In the quiet folds of Burgas, a coastal town brushed by the Black Sea winds, books lie open by the roadside — but not the kind you can tuck under your arm. These are not mere objects; they are giants of stone, brick, and cement, stretching nearly five feet wide, pretending to be forgotten stories awaiting a reader.

At first glance, you might believe some whimsical giant paused mid-read and left his book behind. Step closer, and you discover the trick: these are benches, sculpted to mimic the open pages of a book, inviting you to sit down and slip into a dream.

Since their creation in the early years of this century, Burgas’ Book Benches have cast a quiet spell on travelers from around the globe. Whether they have truly turned children into readers is a question only time can answer. Yet there’s no denying that they have made Burgas not just a city to visit — but a story to live in.

The pandemic, which silenced bustling streets, allowed these benches to reveal their secrets to the camera’s eye. Photographs capturing their quiet dignity have since traveled across the internet, leaving wonder in their wake.

Bulgaria, a small country in the southeastern Balkans, is a land where cultures weave together — East and West meeting like lovers at a bridge. Though Sofia holds the seat of power, it is Burgas that beats as the cultural heart. It is here, in a city proud of its ancient soul, that the dream of bringing books closer to life took on the shape of stone-bound stories.

But these benches are not just feats of size or craftsmanship. Their ‘pages’ carry more than silence — some display vivid covers of classic tales, others reveal fragments of real novels, inviting the traveler to sit and, perhaps, read a few lines before moving on.

In a world rushing ever faster towards the flicker of screens, Burgas whispers a different invitation:
Sit a while. Let your heart slow. Let a story find you.