This beautiful old town is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It was founded 3000 years ago by the Thracians and was originally named Messambria. In the 6th century BC, the city became a Greek colony and slowly became the commercial and cultural center of the region. The city built a temple, a theater and obtained the right to mint its own coinage. Fragments of a defensive wall remain from this period, which served as the city’s fortification. The Romans conquered the city in 7 1 BC, then it passed under Byzantine rule, during which period numerous temples and new walls were built.
In 812, after a two-week siege, the city is captured by Khan Krum and already as Nessebar it becomes part of the Bulgarian state. In 1453 the city is captured by the Turks and incorporated into the Ottoman Empire, which began the city’s decline. In the 19th century, Nessebar became a small town whose main means of livelihood was fishing and farming. After 1959, when the Sunny Beach resort was established on the Black Sea coast. Nessebyr took advantage of its location, geographical conditions and its history by developing a tourist industry.