Pomorie Поморие | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Aerial view of Pomorie | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Pomorie Location of Pomorie | |
| Coordinates:42°34′6″N27°37′0″E / 42.56833°N 27.61667°E /42.56833; 27.61667 | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Province | Burgas |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ivan Aleksiev (GERB) |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2020)[1] | |
• Total | 13,926 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal Code | 8200 |
Pomorie (Bulgarian:Поморие[poˈmɔriɛ]), historically known asAnchialos (Bulgarian:Анхиало,Greek:Αγχίαλος), is a town andseaside resort in southeasternBulgaria, located on a narrow rocky peninsula inBurgas Bay on the southernBulgarian Black Sea Coast.
It is situated inBurgas Province, 20,5 km away from the city ofBurgas and 18 km from theSunny Beach resort. The ultrasaline lagoonLake Pomorie, the northernmost of theBurgas Lakes, lies in the immediate proximity. The town is the administrative centre of the eponymousPomorie Municipality.
Pomorie is an ancient city and today is an important tourist destination. As of 2020, it had a population of 13,926.[1]
The modern city of Pomorie is located on a narrow peninsula of the same name, extending 3.5 km into the Black Sea, on the northwest coast of the Burgas Bay. From the south, east and northeast, the city is surrounded by the sea, from the north - by Lake Pomorie, and only from the west-northwest it is connected to the Pomorie field, which is part of the Burgas lowland.
The sea coast is low, sandy, with an open horizon to the east and west, protected to the north by Stara Planina. Pomorie Bay has 18,700 sq.m. of beaches. The seabed is shallow, with a gentle slope, without reefs and cold sea currents, and is safe for swimming.
Under theKöppen climate classification, Pomorie has ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen:Cfa). The summertime in Pomorie lasts about five months from mid-May until late September. Average temperatures during high season is 24 °C (75 °F). Summertime sea temperatures stay around 23–24 °C (73–75 °F) at sunrise and go up to 29–30 °C (84–86 °F) at dawn, averaging 26 °C (79 °F). Winters are milder compared with the inland part of the country, with average temperatures of 4–5 °C (39–41 °F) and below 0 °C (32 °F) during the night. Snow is possible in December, January, February and rarely in March; however, it can quickly melt. The highest temperature was recorded in June 2007, at 42.8 °C (109 °F) and the lowest at −21.6 °C (−7 °F) in January 1942.
| Climate data for Pomorie, Bulgaria (1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.1 (68.2) | 23.2 (73.8) | 27.3 (81.1) | 31.8 (89.2) | 34.9 (94.8) | 42.8 (109.0) | 41.3 (106.3) | 41.7 (107.1) | 36.2 (97.2) | 34.0 (93.2) | 27.2 (81.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 42.8 (109.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 6.4 (43.5) | 9.5 (49.1) | 14.1 (57.4) | 19.8 (67.6) | 24.6 (76.3) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.3 (81.1) | 23.6 (74.5) | 18.9 (66.0) | 13.1 (55.6) | 7.6 (45.7) | 16.4 (61.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) | 2.8 (37.0) | 5.4 (41.7) | 10.1 (50.2) | 15.7 (60.3) | 20.2 (68.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 19.3 (66.7) | 14.5 (58.1) | 9.5 (49.1) | 4.5 (40.1) | 12.5 (54.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) | −0.6 (30.9) | 1.7 (35.1) | 5.8 (42.4) | 10.7 (51.3) | 15.1 (59.2) | 17.4 (63.3) | 17.1 (62.8) | 14.4 (57.9) | 10.4 (50.7) | 5.9 (42.6) | 1.2 (34.2) | 8.1 (46.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −21.6 (−6.9) | −19.5 (−3.1) | −15.0 (5.0) | −1.5 (29.3) | 2.2 (36.0) | 6.0 (42.8) | 10.2 (50.4) | 10.9 (51.6) | 4.0 (39.2) | −1.2 (29.8) | −9.6 (14.7) | −15.0 (5.0) | −21.6 (−6.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 38 (1.5) | 36 (1.4) | 32 (1.3) | 39 (1.5) | 48 (1.9) | 48 (1.9) | 33 (1.3) | 25 (1.0) | 31 (1.2) | 45 (1.8) | 51 (2.0) | 47 (1.9) | 473.0 (18.62) |
| Average precipitation days | 8.1 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 6.1 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 6.6 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 92.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 80.2 | 77.6 | 75.3 | 76.4 | 76 | 73.4 | 70.9 | 71.4 | 72.2 | 77.1 | 79.2 | 80.6 | 75.9 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 76 | 110 | 147 | 207 | 278 | 302 | 339 | 323 | 264 | 185 | 118 | 63 | 2,412 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4.7 |
| Source: stringmeteo.com[2] | |||||||||||||
Pomorie was founded by theAncient Greeks under the nameAnchialos (Ancient Greek:Ἀγχίαλος), deriving fromAncient Greek "anchi-" ("near, close to") and "hals-" ("sea"). InLatin, this was rendered asAnchialus. TheBulgars called the townTuthon, though its more common name in Bulgarian was Анхиало,Anhialo based on the Greek name. During the Ottoman rule, the town was calledAhyolu. In 1934 the town was renamed to Pomorie, from the Bulgarian "po-" (in this context "by, next to") and "more" ("sea"), corresponding to the etymology of the original Greek name.
