The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Varna, Bulgaria.

Prior to 20th century

Part of a series on the
History of Bulgaria
Odrysian kingdom 460 BC – 46 AD Roman times 46–681 Dark Ages c. 6th–7th cent. Old Great Bulgaria 7th cent., 632–668 First Bulgarian Empire 681–1018 Christianization Golden Age 896–927 Cometopuli dynasty 968–1018 Byzantine Bulgaria 1018–1185 Second Bulgarian Empire 1185–1396 Second Golden Age 1230–1241 Mongol invasion 1274–1300 Darman and Kudelin 1273–1291 Recovery and expansion 1300–1371 Fragmentation and fall 1371–1396 Vidin Dobruja Lovech Ottoman Bulgaria 1396–1878 Resistance after 1413 National Revival 1762–1878 Early Late Establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate 1870 April Uprising 1876 Liberation War 1877–1878 Third Bulgarian State 1878–present Serbo-Bulgarian War 1885 Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising 1903 Balkan Wars 1912–1913 World War I 1915–1918 World War II 1941–1945 Communist era 1946–1990 Transition era since 1990
List of monarchs Military history Struggle for Macedonia 1893–1944
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• 6th century BCE – Odessus founded by Greeks.^[1]
• 1st century CE – Romans in power.^[1]
• 1201 – Siege of Varna (1201) by forces of Kaloyan of Bulgaria.
• 1389 – Ottoman Turks in power.^[2]

• 1444 – 10 November: Battle of Varna.^[3]
• 1606 – Varna sacked by Cossacks.^[4]
• 1828 – Siege of Varna.^[3]
• 1854 – During Crimean War, allied forces based temporarily at Varna.^[3]
• 1867 – Rustchuk–Varna railway begins operating.^[5]
• 1870 – Seat of a Bulgarian Bishop.^[5]
• 1871 – Slavic Orthodox Christian Eparchy of Varna and Veliki [it] established.^[6]
• 1878 – Varna becomes part of newly restored independent Bulgaria per Treaty of Berlin (1878)^[3][5]
• 1883 – Orient Express railway begins operating.^{[citation needed]}
• 1885 – Euxinograd palace built near Varna.
• 1886 – Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral, Varna built.
• 1888
  • Varna Archaeological Museum founded.
  • Population: 25,256.^[3]
• 1892 – Bulgarian Steamship Company in business.[1]
• 1900 – Machine School for the Navy relocated to Varna.

20th century

• 1906
  • Port of Varna built.^[3]
  • Population: 37,155.^[5]
• 1912 – Alexander Vasilev (mayor) [bg] becomes mayor.
• 1913 – Reka Ticha sport club formed.
• 1915 – 27 October: Varna bombed by Russian forces.^[7][8]
• 1916 – 16 January: Varna bombed by Russian forces.^[7]
• 1918 – SC Sokol (football club) formed.
• 1921 – Stoyan Bachvarov Dramatic Theatre founded.
• 1923 – BC Cherno More basketball team founded.
• 1925 – Varna railway station opens.
• 1931 – Freedom begins publication.^{[citation needed]}
• 1932 – Varna Aquarium opens.^[9]
• 1934
  • Radio Varna [bg] begins broadcasting.
  • City becomes capital of Varna oblast.^[1]
• 1935
  • Symbolic mausoleum of King Władysław III of Poland erected.^[10]
  • Yanko Mustakov [bg] becomes mayor.
• 1946 – Population: 77,792.^[1]
• 1949
  • Varna renamed "Stalin."^[1]
  • City becomes capital of the Stalin District.^[1]
• 1950 – Yuri Gagarin Stadium opens.
• 1957 – In vicinity of Varna, Golden Sands resort development begins.
• 1961
  • Institute of Medicine established.^[11]
  • Sea Garden (Varna) remodelled.
• 1962 – 15th Chess Olympiad held in Varna.
• 1964
  • Varna International Ballet Competition begins.^[12]
  • Population: 172,700.^[13]
  • John Hunyadi monument unveiled.^[10]

• 1968 – Ticha Stadium and Palace of Culture and Sports open.
• 1970 – Varna co-hosts the 1970 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship.
• 1972 – Varna Necropolis discovered.
• 1974 – Varna hosts the 1974 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
• 1976 – Asparuhov Bridge opens.
• 1979 – Varna hosts the 1979 European Weightlifting Championships.
• 1981 – Varna co-hosts the 1981 Men's European Volleyball Championship.
• 1985
  • Museum of Medicine History opened.
  • BC Cherno More wins its first Bulgarian basketball championship.
• 1986 – Trolleybuses begin operating.
• 1991 – Hristo Borisov Hall (sport arena) opens.^{[citation needed]}
• 1993 – Population: 307,200 city; 313,034 urban agglomeration (estimate).^[14]
• 1994 – McDonald's in business.^[15]
• 1998 – Black Sea NGO Network headquartered in Varna.[2]

21st century

• 2001
  • Varna co-hosts the 2001 Women's European Volleyball Championship.
  • Population: 314,539.^[16]
• 2008
  • Mall Varna (shopping centre) in business.
  • New Varna Stadium construction begins.
• 2011 – Population: 343,704 municipality.
• 2013
  • 2013 Bulgarian protests against the first Borisov cabinet.
  • 2013–14 Bulgarian protests against the Oresharski cabinet.^[2]
  • Air pollution in Varna reaches annual mean of 36 PM2.5 and 51 PM10, more than recommended.^[17]
  • Ivan Portnih becomes mayor.
• 2014 – June: 2014 Bulgarian floods.^[18]
• 2018 – Varna co-hosts the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.
• 2021 – Varna hosts the 2021 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships.