The building is one of the well-preserved residential houses in Varna dating from the period of Ottoman rule. It features a characteristic Eastern Mediterranean architectural appearance, commonly referred to in Bulgarian architectural historiography as the National Revival style. Today, the property functions as the headquarters of the Professional Association of Architects in Varna.
Restoration and Contemporary Use
The building was restored in 1972 under a design project by architect Kamen Goranov. As part of the restoration and adaptive reuse process, the property was converted for institutional use, accommodating conference rooms, an exhibition hall, and a restaurant located on the ground floor.
Brief Historical Reference
The house was built in 1850 and originally belonged to the wealthy Ottoman merchant Zeynet Bey Pashaolu. It was erected at the edge of the former Ottoman neighborhood, in close proximity to Varna’s former main mosque, “Abdurrahman”, which was demolished in 1902. Today, the site of the former mosque is occupied by a parking area.
Following the establishment of the communist regime after 1944, the Pashaolu family emigrated to Turkey and sold the property to the State. In 1972, architect Kamen Goranov restored the building and developed a garden space in front of it, where a monument to the poet Nikola Vaptsarov was erected.
Architectural Description
The building is one of the well-preserved residential houses in Varna dating from the period of Ottoman rule. It features a characteristic Eastern Mediterranean architectural appearance, commonly referred to in Bulgarian architectural historiography as the National Revival style. The property consists of a stone ground floor with two additional upper storeys constructed in timber.
The central façade is articulated in three parts, with the middle section projecting forward as an axis. The uppermost storey features a bay window (oriel) supported by four wooden columns resting on a wooden balustrade. The interior is equally notable, as foresight was shown in the restoration of the carved wooden ceilings, staircases, and balustrades. It is noteworthy that from the time of its construction, the building housed a tavern on the ground floor. The original entrance width has remained unchanged for more than 160 years.
Restoration and Contemporary Use
In 1972, the building was adapted for institutional use and became the seat of the Union of Architects, which annually organizes exhibitions, scientific forums, and conferences. Today, it also houses the headquarters of the Chamber of Architects. The building remains one of the few surviving examples of Ottoman-period architecture in Varna, as the city did not retain a distinct district where this architectural type could be preserved.
The professional association of architects and engineers in Bulgaria began in 1893, when the Bulgarian Engineering and Architectural Society (BIAD) was founded in Sofia. In 1908, architects and engineers in Varna established a local branch of BIAD, known as the Varna Technical Society.
