The main city of Bulgaria occupies an important place in all tourist ratings as one of the oldest European cities. Therefore, to an Internet request on what to visit in Sofia, the search engine will immediately give more than one hundred answers, inviting you to go to the world of historical architecture, masterpieces of sacred architecture, and cultural monuments.
Sofia became the capital not so long ago, but the important role of the economic and trade center cannot be taken away from it. Although the average tourist is of little interest in these issues, museums, theaters, temples, architecture and city parks are more important to him.
What to visit in Sofia from the temples
Any visitor to Sofia from the first moment of acquaintance notices how many beautiful, ancient temples are here, and they belong to different confessions. A special page is local mosques, there are not so many of them, but they also contribute to the story of the amazing history of the ancient city.
When asked to local guides what to visit in Sofia on their own, they will answer that there are temples. At the same time, smiling, they will note that, accompanied by a guide, a tourist will learn many times more. Almost all excursion routes related to cult themes begin at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which consists of two important Christian sites: Alexander Nevsky Lavra; Church of St. Sophia. There are other beautiful cathedrals in the city that belong to Christians, for example, the Church of the Holy Seven Numbers - it is believed that it was rebuilt from the so-called "Black Mosque".
Of the Muslim religious buildings, the Banya Bashi Mosque, the only one operating in the capital today, attracts the attention of the guests of the city. The word "bathhouse" in the name of the mosque is not accidental, since an ancient bathhouse was really adjacent to the building, it was opened quite recently. The second highlight of this mosque is the hot water fountain. By the way, representatives of other faiths can also get inside, but only when the prayer ends.
Travel to the past
Serdika, an ancient Thracian city located on the territory of the Bulgarian capital, in its very center, invites you to a date with history. It is interesting that the remains of structures and buildings are located below the level of the sidewalk and the roadway, so tourists literally look “deep into history”.
The following objects are exhibited, it is better to get acquainted with them with the help of a guide:
- Eastern fortress gate;
- the remains of the palace of Constantine I, the emperor, who wished to move his residence here;
- churches dating back to different periods of the city's history.
Some of the structures are now represented only by ruins, others are being restored, as happened with the church of St. George. And today it is considered the oldest in the city, since the beginning of construction dates back to the 4th century. Over the centuries, it changed owners, was a Christian temple and a mosque.
The local authorities began to restore the shrine only in the twentieth century. The restorers discovered three layers of frescoes, and the paintings were radically different from each other, the earliest dating back to the 10th century. Today the temple is not used for its intended purpose, but is a cultural and historical monument. From time to time, during the most important Christian holidays, services are held here.
Another restored temple of Sofia is the Church of St. Petka, also located on the territory of the historical and architectural complex. It is easy to distinguish it from other churches in the city, since the builders used stones of different sizes and colors during the construction. Therefore, now the building has a very original, memorable look.
Sofia for children
Recently, a new museum was opened in the center of the capital of Bulgaria, it is intended exclusively for a children's audience. Although it will also be interesting for adult visitors, since in this institution all stereotypes about what a museum and an exhibit are are breaking down.
Part of the exposition is arranged in such a way that you can safely violate all museum rules, children are allowed to take objects in their hands, view them from a close distance, twist and turn them over. The institution bears the cute name "Muzeiko", and the world's leading experts in the field of museum technologies, education, and pedagogy were invited to create.
The history of the land is presented in the form of a huge tree, the height of which is close to a three-story building. The fruits are exhibits, they demonstrate different eras and areas, for example, nature, architecture, everyday life, culture.
In addition to the museum building itself, the complex includes playgrounds located on the street, a climbing wall and its own amphitheater. The building has a rooftop terrace and trees. All guests dream of visiting this museum paradise, they know that memories will haunt them for a long time, and the knowledge gained as a result of experiments and experiments is the most reliable.
