Modern & monumentBlack Sea Coast

Euxinograd, the Former Royal Summer Palace by the Black Sea

Euxinograd is a former royal summer palace with a park of rare trees on the Black Sea coast north of Varna. Built for Bulgaria’s first prince and completed under Tsar Ferdinand, it is regarded as one of the finest examples of architecture after the Liberation, in the style of a French château. It is a memorable detour for anyone interested in royal history, gardens and Bulgarian wine.

A stone gable from a French royal château was shipped by train to this Bulgarian beach and built into a garden terrace. The palace has had three lives: princely retreat, communist rest house and state residence.

WhereBlack Sea coast, roughly 8 to 10 km north of the centre of Varna

TypeFormer royal summer palace in French château style, with park and winery

Best forHistory and garden lovers, architecture fans and wine enthusiasts

Getting thereBy road from Varna; the palace is a state residence, so access is limited and should be checked in advance

The history of Euxinograd

Before the palace there were monasteries. The coast north of Varna was dotted with religious sites, among them the small monasteries of St Demetrius and of Saints Constantine and Helena. In 1832 the brothers Theodosius and Agapius from Veliko Tarnovo set up the St Demetrius monastery here and revived the neighbouring St Constantine, and for decades the two houses grew prosperous with vineyards, orchards and fields. In August 1880 Prince Alexander of Battenberg, the first ruler of the modern Principality of Bulgaria, stayed at St Demetrius while visiting Varna, and the idea of a summer capital on the coast was born.

In early 1882 the Council of Ministers decided that the monastery would become a summer residence, and on 15 August 1882 the foundation stone of a new palace was laid. It was first called Sandrovo, after the Italian pet form of the prince’s name, Sandro. The Viennese architect Viktor Rumpelmayer drew up the design in the style of a French château, with brick walls, a high mansard roof covered in metal and a clock tower. Alexander spent his summers in the old monastery building until the palace was finished in 1885. After he abdicated in August 1886 the Bulgarian state bought the estate from him for 1.4 million gold leva.

The palace as it stands today owes most to Prince, later Tsar, Ferdinand, who reigned from 1887 and finished it in the 1890s with the Swiss architect Hermann Mayer and the Bulgarian architect Nikola Lazarov. In 1893, at the wish of Princess Marie Louise, Ferdinand’s first wife, it was renamed Euxinograd, from the ancient Greek name for the Black Sea, Euxeinos Pontos, “the hospitable sea”, plus the Slavic word for town. Ferdinand also brought the gable of the right wing of the Château de Saint-Cloud near Paris to Bulgaria in 1890–91, and it was built into the foundations of a garden terrace. The estate’s winery was set up in 1891 for the royal family and its guests. The Tsaritsa Eleonore, his second wife, loved the place and died here on 12 September 1917.

The park took shape over several decades from 1888. More than 50,000 trees and plants were bought in Marseille and over 310 species were planted, while fertile soil was brought from the mouth of the Kamchiya River to cover the stony slopes, which were terraced. French designers drew up the plan, and later specialists added an English-style garden east of the greenhouses. At the north end of the park lie the remains of an early Byzantine fortress of the fifth to sixth centuries on the small cape of Chatal Tash.

After the monarchy fell, Euxinograd was nationalised and from 1946 became a rest base for the communist elite. The little chapel of St Demetrius was demolished in 1948 and rebuilt in 2004 close to its original spot. After 1989 the palace became a government and presidential residence, with limited access for visitors, and it was closed for extensive renovation until summer 2016. Since 2007 the Operosa opera festival has also used the estate.

Curious facts about Euxinograd

A gable from the right wing of the Château de Saint-Cloud, near Paris, was moved to Bulgaria in 1891 and sits in the foundations of the garden terrace, rather than on the palace itself.
The great chandelier in the palace, with a royal crown and gold lilies, was a gift from the House of Bourbon, and the door handles of the toilets bear Tsar Ferdinand’s coat of arms.
The sundial in the garden was a gift from Queen Victoria, reportedly in thanks for the rescue of English ships in Varna Bay.
The estate’s cellar, set up in 1891, is known for its white wines and brandies, among them a brandy called Euxinyak.
The park’s tiny Kestrichka Bara stream is crossed by two bridges, one of them a cement bridge made to imitate a fallen tree.
The name was chosen at the insistence of a princess: the palace was first called Sandrovo, after the Italian nickname of its original owner.

Tours near Euxinograd

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Full-Day Small-Group Tour of Bulgaria by Minivan with Lunch

★ 4.9 (59 reviews) · 7 h

See details ›

Discover cliffs and myths of Bulgarian Northern Black Sea coast

★ 5 (36 reviews) · 8 h

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Jeep Safari Varna, Albena, Golden Sands & Kranevo

★ 4.3 (44 reviews) · 5 h

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E-Motorcycle Tour in Old Rock Monastery and Old Roman Fortress

★ 5 (11 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

Visiting Euxinograd: what to expect

The palace is a state and government residence, so entry is not always possible and has been arranged in advance for groups; check the current access conditions before you go.
The park is the highlight, with its mix of English and French landscape styles, a lily pond known as the “Water Mirrors”, a statue of Neptune and trees from Asia, South America and North Africa.
Look for the Saint-Cloud gable, the sundial, the former royal stables called Shtala and the reconstructed chapel of St Demetrius.
On the shore, at the northern end of the park, lie the remains of the early Byzantine fortress of Chatal Tash.
Other sights in the Varna area include Aladzha Monastery, about 7 km away, the Roman Thermae in Varna and the Varna Necropolis, and Balchik Palace lies some 24 km away.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Euxinograd is

Photos of Euxinograd

Questions

What is Euxinograd?

Euxinograd is a former royal summer palace with a large park and winery on the Black Sea coast near Varna. Its main building was designed in the style of a French château.

Who built Euxinograd?

Prince Alexander of Battenberg started the palace in 1882 to a design by the architect Viktor Rumpelmayer. It was completed and shaped in its present form under Prince and later Tsar Ferdinand.

What does the name Euxinograd mean?

It combines the ancient Greek name for the Black Sea, Euxeinos Pontos (“hospitable sea”), with the Slavic word for town. It replaced the earlier name Sandrovo in 1893.

Can I visit Euxinograd?

The palace is a government and state residence, so access is restricted. Group visits have been arranged in advance, so check the current conditions before travelling.

What is special about the Euxinograd park?

It holds over 310 plant species and mixes English and French garden styles, with a lily pond and a statue of Neptune. It was planted with tens of thousands of trees from Marseille.

What else can I see near Euxinograd?

Aladzha Monastery is about 7 km away, and Varna has the Roman Thermae and the Varna Necropolis. Balchik Palace is around 24 km up the coast.