This is one of the best-preserved buildings in Varna and a fine example of Art Deco architecture.
The Musalla Grand Hotel was built in 1927 by architect Dabko Dabkov. Its owner, Metodi St. Gandev, had lived and worked in the United States and requested that the hotel resemble the Flatiron Building in New York.
Brief Historical Overview
Located at No. 2, on the right-hand side at the very beginning of Knyaz Boris I Boulevard, the emblematic building of the former Musalla Hotel is one of Varna’s architectural landmarks. In 1925, the plot became the property of the entrepreneur Metodi St. Gandev, a construction developer and shareholder in the Czech-Austrian company Pittel Brausewetter.
Between 1919 and 1924, Gandev lived and worked in New York. Upon his return to Varna, he commissioned architect Dabko Dabkov to design and construct an imposing hotel inspired by New York’s high-rise architecture, and in particular by the Flatiron Building at Madison Square—a 22-storey skyscraper designed by architect Daniel Burnham in 1902. In order to achieve close resemblance to the prototype, architect Dabkov was sent on a one-month assignment to New York, where he produced sketches and photographic documentation of the skyscraper.
Upon his return to Varna, architect Dabkov designed the Musalla Hotel, which was completed in 1927 and is recognized as the first skyscraper in the city. During the construction works, Roman archaeological remains of an ancient street were uncovered beneath the building and in the surrounding area; these remains are still marked and visible today.
The building was equipped with central heating and running hot water in every room—highly modern amenities for its time. An elevator was also installed, representing a remarkable luxury for the period. The ground floor originally housed numerous small retail shops and a restaurant. From the 1950s onward, the hotel operated under the name Balkanturist, and after 1989 the building was restituted to its former owners.
Architectural Description
The façade is designed in the Art Deco style, featuring a distinctive rounded sharp corner oriented toward Independence Square. The ground floor is articulated as a commercial zone, followed by three uniform upper storeys. Stylized decorative elements are applied in the spandrel panels and between the window openings. The building is characterized not by ornamental opulence but by its imposing presence and monumentality. Balconies are formed along Musalla Street and Knyaz Boris I Boulevard, recessed into the building volume and treated as niches.
Above the fourth floor, the building mass is set back toward its central axis. A continuous balcony encircles the entire perimeter of the building. Instead of a balustrade, brickwork is used, articulated with a rhythmic pattern of small square openings. The storey is finished with a cornice supported by consoles. Above the attic level, an additional storey was added, while the corner of the building is crowned with a spire.
In 2008, the building underwent a major renovation. It is designated as a monument of architecture.
