Shabla Lighthouse, Maritime navigation tower in Shabla Cape, Bulgaria.
Shabla Lighthouse is a navigation tower standing 36 meters high on Bulgaria's easternmost point along the Black Sea coast with a white and red striped limestone structure. The building provides wide views over the coastline and the sea.
The Ottoman Empire built this navigation structure in 1756 as the first operating lighthouse on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The structure marks the beginning of organized maritime safety along this region's shoreline.
The lighthouse stands among ruins of an ancient fortress and represents centuries of maritime navigation traditions in the Black Sea region. Visitors today can still see the old walls and understand how important this location was for seafarers.
The structure is difficult to access during stormy weather due to the wind-exposed location, so planning visits when conditions are stable is important. The route to the cape's edge offers different viewpoints for photography and coastal observation.
The structure sits near ancient Thracian settlements and features an unusual octagonal tower with a three-story basement structure beneath the main chamber. This architectural design is rarely seen and shows Ottoman-era construction methods.
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