality of Dobruja.

Kaliakra Fortress became a well-known town: it housed the prince’s residence, minted its own coins and built a fleet. The Principality of Dobruja was one of the last Bulgarian domains to fall under Ottoman rule. This happened in 1393-1394.

It is this period that the two best-known legends about Cape Kaliakra are connected with.

The 40 maidens and Saint Nicholas

The first legend tells of forty Bulgarian maidens who threw themselves into the sea so as not to fall into the hands of the Ottoman invaders.

Beforehand they tied their braids together so that they would have no chance of being saved. People say that one of the maidens was called Kaliakra, and that the cape was named after her.

The second legend tells of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, who is celebrated in Bulgaria on 6 December. The story goes that the saint was fleeing from the Turks, and when he reached the very sea, God began to lengthen the land beneath his feet. That is how the two-kilometre cape came into being, and at its very tip a small chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas was built in time.

Kaliakra today

A notable event in Kaliakra’s recent history was the battle of 1791, when the fleet of the Russian admiral Fyodor Ushakov defeated the Turkish armada. A monument to the admiral was erected in honour of this event not far from the entrance to the fortress. Next to it there is a car park, and various souvenirs are sold on the spot.

Getting to Kaliakra is easy — the whole route from Kavarna is marked with signs.

Entry to the site is paid, 3 leva for adults.

On the cape there are a military radar station, a lighthouse and a meteorological station. There is also a museum and a restaurant set in picturesque caves, and a small chapel at the very end of the cape. The museum is open only from 1 April to 31 October.

For walks around Cape Kaliakra you should definitely choose suitable footwear — low-heeled and comfortable. It is also worth taking a hat (in places there is nowhere to hide from the sun). Strong winds blow in this region, so dress for the weather.

And of course, no such trip is complete without a camera. Cape Kaliakra is a very beautiful place, both by day and in the evening, when coloured floodlights illuminate the fortress walls and the picturesque ruins.

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