|
|
| |
 Situado a 34 km al sur de Bourgas en una península rocosa, Sozopol es una de las ciudades más antiguas en la costa del Mar negro. La ciudad tiene más de 2 610 años de edad.
Los arqueólogos descubren testimonios que demuestran que sus primeros habitantes son los tracios. En el año 620 a. de C. emigrantes de la ciudad rica de Milet - el mayor centro griego del sur en las costas de Asia Menor - convirtieron el poblado tracio en en rica colonia griega - la independiente ciudad-estado Apollonia-Pontica. Su posición estratégica le permitió dominar sobre las vías a la costa del Mar Negro y a la montaña Stranja, que han sido ricos en materias primas, y le aseguraron una importante actividad intermediaria en el comercio entre La Unión Marítima de los Athenian, Los Estados griegos en el área mediterránea y las formaciones tracias. La cultura y el arte se pusieron a florecer, se construyeron templos y edificios públicos. De ese periodo datan también las esculturas griegas en estilo clásico, que todavía se pueden ver. Se han conservado artefactos de oro, plata, bronce, marmol, también monedas.
|
| |
 Sozopol was especially renowned in antiquity for the temple of Apollo the Healer, whose bronze statue, 13 m high, was a work of the Athenian sculptor Calamis. In 72 B.C. the punitive march of the Roman legions of Marcus Luculus against Apollonia, which was an ally to Mitridat ²V against Rome, completely destroyed the town's fortress wall, Apollo's temple and many other buildings. Only as late as the beginning of the 4th century, with the great political and ethnic changes in the Roman empire and the growth of Constantinople in its eastern part did Apollonia regain its former significance. This is the source of the town's new name - Sozopolis, the town of salvation.
Sozopol resisted the barbarian invasions in the period from the 3rd to the 7th century AD, it was annexed to Bulgaria's territory in 812 by Khan Krum, and after that was continually conquered by Byzantium and regained from it (972-1366). In the 13th century it was an important harbour centre, a mediator in international commerce and an episcopal and metropolitan seat. The monastery "Sveti Yoan Predtecha" (St. John the Forerunner) on the isle of Sveti Ivan was a spiritual and literary centre not only on a local and national, but also on an international level.
Today Sozopol is a popular beach resort best known for its casual ambience, two sandy beaches, and distinctive 19th century stone and wood houses, some 45 of which are national cultural monuments. While Sozopol is extremely busy during July and August, in the off-season it reverts back to a sleepy fishing village and is a favoured haunt of artists and writers.
|
|
|
|
|
Touroperator 
