On the territory where the “Euxinograd” residency stands today, just outside of the main road connecting the Varna centre to St.St. Constantine and Helena, Golden Sands, Albena and Kranevo a small port settlement had emerged. It stood over the small cape “St. Yani” during the late antiquity (4th-5th century AD). During the Middle ages it turned into a city that developed maritime trade and movement. This is why the city is marked on a lot of maritime maps from the 14th until the 18th century, even though it had ceased existing in the last two centuries. Allegedly after the 15th century the only remnants of the city were only the port and a small fortification. The names with which the town was marked on maps were Kastritsa, Katritsi, Katrichi, Ketritsi, etc. all of which originated from the Greek word “castro”, meaning “fortress”. Today it’s know as the Kastritsi fortress.

Research of the Kastritsi fortress

In 1899 Karel Skorpil started the first research of the Kastritsi fortress. Despite that more data for the scheme of the medieval fortified town date from the period 2004-2011, when yearly excavations were done under the leadership of prof. Dr. Valentin Pletniov. He is the director of the Regional historical museum of Varna. A big part of the north wall which is over 200 metres long was revealed and is preserved with a height of about 3 metres. Around it there are 5 circular towers with a diameter of about three and a half metres. Towards the eastern end a single rectangular tower was built and on top of it an Ottoman style triangular one. In that zone of the city a second thinner wall was found which suggests that the small town area was surrounded by the two walls which probably belonged to the citadel. 

In the corner between the western and northern walls, where a circular tower once stood, a four-wall dungeon was built. It was later fortified from all ends with an outside stone casing. It’s possible that the case was planned to defend it from artillery fire and it dates from the 15th century. During that time the fortress was still considered valuable for the Ottoman defence of the Black Sea coast. The dungeon itself however was pre-ottoman as the lower level has remains of wall writing which suggests that a chapel once stood there.

Preserved parts

Some of the town’s web of streets is preserved as well as a church, a few inns, the town centre as well as some residential buildings. The items found within the town include coins from as late as the reign of emir Suleiman, which were minted in 1404. 

If you wish to visit the Kastritsi fortress you can take advantage of My Rent a Car by getting a car of your choosing anywhere from Varna Airport, the centre itself, Golden Sands, St. St. Constantine and Helena, Sunny day or other points within Varna.