Ancient Town Bisone

The region around Bisone was already inhabited in the 3rd millennium BC. In the 5th century BC, Greek colonists from Mesambria founded the city of Bisone on Cape Chirakman. The location was ideal, offering abundant springs and fertile soil. In the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, Scythians settled in the area, and Bisone developed into a crucial trading hub between Thracian settlements, Greek colonists, and merchants from the Mediterranean. A devastating earthquake in the 1st century BC caused a portion of the cape and the city to sink into the Black Sea. Despite this catastrophe, the settlement experienced a new flourishing period in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. Archaeological findings indicate that the city was affected by floods twice. In the 7th century AD, Bisone was destroyed by the Bulgarians. The name Kavarna, possibly influenced by Karvuna and Varna, first appeared in written records in the early 15th century. In the 14th century, the city was part of the Despotate of Dobruja and was almost completely destroyed by the Ottomans in 1397, but was later re-settled in the 17th century.

The remains of the ancient city of Bisone are situated on Cape Chirakman near Kavarna, in the Dobrich district, Bulgaria, at an elevation of approximately 115 m above sea level.

Today, visitors can explore the impressive remains of the ancient city of Bisone. These include ruins of a former fortress with trenches, a church, and a necropolis. Archaeological excavations continue both on land and underwater.

• Fortress Kaliakra (Fortress), approx. 10.9 km away
• Ancient City Yailata (Ancient Structures), approx. 16.3 km away
• Aladzha Monastery (Аладжа манастир) (Sacred Building), approx. 30.9 km away
• Euxinograd Palace (Palace), approx. 35.9 km away