Byala

A small coastal town has developed tourism opportunities, alongside wine production and fishing. Byala is situated 50 km away from Varna and 70 km away from Bourgas. Obzor is located only five km away.

The region acted as a harbor in the distant past. Archaeologists discovered there anchors dating back to the 6th century BC. The settlement at that time was located near a Roman fortress.

Biala’s territory became part of the First Bulgarian Kingdom right after its formation. There, scientists found one of the most important artifacts carrying the early Bulgarian writing system. The Stone from Biala can be seen today in Sofia’s National History Museum.

Ottoman historic writings mention Biala, mainly in connection to the uprisings that locals participated in.

The settlement saw development after the end of World War II. It was named a town in 1984.

Today, the municipality is doing its best to develop tourism in the region. Its efforts focus mainly on yacht tourism.

Biala’s shore is steep and hardly accessible. The town has several beaches of total length 6244 m.

Apart from the peaceful nature, tourists can enjoy numerous historic and cultural landmarks in the town. Its oldest church is called St. Paraskeva and was created in 1847. Until 1907, all masses were carried out in Greek. The church had a Greek school, as well.

Ouspenie Bogorodichno church symbolizes the revolutionary spirit of Biala residents. People wanted a big and richly decorated church. It was constructed in 1876 and according to the legend, Ottoman soldiers who came to destroy it suffered a major storm. Today, the church is closed because lack of care and poor weather conditions in the 80s led to its destruction.

Biala has its ethnographic complex, situated in the town’s tourism information center. The municipality is trying to expand it, so that during the summer craftsmen can show their skills there. The current collection presents lifestyle and traditions in the region from the 19th and 20th century.

Demonstration center Belite Skali (the white rocks) is also situated in Biala. The natural landmark is extremely rare and of international importance. It reveals how a cosmic object hit Earth 65 million years ago. Biala is the fourth place in the world, where signs of the crash that ended the reign of dinosaurs were found.

Leave a Comment