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The Palace in Balchik - BULGARIA TRAVEL BLOG
April 04, 2023
The palace of Romanian queen Marie in Balchik is one of the most magnetic places in Bulgaria. It is a rare combination of beautiful architecture, exquisite flower gardens and a magical view of the sea.
The history of the palace is romantic, but also very dramatic.
Princess Marie of Edinburgh was of Scottish descent and the granddaughter of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom. Her marriage to Romanian prince Ferdinand was political and not for love. She could not stand her life in the Romanian court, nor her husband's constant affairs. So she decided to run far away from him - in Balchik.
Marie visited the small seaside town for the first time in 1921. At that time, Balchik was within Romania's borders. She fell in love with the place and wanted her summer residence to be built here. She spent most of her time there, lamenting her unfulfilled love.
At the western part of the complex is the residence called The Quiet Nest. At the eastern part is the Palace Chapel called Stella Maris. It can be reached via the Bridge of Sighs. There is a belief that if one makes a wish and crosses the bridge three times with their eyes closed, the wish will come true.
Another part of the palace is the so called Nympheum (The Temple of Water), where the queen celebrated her birthdays.
The palace and the numerous other buildings are the work of Italian architects Augustino and Amerigo, while the park complex was designed and created by famous Swiss florist Jules Jany. Today it is a botanical garden with a huge variety of water lilies, cacti and other exotic species.
The Palace in Balchick is part of our 4 DAYS AROUND BULGARIA TOUR
The palace of Romanian queen Marie in Balchik is one of the most magnetic places in Bulgaria. It is a rare combination of beautiful architecture, exquisite flower gardens and a magical view of the sea.
The history of the palace is romantic, but also very dramatic.
Princess Marie of Edinburgh was of Scottish descent and the granddaughter of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom. Her marriage to Romanian prince Ferdinand was political and not for love. She could not stand her life in the Romanian court, nor her husband's constant affairs. So she decided to run far away from him - in Balchik.
Marie visited the small seaside town for the first time in 1921. At that time, Balchik was within Romania's borders. She fell in love with the place and wanted her summer residence to be built here. She spent most of her time there, lamenting her unfulfilled love.
At the western part of the complex is the residence called The Quiet Nest. At the eastern part is the Palace Chapel called Stella Maris. It can be reached via the Bridge of Sighs. There is a belief that if one makes a wish and crosses the bridge three times with their eyes closed, the wish will come true.
Another part of the palace is the so called Nympheum (The Temple of Water), where the queen celebrated her birthdays.
The palace and the numerous other buildings are the work of Italian architects Augustino and Amerigo, while the park complex was designed and created by famous Swiss florist Jules Jany. Today it is a botanical garden with a huge variety of water lilies, cacti and other exotic species.
The Palace in Balchick is part of our 4 DAYS AROUND BULGARIA TOUR
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