Evksinograd complex, Varna

Prince Battenberg visited Varna in 1880 and he was welcomed at the monastery “St. Dimitar”, which was situated at the same place, where now the residence stands. The monarch liked the local nature so much, that two years later the Varna municipality bestowed him the monastery and its adjoining lands.The palace park is an integral component of the Evksinograd complex. The project involved a rare tree species collection – from black oak to Atlantic cedar, which are the only species on the Balkan Peninsula. The bare and stony areas were covered in fertile soil, mostly taken from the valley of Kamchiya river.In 1891 a palace winery was built as a part of the complex and a successor of the old monastery cellar.Another landmark in the area of the residence is the ruins of the late ancient fortress Kastritsi in the northeastern part of the park.