site.btaBulgarian-Romanian Project Promotes Ancient Hamangia Culture

The municipality of Shabla in Bulgaria and the Romanian municipality of Cernavoda are organizing the joint tourism product "Hamangia - First civilization of old Europe", cultural heritage expert Iliyan Hristakiev told BTA. The overall objective of the project is to improve the sustainable use of the cultural heritage from the Late Neolithic era, the Hamangia Culture in Bulgarian and Romanian Dobrudzha Region.

The project entitled Restoration of unique common cultural heritage and promotion of joint tourism product "Hamangia - first civilisation of Old Europe" is funded under the Interreg V-A Romania-Bulgaria 2014-2020 Programme. The total budget is just under EUR 1.5 million.

The Hamangia culture was discovered on Lake Durankulak's Big Island by Prof. Henrieta Todorova in 1974, said Hristakiev. Some of the oldest processed gold in Bulgaria was found during the excavations. Today it is on display in the Regional History Museum of Dobrich.

According to the Interreg website, the project has established a joint tourist route Hamangia and has created a tourist product that includes visits to archaeological sites and museums, as well as hands-on experiences such as pottery making workshops and traditional culinary classes. Tourists can also experience a virtual tour on the objects of the joint tourist route Hamangia that has been developed by Shabla Municipality.