Last week I had the opportunity to visit one of my favorites places in Bulgaria, the Balchik Palace (Bulgarian: Дворец в Балчик, Romanian: Castelul din Balcic) is a palace in the Bulgarian Black Sea town and resort of Balchik in Southern Dobruja. The official name of the palace is the Quiet Nest Palace.
A bit of History
The palace was created by the Queen Marie of Romania (Marie Alexandra Victoria; 29 October 1875 – 18 July 1938), also known as Marie of Edinburgh, was the last Queen of Romania as the wife of King Ferdinand, and she commissioned with the intention to be her summer residence where she could give herself to meditation and the pleasures of royalty. It was constructed between 1926 and 1937.
On 29 June 1913, the Tsardom of Bulgaria declared war on Greece, thus starting the Second Balkan War. On 4 July, Romania entered the war, allying itself with Greece. The war, which lasted a little over a month. As a result of the war, Romania gained possession of Southern Dobrudja, including the coastal town of Balchik (Balcic).
If you visit for the first time be prepared to be amazed by the beautiful gardens, the impressive views that seen like take it from a romantic movie, more than the Palace itself, which isn’t that big or fancy, but is made with a simplicity that completely fits with the surroundings and the peacefull spirit of the place.
7 things you didn’t know about Balchik Place:
1- The Balchik Botanical Garden was established at the place of the palace’s park. It has an area of 65,000 square meters and accommodates 2000 plant species belonging to 85 families. One of the garden’s main attractions is the collection of large-sized cactus species arranged outdoors on 1,000 square meters (11,000 sq ft), the second of its kind in Europe after the one in Monaco.
2- Francis Ford Coppola spent 11 days at the palace shooting scenes of Youth Without Youth. Youth Without Youth is a 2007 fantasy drama film written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the novella of the same name by Romanian author Mircea Eliade.
3- Marie’s heart, according to her own wishes, was placed in a small golden casket embellished with the emblems of the Romanian provinces and interred in her Stella Maris chapel in Balchik. In 1940, after Southern Dobrudja was ceded to Bulgaria during World War II, her heart was transferred to Bran Castle.
4- In 2002 the Architectural-Park Complex “The Palace” was declared a Group Architectural Monument of Culture as well as a Monument of Park and Landscape Architecture within the category “National Monuments of Culture”.
5- Since the Balchik Palace and the Botanic Garden depends on 2 different institutions (the Palace to the Ministry of Culture and the Botanic Garden to the Sofia University Saint Kliment Ohridski ) at the entrance you must pay 2 entrance fees; 6 and 8 levs respectively.
6- Even the Region of Southern Dobrudja was returned to Bulgaria as part of the Cracovia Treaty in 1940, until 1948, the Romanian state paid a tax to the Balchik municipality for its property there.
In 1948, with the Agreement between the two countries, the Palace was ceded to the then Ministry of Culture and Education, with the explicit condition that it be a place for recreation and creativity for the people of culture and art.
In 1961. with Order of the Council of Ministers №1650 / 30.08.61. it is decided that the Palace should be purchased by the Bulgarian state. On July 7, 1970, this became a fact with the Agreement between the two countries and payment was made, by which the Palace became the property of the Republic of Bulgaria.
7- Queen Marie was a follower of the Bahá’í Faith, and that’s the reason why in the Palace we can appreciate an Orthodox Chapel a Muslim Minaretz, even the replica of a nymphaeum, and the columns, fountains, and bridges, florid with oriental, Thracian, Roman and Christian symbols.
How to get there:
Where: The palace is about 2 km southwest of the center of Balchik, 40 km northeast of Varna;
When: The Architectural-Park Complex “The Palace” is open all year round, at weekends and National holidays, inclusive.
Access to the Architectural-Park Complex “The Palace” is provided both at the northern gateway and at the side of the beach.
Opening Times: Winter Time: 8:30 until 17:00 h.
Summer Time: 8:00 until 20:00 h.
We hope we have aroused curiosity in you and that you are encouraged and come to visit this fantastic place!
For more information about the Palace check https://www.dvoreca.com/
