Culture and landmarks

Close to Primorsko is hidden a paradisiac world of forests, dunes and swamp flowers. Here is also the reserve „Ropotamo“, declared for such in 1940, situated on both side of river Ropotamo. It includes other smaller reserves : „Arkutino“, which is a swamp-lagoon with a very rich vegetation, „Snake island“ - famous not only for the snakes, but also for its cacti, „Sea pelin“ - named after the herb sea pelin, which grows there, and „Water lilies“ - which includes the lily garden in the old watercourse. River Ropotamo is 50 kilometers long and it is formed by rivers Rosenska and Tserovska, which flow from Strandja. Its upper stream is limnetic, but as the river approches the sea it becomes saltwater. The banks, surrounded with vegetation, alternant with dunes and cliff formations.

 

In reserve „Ropotamo“ are found many rare animal and plant species, some of which are protected by The Law For Protected Areas. In park Ropotamo are found 226 bird species. Also through the park pass the east european path of the migrant bird Via Pontica. The cliffs and the sand dunes are a home of different types of reptiles, in theswamp areas are seen different types of frogs, water turtles, grey and yellowgoitre water snake and newt. The mammal are also many. From this group are registrated 50 species. 18 % of the entire flora in Bulgaria is met in „Ropotamo“. Here are 11 % of the plant species, which are included in the Red Book of Bulgaria. All these natural riches can be seen by  boat. Another opportunity to take a closer look of the park is the so called visitors‘ park, equipped with a room for demonstrations and access to information about the entire area of the reserve. Near river Ropotamo are many incredible cliss formations, the most popular among them is Lion Head, declared a natural phenomenon in 1947. It is host rocks, which form a lion‘s head.

Reserve Arkutino -in this reserve is one of the cleanest beaches. The beach is a border between the swamp and the sea, the water course of river Ropotamo is separated with high coastal sand dunes. The swamp is covered in water lilies, between the reed-mace and the calamus is swamp orris, swans and herons. In the eastern end of the swamp is a wooden bridge with  a watchtower for the tourists. In 1962 the swamp and the dense forest around it are declared for a botanical reserve.

The happy rocks - a place from which is seen a great part of river Ropotamo from bird‘s sight, als othe Lion Head above the river.

Beglik Tash - the thracian sanctuary - observatory Beglik Tash. This landmark is a circle of stones, situated among the slope of Oil cape, through which pass the sun rays and form a calendar. Beglik Tash is the oldest discovered thracian sanctuary on the bulgarian Black sea coast and in East Thrace. It was built in the bronze age ( XIII century B.C. ). Once this place was worshiped by the ancient thracians. Here were brought gifts for the gods in time it turned into a sanctuary when houses for the priests were built, who serviced it.

The sanctuary is related to the cult to the Mother-Godess. Close to the altar is the stone throne, on which sat the priest. The stones functioned as a clock. The sunlight, which passed through the main altar, separated the day into six equal parts.

It is considered, that on the stone bed the high priest and the high priestess gathern in a sacred union. The bathtubes, situated around the bed, were filled with water, oil, milk and wine, the wine represented the earth, the oil - the fire, the milk - the air. In that way the four elements gathered in one whole.

The most interesting stone in the complex Beglik Tash is the stone Apostol Tash. It is huge, but it is placed on only two spots. Close to the clock is the so called Labyrinth - it is believed that there thre young man found their purpose in life. One of the most interesting challenges is the narrow rock crevine. Only the righteous could pass through it. In Beglik Tash is also a dolmen. This attraction was used only for ritual scenes, the dolmen symbolizes a woman‘s womb.

Cultural monuments

The coastal line of resort „Dunes“ near Primorsko is full of cultural monuments from the thracian earlyiron age, the antiquity and the medieval ages. The three thracian fortresses, which are located here are The Small Cale, Wolf Cale and Oil cape.