Possibly founded in the 5th or 4th century BC as a colony of Apollonia (todaySozopol), Anchialos was mentioned inStrabo'sGeographica as a small town. It was briefly captured by Messembria (Nesebar) in the 2nd century BC, but reconquered by Apollonia and its fortified walls destroyed.
The westernBlack Sea coast was ultimately conquered by theRomans underMarcus Licinius Crassus in 29-28 BC after continuous campaigns in the area since 72-71. The fortified wall was meanwhile rebuilt, as evidenced byOvid in 9 AD en route toTomis. In the early 1st century AD Anchialos was the centre of astrategia of the vassalOdrysian kingdom, and the town had aThracian population in the 6th century AD according to the earlyByzantine historianProcopius. As theOdrysian kingdom's self-independence was abolished in 45 AD, Anchialos became part of theRoman province ofThrace and was formally proclaimed a city under EmperorTrajan. At the time the city controlled a vast territory bordering that of Augusta Trajana (Stara Zagora) and reaching theTundzha to the west, bordering that of Messembria to the north and the southern shore ofLake Burgas to the south. Anchialos acquired the appearance of a Roman city and thrived in the 2nd and 3rd century under theSeveran Dynasty, serving as the most important import and export station of Thrace.
However, the invasion ofbarbarian tribes from the north meant an end to this prosperity in the middle of the 3rd century, with theGoths briefly capturing Anchialos around 270.Diocletian stayed in the city between 28 and 30 October 294. His andConstantine the Great's reforms restored the city's prosperity for a while, as the proximity to the new capital ofConstantinople made Anchialos a key food supply centre.
Theodoric the Great passed through the city in 476 on the way toAdrianople. A high-ranking Byzantine general namedVitalian in 513 revolted in the region and briefly took control of Anchialos and the neighbouring cities to use their fleet in his attack of Constantinople until he was crushed in 515.
Thebishopric of Anchialus was originally asuffragan of themetropolitan see ofHadrianopolis in Haemimonto, capital of theRoman province ofHaemimontus. However, theNotitiae Episcopatuum ofPseudo-Epiphanius, written in the reign ofByzantine EmperorHeraclius (c. 640), gives it as anautocephalousarchbishopric, today listed by theCatholic Church as atitular see.[3] The first bishop of the see whose name is known is 2nd-century Sotas, mentioned byEusebius of Caesarea as an adversary ofMontanism. Timotheus was at theCouncil of Sardica in 343/344. Sebastianus was one of the bishops at theFirst Council of Constantinople of 381. Sabbatius was a signatory of the decree of the Patriarch of Constantinople against simoniacs in 459. Paulus was at theSecond Council of Constantinople in 553. Jacobus was a contemporary ofPatriarch Tarasios of Constantinople. Nicolaus was at thePhotianCouncil of Constantinople (879).[4][5][6] No longer a residential bishopric, Anchialus is today listed by theCatholic Church as atitular see.[7]
TheSlavic andAvar invasion in 584 meant Anchialos was conquered and its fortifications were destroyed. Avar KhaganBayan turned the city into his residence for a few months and concluded a peace treaty with the Byzantines. At the eve of hiscampaigns, the emperorMaurice visited the city to oversee reconstruction.
