Dabko Petrov Dabkov (Bulgarian: Дабко Петров Дабков; 21 January 1875–8 April 1945) was a Bulgarian architect who designed more than 350 buildings in the Black Sea port city of Varna between 1899 and 1941.[1]

Dabko Dabkov
Дабко Дабков
Born(1875-01-21)January 21, 1875
Tryavna, Ottoman Empire (now Bulgaria)
DiedApril 8, 1945(1945-04-08) (aged 70)
CitizenshipBulgarian
Alma materTechnical University of Munich
Occupationarchitect
Years active1899–1941

Dabkov was born in Tryavna. His family moved to Varna when he was a child and he finished a men's high school there. He graduated in architecture from the Technical University of Munich in 1899 and returned to Varna to start his practice as an architect.[1][2][3]

Dabkov married Anna Yordanova, the daughter of a famous doctor, in 1906.[2] He fought in the Balkan Wars and World War I and was twice elected to Varna's Municipal Council. After the 1944 Bulgarian coup d'état, he was declared a public enemy and his property was confiscated by the communist authorities. In 2016, a monument to the architect was raised in front of Hotel Musala.[1]

Dabko Dabkov employed a wide variety of architectural styles. His earliest work, the Hristo Botev Cotton Factory of 1899, is an eclectic brick structure with a significant German influence. The Varna Aquarium is a notable example of Vienna Secession or Art Nouveau, whereas Grand Hotel London and Hotel Royal bear Neo-Baroque features. The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Archangel Michael is a mostly Neo-Gothic design. During his work on Grand Hotel Musala, Dabkov visited New York City to study the Flatiron Building and included Art Deco elements.[1][3]

Works

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  • Hristo Botev Cotton Factory (1899)
  • Varna Aquarium (1906–1911)
  • Grand Hotel London (1912)
  • Hotel Royal (1922)
  • Church of Saint Archangel Michael (1924)
  • Grand Hotel Musala (1927)
  • Bulgarian Navy Headquarters (1928), with Stefan Venedikt Popov

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Мърхов, Георги (2023-01-13). "Дабко Дабков - архитектът на стара Варна". Stroiinfo | Стройинфо. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  2. ^ a b Облаков, Християн (2015-11-18). "Архитектът-аристократ Дабко Дабков – създателят на "Стара Варна"". Българска история (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  3. ^ a b Трендафилов, Пламен (2024-05-22). "Обявяват Дабко Дабков за враг на народа - Труд". trud.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-05-22.
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