History of the Town Sozopol
Citizens of Apollonia themselves built up some towns on the Bulgarian coastline. They were Aheloius which is the modern town Ahela, the town Pyrgus which is called Burgas nowadays, town Anhilaus which is Pomorie now.
But life is changeable. In the 1st century AD Apollonia became the part of Roman Empire. And in the 4th century AD Apollonia became the part of Byzantine Empire and became Christians.
At the same time the pagan name of the town was changed into Sozopolis which means Saved Town or the Town of Salvation.
Sozopol became the part of Bulgarian Kingdom in the 9th century and within 500 years the town was drifting from Bulgarians to Byzantines and back. In 1445 the Ottoman Empire invaded the town of Sozopol and it became the part of the Ottoman Empire.
The town became the part of the Bulgarian State only after the release of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Yoke. The population of the town was mostly Greek and only in 1929 Bulgarians came back to Sozopolis.
On the territory of the town there are lots of ancient monuments and churches.
The most well-known of them are the ruins of the Western Fortress Wall, museum complex of the Southern Fortress Wall, Roman Therma, antique wells, the Church of St George, the Church of the Most Holy Mother, the Church of Kirill and Methodius, the Church of Saint Zosim and numerous paraclis.
Also on the territory of Sozopol there are many ruins of ancient unknown churches.
In the centre of the Old Town there's Archeological Museum where you can see many ancient artifacts of Thracian, Roman and Greek cultures.
Citizens of Apollonia themselves built up some towns on the Bulgarian coastline. They were Aheloius which is the modern town Ahela, the town Pyrgus which is called Burgas nowadays, town Anhilaus which is Pomorie now.
But life is changeable. In the 1st century AD Apollonia became the part of Roman Empire. And in the 4th century AD Apollonia became the part of Byzantine Empire and became Christians.
At the same time the pagan name of the town was changed into Sozopolis which means Saved Town or the Town of Salvation.
Sozopol became the part of Bulgarian Kingdom in the 9th century and within 500 years the town was drifting from Bulgarians to Byzantines and back. In 1445 the Ottoman Empire invaded the town of Sozopol and it became the part of the Ottoman Empire.
The town became the part of the Bulgarian State only after the release of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Yoke. The population of the town was mostly Greek and only in 1929 Bulgarians came back to Sozopolis.
On the territory of the town there are lots of ancient monuments and churches.
The most well-known of them are the ruins of the Western Fortress Wall, museum complex of the Southern Fortress Wall, Roman Therma, antique wells, the Church of St George, the Church of the Most Holy Mother, the Church of Kirill and Methodius, the Church of Saint Zosim and numerous paraclis.
Also on the territory of Sozopol there are many ruins of ancient unknown churches.
In the centre of the Old Town there's Archeological Museum where you can see many ancient artifacts of Thracian, Roman and Greek cultures.