After 681 and the formation of theFirst Bulgarian Empire to the north Anchialos played an important role in many conflicts between the two empires. In 708 the forces ofJustinian II were completely defeated near the fortress by the army ofBulgar KhanTervel. On 30 June 763 theBulgars underTelets suffered a defeat by the Byzantine army ofConstantine V. On 21 June 766 the same emperor's fleet of 2,600 heavy ships sank en route to Anchialos, where Constantine was waiting, and most soldiers drowned, forcing him to return to Constantinople.
In May 783Irene undertook a demonstrative campaign across Thrace and restored Anchialos' destroyed fortifications. The city was first conquered by the Bulgarian Empire in 812, under KhanKrum, who settledSlavs and Bulgars in Anchialos. The Byzantines restored their control over the city and the area in 864.
TheBattle of Anchialus took place near the city on 20 August 917, and was one ofTsarSimeon the Great's greatest military achievements. Simeon's army routed the considerably larger Byzantine forces underLeo Phocas. Bulgaria retained the city until 971, when the Byzantine Empire reconquered it and held it for two centuries as Bulgaria was subjugated. After the restoration of theBulgarian state Anchialos changed hands several times until it was captured by theVenetian knights ofAmadeus VI, Count of Savoy in October 1366. The next year it was ceded to Byzantium.[8]
After theOttoman invasion of theBalkans in the 14th century, Anchialos remained a Byzantine bulwark until submission in 1453 together with Constantinople. Whilst under Ottoman administration, it became the centre of akaza also encompassing the area aroundSozopol as "Ahyolu". It was the centre of aneparchy of thePatriarchate of Constantinople and continued to act as a cultural, religious, economic and administrative centre of the region until the early 19th century, as many noble Byzantine families settled after 1453. Two Patriarchs of Constantinople stem from the city—Michael III of Anchialus (1170–1178) andJeremias II Tranos (1572–1579, 1580–1584, 1587–1595).
Already before 1819 many prominent locals joined the Greek patriotic organizationFiliki Eteria. At the outbreak of theGreek War of Independence (1821) a part of the town's representatives, priests as well as the Orthodox bishop Eugenios were executed by the Ottoman authorities.[9] During theRusso-Turkish War of 1828-1829 Anchialos was captured by theRussian forces on 11 July 1829 and held for a year. At the time it was mainly inhabited byGreeks,[10] with minorities ofBulgarians and Turks,[9] had a population of 5,000-6,000, six Orthodox churches and a mosque. After the Russian forces withdrew the whole of what is today Eastern Bulgaria gradually depopulated, with many people fleeing to the Christian lands to the north. Pomorie's St George's Monastery was founded in 1856. It was a kaza centre inİslimye sanjak ofEdirne Province before 1878 as "Ahyolu".[11]
Anchialos was liberated from Ottoman rule on 27 January 1878 and became part ofEastern Rumelia as akaza centre inBurgazsanjak until Bulgariaunified in 1885. At the turn of the 20th century Anchialos was a town of about 6,000 inhabitants of which 82% wereGreeks.[12] Pomorie was one of the predominantly Greek-inhabited towns in Bulgaria that were affected by anti-Greek pogroms in early 1900s. The local Greek community was already targeted by the Bulgarian authorities from early 1905.[13] The town was burnt down in July, 1906, and over 300 Greeks were murdered. The perpetrators were Bulgarian refugees from the region ofMacedonia as a response to the massacre of the Bulgarian inhabitants of the village of Zagorichani by Greek militants. In addition to political reasons there were also economic motives.[14][15][13] The Bulgarian authorities were accused by most European governments due to this turn of events. The destruction of the town was compared by contemporary European diplomacy to the anti-Jewish pogroms in Russia.[13]
The town accommodated many Bulgarian refugees fromEastern Thrace, mainly from aroundLozengrad afterWorld War I, who replaced the Greeks who had fled in the first decade of the 20th century; in 1906 they foundedNea Anchialos in Greece. During the 19th and 20th century it gradually lost most of its importance in the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast at the expense of rapidly developingBurgas. It established itself as a centre of wine and salt production and was renamedPomorie in 1934/1935.
Pomorie Point onLivingston Island in theSouth Shetland Islands,Antarctica is named after Pomorie.
Capital:Pomorie | ||
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