The Quiet Nook Palace
The Quiet Nook Palace and its park are placed on area of 35 hectares. Over 3000 plants grow here and this is proof that the climate in this part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is suitable not only for flora of Mediterranean plants but also for rare plant species from all over the world.
Among the masterpieces of the art of garden designing are the rose garden and the Garden of Cactus which is the second largest collection of cactus in Europe. It has over 250 different species.
The former summer residence of the Romanian Queen Maria has striking effect on the visitor for its unique romantic design and atmosphere.
The Italian architects Americo and Augustino created a genuine legend matching the beauty of nature with the materialized visions of dreaming poets. Thus in 1226 they created one of the unique architectural ensembles along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
The park of the palace was designed as a replica of the famous labyrinth on the island of Crete. The little church is a copy of a Cretan shrine and an elegant detail that complements the architectural ensemble.
Its wall paintings depict the queen and her daughter, and saints following the strict Eastern Orthodox traditions. The alleys in the park will lead you to the world’s only palace with a minaret and a dome of a Christian church, a marble throne brought over from Florence, the Bridge of Sights, large earthen jars from Morocco, a deep draw well in a Mediterranean style, and a pool, combining the Roman with the Moorish style in decorative art.
A legend says that Queen Maria was so strongly attracted to this palace that she wished to remain here even after her death. When she died, her heart was placed in a special container and put in one of the clocks in the park, guarded round the clock.
We will greatly appreciate this. It will help us improve the content of this website, so other people know what they can expect.