At the turn of the 20th century, Preslav Street was Varna’s main thoroughfare. Today, it invites visitors to enjoy the romantic atmosphere of its charming old European architecture.
Preslav Street lies in the historical heart of Varna, stretching from Slaveykov Square to Nezavisimost Square. Today, it forms part of a popular tourist route, showcasing numerous architectural landmarks, including the Catholic Church, the Architect’s House, and more.
At present, the street is open to vehicular traffic, and sidewalks for pedestrians have been provided.
Brief Historical Overview
Even before the Liberation, the Ottoman authorities recognized the importance of today’s Preslav Street as a key link between the city’s economic core — the Port, the Customs House, and the Railway Station — and the political center, Musalla Square. This area housed the old municipal building, the “Belediye Hane” (which has since been demolished and replaced by the city fountains on Independence Square), as well as the Konak, which today accommodates the State Archives. This location determined the street’s development as wider than the others, the first to be paved with cobblestones, and lined with stone buildings on both sides. After the Liberation of the city and the adoption of the first general urban development plan, the street was further widened, repaved with stone blocks, and sidewalks were laid out. The European trend in architectural development began, and given the area’s important economic role, banks, hotels, commercial offices, and shops were constructed. A number of Bulgarian and foreign architects, such as Dabko Dabkov, Nikola Lazarov, Stavri Stavridis, Toros Toramanian, Hermann Mayer, Valentino Dell’Antonio, and others, left their mark on the city’s urban environment. The architectural styles and movements employed in building construction are highly diverse, including Neo-Baroque and Classicism, Secession, Mudéjar, Art Deco, and Neo-Gothic.
