Ravadinovo Castle: A Privately Built Castle Complex in Bulgaria
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.3
- Popularity
- Medium
- Country
- Bulgaria
- Primary era
- Modern
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- Unclassified
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Castle
On this page6 sections
History
Ravadinovo Castle is a privately owned castle complex in Bulgaria, near the town of Sozopol and the village of Ravadinovo. Its present construction began in the 1990s, using mixed architectural styles and varied building techniques, and the unfinished complex continues to expand.
A Medieval Foundation Tradition
A tradition attributed to Bozhidar Dimitrov holds that Amedeo VI of Savoy began building a castle in the area in 1366, after capturing Sozopol. Amedeo VI was a fourteenth-century Italian count known as the Green Count because of the green armour and clothing associated with him. The location of the supposed foundations, the completion of the project, and the appearance of any medieval castle there remain unknown.
Construction Since the 1990s
The castle visible today belongs to the modern period rather than being a surviving medieval structure. It is owned by Georgi Tumpalov and is described as having a fairy-tale character created through its varied construction methods, combination of architectural styles, and close attention to detail. A copy of Rome’s Trevi Fountain was added to the park in 2016.
Remains
Ravadinovo Castle occupies approximately 20 decares, an area of about 20,000 square metres. The complex combines the castle building with an extensive park and several associated facilities. Construction used approximately 20,000 tonnes of marbleized limestone quarried in the Strandzha Mountains. This is limestone altered to give it a marble-like appearance, rather than necessarily being true marble.
The Castle Building
The castle has a roof shaped as an Orthodox cross. Copper and brass elements decorate the building, while ivy covers its walls. Its unfinished state reflects the continuing expansion of the complex, whose design brings together different architectural approaches rather than following a single style.
The Park and Associated Facilities
The surrounding park contains fountains, waterfalls, a lake with swans, bridges, arches, columns, and statues. The Trevi Fountain copy, installed in 2016, forms part of this landscaped setting. Other components of the complex include a chapel, winery, picture gallery, games and entertainment hall, stable, and zoo.
