The Dobruja region between the Danube and the Black Sea was for centuries a bone of contention among neighbouring states. In the Bulgarian part lies the legendary Cape Kaliakra – today a pretty destination with restaurants and cafés, whose 70-metre-high, jagged cliffs shimmer red-gold depending on the sun. With luck you’ll spot dolphins, seals and small Black Sea sharks.
The Gate of the Forty Maidens
Many legends surround the cape. The most moving tells of forty beautiful Bulgarian women who were captured during the Ottoman offensive and locked in a rock cave. They were to be handed to the bravest warriors as a reward.
The most courageous suggested tying their long blonde braids together and jumping as one, to preserve their honour. As the sun moved west, they stood lined up at the edge of the abyss – and flew into the depths with arms outstretched. All forty were swallowed by the reddened waves. To this day, Bulgarians call this part of the cape “The Gate of the Forty Maidens”.
Legend told by Elisaveta Sovtova · Excerpt from “Schoppska” by Maria Kahl, Bulgaria 2013.
