This restaurant was originally built in 1968, and at the time of its construction it was one of the most attractive and elaborate sites on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. Situated right at the top of a cliff overlooking the sea, the Galatea Restaurant looks out across the bay towards the city of Varna, and offered patrons a truly unique view... especially after dark, when the lights of the city reflect across the water below. The outdoor dining area took the form of a large concrete patio, which stuck out above the sheer drop like a massive balcony.
In 1997, the Galatea Restaurant was hit by a major landslide. Much of the cliff face below the restaurant crumbled away, and as a result one side of the restaurant literally fell over the edge, down to the water below. The concrete patio snapped clean in half, and was left dangling by a few iron supports inlaid into the cement. The locals have since nicknamed it 'the fallen restaurant'.
The restaurant is relatively easy to find, and the guards posted near the main road didn't even seem to notice us as we drove past.
The building itself wasn’t all that interesting - sadly there's a lot of graffiti and litter around the site, and all equipment, furniture and fittings have been removed by looters. It’s the setting however, that makes this site so unusual. We were able to see where walls had fallen away over the edge of the cliff, with some rooms appearing torn in half down the middle. Head out onto the forecourt, and you can enjoy spectacular views over the Black Sea. The main dining patio is still there, hanging over the edge of the sheer drop below! Probably not the best place to visit if you suffer from vertigo...
A couple of other things worth checking out around this site include the crazy-looking stairs leading down to the lower patio area, as well as the restaurant's pipes - from the kitchen it is possible to duck down into access shafts, which follow the course of pipes beneath the restaurant's floor.
For more photos check out the full report on The Bohemian Blog: The Fallen Restaurant: Exploring a Ruin with a View
Peace,
DR.
In 1997, the Galatea Restaurant was hit by a major landslide. Much of the cliff face below the restaurant crumbled away, and as a result one side of the restaurant literally fell over the edge, down to the water below. The concrete patio snapped clean in half, and was left dangling by a few iron supports inlaid into the cement. The locals have since nicknamed it 'the fallen restaurant'.
The restaurant is relatively easy to find, and the guards posted near the main road didn't even seem to notice us as we drove past.
The building itself wasn’t all that interesting - sadly there's a lot of graffiti and litter around the site, and all equipment, furniture and fittings have been removed by looters. It’s the setting however, that makes this site so unusual. We were able to see where walls had fallen away over the edge of the cliff, with some rooms appearing torn in half down the middle. Head out onto the forecourt, and you can enjoy spectacular views over the Black Sea. The main dining patio is still there, hanging over the edge of the sheer drop below! Probably not the best place to visit if you suffer from vertigo...
A couple of other things worth checking out around this site include the crazy-looking stairs leading down to the lower patio area, as well as the restaurant's pipes - from the kitchen it is possible to duck down into access shafts, which follow the course of pipes beneath the restaurant's floor.
For more photos check out the full report on The Bohemian Blog: The Fallen Restaurant: Exploring a Ruin with a View
Peace,
DR.
