Shabla Lighthouse, the oldest beacon on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast
Shabla Lighthouse rises on Cape Shabla in Dobrich Province, a few kilometres east of the town of Shabla, at the easternmost point of Bulgaria. It is described as the oldest, and one of the tallest, lighthouses on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The tower stands among the ruins of an old fortress, which makes this windswept cape a good detour for lovers of sea, history and wide horizons.
Bulgaria's oldest sea lighthouse stands among the ruins of a fourth-century fort, and the sea has crept from 29 metres away to just 13 metres from its walls in under 50 years.
The history of Shabla Lighthouse
The cape has been used by seafarers for a very long time. In antiquity the area belonged to Thracian tribes, and a Thracian settlement of the sixth to fifth century BCE grew into a Black Sea port that the Greeks called Karon Limen, identified with the bay just south of Cape Shabla. The port flourished in Roman and early Byzantine times, and the tower of today stands in the middle of the ruins of a fortress that dates from the fourth century CE.
A first lighthouse was built here under Ottoman rule in the eighteenth century. Sources do not agree on the exact date: the German Wikipedia says it was raised between 1756 and 1786, while the English article gives 1765 or 1768. Whatever the year, it was a warning light on one of the most exposed headlands of the western Black Sea, and it is regarded as the oldest lighthouse on the Bulgarian coast.
The tower seen today owes its appearance to the Crimean War of 1853 to 1856. The old lighthouse was rebuilt in those years and, according to the German and English sources, put into service on 15 July 1856. Bulgarian Wikipedia mentions that it was restored in 1856 and officially opened in 1857, while the Romanian and Polish articles say it was built in 1856 and inaugurated a year later. For this reason the opening is best given as 1856 or 1857.
The building is an octagonal tower with a gallery and a lantern, set on a large three-storey square stone base, with a keeper’s house attached. It was built only of stone bound with mortar, without additional supporting structures, and its walls are up to 1.2 metres thick. Its white light flashes every 20 seconds and can be seen from about 17 nautical miles, roughly 30 km, in good visibility. In the past it told sailors that they had reached about half of the route between the Bosphorus and the Danube delta, and today it warns ships of the shoals between the cape and the village of Tyulenovo to the south.
The sea is also at work on the cape itself. The German article notes that in 1948 the lighthouse stood 29 metres from the shore, and that coastal erosion had reduced the distance to 13 metres by 1996. The lighthouse is still a working navigational aid, looked after by keepers who work in eight-hour shifts, and it has become a well-known landmark of the coast and a popular excursion destination.
Curious facts about Shabla Lighthouse
- The lighthouse marks the easternmost point of Bulgaria and is the oldest lighthouse on the country’s Black Sea coast.
- The tower rises inside the ruins of a Byzantine fortress of the fourth century CE.
- Its walls are up to 1.2 metres thick, and it was built of stone and mortar alone, with no extra supporting structure.
- Coastal erosion cut the distance between the tower and the shoreline from 29 metres in 1948 to 13 metres in 1996.
- Its white light flashes every 20 seconds and can be seen from around 17 nautical miles in good visibility.
- For sailors it once showed that they were about halfway between the Bosphorus and the Danube delta.
Tours near Shabla Lighthouse
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting Shabla Lighthouse: what to expect
- The lighthouse stands on Cape Shabla, a few kilometres east of the town of Shabla, and can be reached along the coastal road.
- Look for the fortress ruins around the tower and for the octagonal shape of the tower with its gallery and the attached keeper’s house.
- The cape is the easternmost point of Bulgaria, so the open sea views are a large part of the visit.
- Heading south along the coast brings you to the village of Tyulenovo and the start of the rocky, cliff-lined stretch of coast.
- The sources do not say whether the tower can be climbed or entered, and this is a working lighthouse; check current access conditions before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Shabla Lighthouse is
Photos of Shabla Lighthouse
Questions
What is Shabla Lighthouse?
It is a sea lighthouse on Cape Shabla in north-eastern Bulgaria, regarded as the oldest lighthouse on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. It stands at the country’s easternmost point.
Where is Shabla Lighthouse?
It is in Dobrich Province, a few kilometres east of the town of Shabla, on the Black Sea. The Romanian border is about 22 km to the north.
How old is Shabla Lighthouse?
A first lighthouse was built in Ottoman times in the eighteenth century, and the present tower dates from a rebuilding during the Crimean War, opened in 1856 or 1857 depending on the source.
What stands around the lighthouse?
The tower stands among the ruins of a Byzantine fortress of the fourth century CE, with a keeper’s house attached.
How far can the light be seen?
In good visibility the white light, which flashes every 20 seconds, is seen from about 17 nautical miles, roughly 30 km.
What else is worth seeing near Shabla Lighthouse?
The Durankulak archaeological complex is about 16 km away and Kaliakra Lighthouse about 23 km. Going south, the coast leads to Tyulenovo and its cliffs.
Also nearby
Durankulak Archaeological Complex
Durankulak · stone houses and a vast cemetery from 7,000 years ago
16 km away
Kaliakra Lighthouse
Cape Kaliakra · 1901 stone lighthouse above 70 m cliffs
23 km away
Balchik Palace
Balchik · Queen Marie's summer palace, minaret and cactus garden
40 km away
Aladzha Monastery
Varna · medieval cave monastery in a forest cliff
56 km away