bg Varna

Higin Paikurić Building

- Primorski Boulevard 4 -
The construction of the commercial building, which later turned into an educational building, was completed in 1893 and was built with the intention to house a casino. It was built according to a design that came from the hand of the French architect for the wealthy Croatian merchant, shipping agent, and Dutch consul in Varna, Higin Paikurić. He was an agent of the Royal Dutch Company from , the Swedish Oriental Line from , the Veritage bureau from , and the Trano agency.

In the period between 1911 and 1920, the building functioned as the Italian Consulate with Luigi Assareto being the consul. In 1926 it was expropriated by the municipality and was leased to the Russian Jew Vladimir Gilmaiden, who converted it into a resort villa by the name Diana.
An old photo showing the building
From 1946 until 1955 it was the Headquarters of the Office of the Technical Fleet, and from July 1, 1956, it was adapted for the exposition of the Maritime Museum. The official opening and consecration of the Maritime Museum took place on May 20, 1923, which made it the first public maritime museum in Bulgaria. The purpose of the museum is to study the development of Bulgarian seafaring and present it to the public. The museum stores collections of naval weapons, like mines, coastal and naval artillery, uniforms and decorations, ship models, a large number of photographs, and more. After the renovation of the building in 2012, the permanent exhibition was completely renewed.
The first public exposition of the maritime museum in 1923
The western top of the building, which is built in the styles of Eclectic and Neo-Classical, is decorated with a , a , and . Underneath the that separates the attic from the rest of the building, you can see two different-sized strips of , one of which is adorned with foliage. Above the second floor windows, you can either see a pointed or a segmental , one of which contains an ornament that features a . These same windows are flanked by , which are crowned with a Corinthian . The small balcony is supported by two and secured with a stone balustrade that contains tiny . The and the rectangular shapes are decorated with the technique of .

A swan neck pediment is placed above the second floor windows, which are located on the southern side of the building. The entrance on this side is covered with a majestic that's supported by two corbels. On the eastern side of the building, there's a balcony that's supported by six corbels and three pillars, which contain the same wrought iron motifs as the awning and the barred windows.
An old photo showing the southern side of the building