Dabko Dabkov | |
|---|---|
| Дабко Дабков | |
| Born | January 21, 1875 Tryavna, Ottoman Empire (now Bulgaria) |
| Died | April 8, 1945 (aged 70) |
| Citizenship | Bulgarian |
| Alma mater | Technical University of Munich |
| Occupation | architect |
| Years active | 1899–1941 |
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]
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]