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Two of the Five Black Sea Islands Become Tourist Attractions

Storoitelstvo Gradat Weekly, 23-28th April 2007, by Rumiana EMANUILIDU

“Sveti Kirik and Julita” island – one of the most beautiful places of the whole Black Sea – will soon attract major investor interest and become a tourist attraction. The Municipal Director Lyubomir Panteleev has approved the new status and has sent his official opinion to the Ministry of Defense. From two years on, the local Municipality has been negotiating for the island with the military, since the naval station based there is not active. “In our opinion, a territorial organization project for the whole area is to be prepared firstly, following an international tender” said the Mayor of the Black Sea Municipality Veska Karamanova.

The project will be offered for public discussion. The locals will decide which project is most appropriate for the territory and the town. After that, the Municipality will search for a major investor for the construction of a tourist complex. This will be done through tenders.

The Council of Ministers has requested the legal opinion of the Municipal Administration, in order for the property – which is a public state property - to be delivered and managed by the Ministry of Regional Development and Urban Planning.

Not later than one month from the date of the estate submission, the Minister of Regional Development is to announce an international competition for the development of volumetric-structural surveys. This is to be done in compliance with the Law on Public Orders, and in coordination with the Minister of Transport, the Minister of Culture, and the Management of Sozopol Municipality. Then, the borders of the military base are to be determined, as well as its statute by under the Sea Spaces Law.

“Sveti Kirik and Julita” island is located on the territory of Sozopol Municipality. It has territory of 82.589 decares. In the period 1929-2006, the estate has been built-up with 38 massive buildings, three underground warehouses and hydro-technical equipment. The Ministry of Defence has used the island as a navy port.

The island has been proclaimed a cultural memorial of national significance. It is part of Sozopol architectural and historical reserve.

“Sveti Ivan” island will also become an attractive tourist destination. Locals refer to it as “The Tsar’s Island”. This concept has been developed in a project proposal by Sozopol Municipality made to the PHARE Cross-border cooperation program. The application has been prepared in cooperation with “Sozopol” Foundation and the Association of the young businessmen from the town of Odrin, Turkey.

“This is yet another step in the development of the cultural and sea recreation tourism in the Municipality.” said Veska Karamanova. She belives that the project’s implementation will not harm the rare flora and fauna of the island. There will be just one leading path and a boat rank there, for the boats that will take the tourists to the island. The environmentalists have counted 72 breeds of birds nesting on this territory. Part of them is entered in the Red Book of the world and Europe.

“Sveti Ivan” island is renowned for its beautiful nature and the medieval monastery complex “Sv. Ivan Predtecha i Krastitel” that has was active until the end of XIX century. It has been proclaimed an archeological reserve and protected area. The tourists will be able to learn more about the history of the monastery, which had a big library during the Middle Ages. During the XIX century, it was burnt down and robbed by the Cossacks, explain representatives of “Sozopol” Foundation.

During the Russian-Turkish war from 1828-1829, a Russian field hospital was established here. More than 600 soldiers, who died of cholera, were buried on the territory of the island. The restoration of the monastery complex is planned. The foundations of the building could still be seen nowadays. On this stage, eco-paths and cabins for rest and for observing hares and migratory birds are being built.

The visit to “Sveti Ivan” island will be part of a bigger eco-route, starting from the old town of Sozopol. There, the tourists will be able to visit the architectural historical complex “South Fortress Wall and Tower”, the Ethnographic Museum, the Antique and Christian complex. Besides “Sveti Ivan” island, the sea part of the tourist route includes passing near Skamnia cape, the smaller island “Sveti Petar”, known as “The Birds Island”, and passing above the sunk islands “Milos” and “Gata” in the Sozopol gulf.

“Sveti Ivan” island (660 decares) is the biggest island in the Bulgarian territorial waters of the Black Sea. It is located on approximately two kilometers’ distance from the town of Sozopol. “Sveti Petar” island is situated close to it. It is a very little island (4-5 decares). “Sveti Kirik and Julita” island is also nearby. It is artificially connected with the town (through the breakwater path).

In the strait between “Sveti Ivan” island and the last island, there so-called Underground forest has grown – hundreds of columns with diameters of 4-5 meters. Nearly 70 million years ago, the trees were engulfed by the sea abyss, as a result of a natural cataclysm. Because of the lack of oxygen, the trees have not decomposed and have turned to stone over the years. It has been scientifically proven that these trees are of the kind “marsh cedar”, which means that in the past, there have been marshes on this place. This forest is an irresistible challenge for the admirers of undersea beauty.

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