Thracian fortress The Small Cale

The fortress The Small Cale is located 3 kilometers northwest of zone „Alepu“ (  The Fox ) on the highest slope with the same name. From here is seen the whole area of the wet zone, populated by the thracians in the the period XI -I century B.C. It was declared for a cultural monument in 1965.

The fortress has an area of 4 acres, the fortress wall includes several cliff formations, which used to be turrets. The average thickness of the wall is 2,5 meters and now a great part of it can be seen, discovered during archeological digs.

The necropolis of the fortress is tothe southwest and it is very close to it. It consists of stone and bulk mounds and stone circles.

The :Fortress Burhama

On slope Burhama on the left side of Ropotamo is also a fortress, but it has not been visited by a specialist in the past few decades.

The fortress Wolf Cale, „Lion Head“, Petrov hill, Ranuli.

In this fortress only archeological views are done and material is gathered only from the surface. The fortress equipment follows the characteristics of the terrain and in inaccessible places is no fortress wall. Together with the natural stone valunas ( 5-7 meters high), included in the fortified wall, they form an irregular quadrangle with an area of 30 acres. According to ome authos here was the ancient fortress Ranuli, which is mentioned in the famous Hambarliisky script, which describe the victories of khan Krum in 812.

Fortress Oil cape

The thracian mound necropolis, which can be related to the fortress Oil cape, is located on the slope of Cale hill and it consists of 30 mounds with stone tiles. They are a national monument, without been declared for such.

Dolmens

In the archeological literature are described 4 dolmens in the area of Primorsko. The first is located near the right tributary of Ropotamo, the second and the third are on the western slope of peak Kitka, the fourth, called „Snake hole“ under the spring George. Only „Snake hole“ is declared of a cultural monument. The dolmens are thracian monuments, used for burying tribe leaders in the period XIII - VI century B.C.

Ancient and medieval harbors

The harbor Hersonesos, Tera, Oriospotamo, Saint Dimitar in front of the firth of the river Ropotamo.

The remains and tracks of the large ancient harbor, which has been located in front of the firth of river Ropotamo, now are discovored all along the line from the end of the bridge in front of the firth to the end of the rocks in the sea, which actually are the most recessed part of cape Saint Dimitar. The whole area around that line is full of finds. The are finds even on the land near the ex border unit and monument of the fallen soldier.

In the early ages the harbor in front of the firth of river Ropotamo was called Hersonesos, due to its location in the northern curve of the large peninsula, which ends with Oil cape. In roman times the complex of harbors and path station around the peninsula were called Tera. This word means „game“, „monster“.In the late medieval times there existed the settlement Saint Dimitar. It is located more inward into the peninsula.

The harbor of the fortress Oil cape

It is located in the south aquatoria of the island and it is well protected from the northern and northeastern winds. Here during the years a lot of stone and lead anchors were found, ancient amphoras from the period of the colonisation and medieval ceramics.

Harbor Vatruhi

Harbor Vatruhi or Vateruhi is located in the bay Vatruhi ( The Frog ), southeast of the firth of river Ropotamo and north of the cape Korjaka ( The Crow ). Actually the natural bay Vatruhi was used as shelter for ships in the antiquity and medieval ages. Some of them left their stone anchors, their lead poles and medieval, late medieval and modern iron anchors.

Endemic settlement Stamopulo

Near the wet area Stamopulo have been found archeological materials from the endemic ages. The name of the area „Stamopulo“ from greek means „gathering of birds“.

Snake island

Snake island is located northwest of the firth of  Ropotamo and it stands only 200 meters away from the coast and it is the smallest island in the bulgarian Black sea ( 0,003 square kilometers ) . Its other name is Saint Toma.

Church „ Saint Paraskeva“

It is located on the most inward curve of the same name bay.

Others

On the peninsula, where now is located town Primorsko are remains of ancient and probably also medieval fortresses. Azine, Lezine, Zone, Zunarita, Atanata, Kjupria, Primorsko. Once Karel Shkorpil saw remains of a fortress wall, which intercepted the eastern part of the peninsula. According to his observations in the southern edn of the intercepted area were remains of a building.