The city of Bourgas (population: 250000) is the second largest city at the Black Sea coast and is a regional administrative centre.It is situated in the farthest western part of Bourgas Bay and is 390 km east of Sofia. It ranks fourth in size among the biggest cities in the country after Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. Due to the low level of the coast three lagoon-lakes were formed: Atanassovo, Bourgas, and Mandren. The city is situated between the sea and the first two lakes; however, it has grown so much that nowadays it almost touches the Mandra Lake.

History. Bourgas is a successor of the late Roman small town called Deultum founded by Emperor Vespasian as a military colony for veterans. Later it was called Develt, which served as a name for the present day village of Debelt. Three more villages were included in the present day territory of the city, i.e. Kastiacion, Skafida and Rossokastron. Later a curative settlement was built called Aqua Kalidae, arranged like Asclepionite around the mineral springs well known in the area. Thracian tribes lived here before the commencement of this construction work. The glory of the adjacent towns did not allow small fortresses to expand. In the Middle Ages a small fortress called Pirgos was erected, most probably used as a watchtower in Bulgarian territories. It was only in 17th century that Bourgas was given its present name and its location as it is now was determined. It was called Ahelo-Bourgas. After the Liberation, it was called Bourgas, represented a small settlement with 2950 inhabitants. Ever since the town has grown and the population has increased almost 100 times. It became the centre of the Southern Black Sea coast, a city of well-developed industry and trade, with a busy harbour. A number of plants, oil and chemical works producing more than 30 oil products for the country, were built; there was rapid agricultural development on the land by the city; salt and iron are mined in industrial quantities and traded far beyond the boundaries of the country. In 1903, the railway station in Bourgas started functioning.