Varna Aquarium

The Varna Aquarium (Bulgarian: Варненски аквариум, Varnenski akvarium) or Aquarium Varna (Аквариум Варна) is a public aquarium in Varna, Bulgaria's largest city on the Black Sea coast. The aquarium's exhibiton focuses on the Black Sea's flora and fauna which includes over 140 fish species, but also features freshwater fish, Mediterranean fish, exotic species from faraway areas of the World Ocean, mussels and algae.

The foundation of the aquarium was initiated by Prince Ferdinand I on 6 January 1906 in the Euxinograd palace. Ferdinand entrusted Doctor Parashkev Stoyanov with the establishment of a maritime biological station. The monarch also requested assistance from the prominent German biologist Anton Dohrn, founder of the Stazione Zoologica in Naples, who provided Ferdinand with blueprints and photographs of the Naples station. On 25 January 1906, the Varna Municipal Council alloted money for the aquarium's construction and appointed a commission in order to select a suitable location for the building. The foundation stone was laid on 22 October the same year in Varna's Sea Garden in the presence of Prince Ferdinand and the Bulgarian Royal Family, as well as many important statesmen and intellectuals. The aquarium's edifice was constructed to the design of Munich-educated Varna architect Dabko Dabkov. The building's facade is decorated with a sizable bas-relief of a clam and smaller reliefs of popular Black Sea species.

The edifice was completed by 1911. However, the outbreak of the Balkan Wars in 1912 delayed the opening of the aquarium. In 1913, Ferdinand made the building property of Sofia University. World War I and the severe sanctions imposed on Bulgaria with the Treaty of Neuilly did not permit the unveiling of the aquarium until 1932, when the maritime biological station was inaugurated by Tsar Boris III. Until 1932, the building had accommodated army units, Bulgarian refugees from Thrace, the School of Mechanics and the School of Fishing.

Today, the aquarium's research unit, the adjoined Institute for Fish Resources, includes 12 scientists who conduct research related to hydrobiology, hydrochemistry, marine microbiology, ichthyology, plankton and benthos. The Varna Aquarium's library houses 30,000 volumes of specialized literature, including rare 19th-century books and maps.

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Anna Lisovaya
17 August 2014
Очень небольшой, из 5 залов, от ракушек и раковин, до золотых рыбок и пираний, конечно для деток, дочь 5 лет обошла все дважды и была довольна, мы с сыном 13 лет без ос восторга. 4/2/1 лев по возрасту
Mary Angello
5 September 2014
Есть на что смотреть, не большой, но существенный!очень милые рыбки, есть и гиганты!!!туалет платный слева в кафе)
Anna Lisovaya
17 August 2014
Небольшой, 5 залов, для деток и неспециалистов, от ракушек до пираний, не оч зрелищно, но раз посмотреть интересно, 4/2/1 лев по возрасту
Mustafa Kanmaz
25 October 2014
Gormeye deger bir sey yok
Leo GSX
16 September 2013
Доста е малък. Има интересни риби. Струва си да се види колкото да каже човек, че е бил там.
Stepan Tanasiychuk
28 June 2013
Вельми компактний, але від того не менш цікавий акваріум! Раджу відвідати
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bulevard "Primorski" 65, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria Get directions
Sun 24 Hours
Mon 1:00 PM–10:00 PM
Tue Noon–3:00 PM
Wed Noon–2:00 PM
Thu 11:00 AM–2:00 PM
Fri Noon–Midnight

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