Why does a tourist go to the capital of Bulgaria? Firstly, Sofia was and remains a major cultural and religious center of Eastern Europe, where many architectural sights have been preserved since ancient times, and the flow of pilgrims to churches becomes only full of water every year. Secondly, not far from Sofia is the Vitosha ski resort, which has been renovated and has been particularly popular over the past few years even among advanced athletes. And in the Bulgarian capital, you will find several dozen mineral springs, on the basis of which balneological treatment centers operate - inexpensive, with a varied range of services and top-class specialists. Interesting excursions will help to diversify your useful rest. When asked what to see in Sofia, local guides are ready to answer for hours, because the first settlement on the site of the Bulgarian capital arose long before the new era, and the city remembers many significant historical events.
TOP 10 sights of Sofia
Antique Serdica
Captured in the 1st century A. D. the ancient settlement of the Thracians was named by the Romans the city of Serdika. It soon became the capital of the Roman province of Thrace. Emperor Constantine the Great moved the court here and even wanted to make Serdica the capital of the entire Roman Empire.
The emperor's residence was surrounded by imposing fortress walls, behind which were located a magnificent palace, basilicas and residential buildings. All this splendor has survived to this day in ruins, but you can look at the ancient ruins in the very center of Sofia.
The restoration of the Roman forum, churches, baths and amphitheater has continued over the past decades. Today the oldest church on the territory of Serdiki - the rotunda of St. George - has been completely restored. Despite the efforts of the Ottoman conquerors to destroy even a hint of Christianity, the frescoes of the temple were restored, and they date back to the 10th century.
Free admission.
Temple-monument of Alexander Nevsky
The Cathedral of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Russian architect Alexander Pomerantsev. The temple was erected in honor of the liberation of the country from the Turkish yoke and the cathedral was dedicated to Alexander Nevsky, a Russian saint and prince of Kiev and Vladimir.
The project of the temple was conceived back in 1879, but the cathedral was consecrated only 35 years later. The size and scale of the building are impressive:
- The cathedral can simultaneously accommodate up to 5,000 people.
- The height of the bell tower is 53 m, the main dome is 45 m.
- The area of the temple exceeds 3150 sq. m.
- All twelve bells weigh 23 tons.
- The iconostasis of the memorial church is decorated with 82 icons painted in oil, the walls - 273 frescoes, which were also made by Russian artists headed by V. M. Vasnetsov.
- Mosaic panels are made in Italy.
When the parishioners are summoned to the liturgy in the church, the ringing of the bells of Alexander Nevsky is heard for 30 km around.
Cathedral of Holy Week
Another cathedral church, but this time in the Bulgarian capital, was consecrated in honor of the martyr Kyriakia of Nikomedia, highly revered in the Balkans and called Holy Week. The first structure on this site was built in the 10th century, and stood until the 19th century, avoiding destruction and fires. In 1856, the wooden church still burned down, and the Sofians began building a new cathedral.
The rectangular building, 30 meters long, is crowned with a dome. The bell tower with eight bells soared into the sky to a height of almost 40 m. The gilded iconostasis of the temple was made simultaneously with the construction, and the wall paintings were made much later - in the 70s of the last century.
Russian embassy church
After the end of the Russian-Turkish war of liberation for Bulgaria, a significant Russian diaspora was formed in Sofia. In 1907 g.representatives of the community collected a sufficient amount for the construction of an Orthodox church. The work lasted about four years, and the author of the project and architect M. Preobrazhensky supervised the creation of the church.
The First World War and the post-war period became troubled for the temple. It was handed over to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, then returned to the Russian one again. At the beginning of the XXI century. the church was restored, and today it is of great spiritual importance for the Russian community, as it was a century ago.
Above the entrance to the temple there is a mosaic image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, in whose honor the church is consecrated. The interior paintings belong to the artist N. Rostovtsev, and the main shrine worshiped by the pilgrims is the relics of St. Seraphim, the wonderworker of Sophia.
Banya-Bashi Mosque
It is impossible to name the exact date of the construction of another ancient landmark in Sofia, but historians believe that the Banya-Bashi mosque was built in the middle of the 16th century. Among all European mosques, it is one of the oldest.
The project of a striking monument of Ottoman architecture, reminiscent of the period of Turkish rule in the Balkans, was developed by the architect Sinan. The main building, rectangular on the plan, is complemented by an extension, the roof is crowned with eight domes of different sizes, the walls are made of natural cut stone and bricks, the interior is decorated with blue and white handmade tiles, and the minaret is visible from many quarters of old Sofia.
The name of the mosque means “many baths”. The building was erected on the site where in ancient times there were natural baths formed by hot mineral springs.
An architectural landmark of Sofia, the Banya-Bashi mosque is available for excursions during hours free from namaz.
To get there: Sofia metro station Serdika.
Cyril and Methodius Library
The monks and educators Cyril and Methodius who invented the alphabet for the Slavs, according to one of the historical versions, were Bulgarians. The brothers are called the first printers, and it is not surprising that the National Library in the capital of Bulgaria was named after them. The collection of ancient texts, manuscripts and handwritten books in it is not only a national treasure of the country, but also a treasure of a world scale. More than two thousand old folios are stored on shelves and in storerooms. The oldest storage units are dated to the XI-XII centuries.
At the entrance to the library there is a monument to brothers-monks who dedicated their lives to the enlightenment and education of the Slavic peoples. They are credited with translating the Holy Scriptures and other religious works into Slavic languages. The alphabet used for writing in Russia and some other countries of Eastern Europe is named after one of the brothers - in Cyrillic.
Dragalevsky monastery
3 km from the capital, at the foot of Vitosha, you will find several monasteries that gave the mountain the name Sacred. The most famous, Dragalevsky is mentioned in the ancient chronicles of the XIV century. Even then, he played the role of an important religious and educational center. Orthodox books have been printed here since the 15th century.
During the difficult times of Ottoman rule, the monastery became the center of the liberation movement. The monks provided food and shelter to the members of the Resistance and often joined its ranks themselves.
Today the monastery has been restored and is still active. Arriving from Sofia, you can look at the new buildings with cells and the old Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, which has survived many terrible trials. Its walls are still decorated with 15th century frescoes, carefully preserved by novices.
Historical Museum of Bulgaria
Historians consider the collection of this museum to be the largest in the Balkans. Once in Sofia, be sure to take the time to look at the exposition of the National Historical Museum, founded in 1973 and collecting more than half a million interesting items that tell about the history of the country, the Balkans and all of Eastern Europe.
Each of the three parts of the museum is of undoubted interest for fans of history, archeology and ethnography:
- The historical section tells about the stages of development of the state, starting from the primitive communal system. The stands showcase prehistoric stone tools, Thracian treasures, ancient maps, ceramics and bronze items.
- The archaeological department demonstrates ritual objects from the burial grounds of the Bulgarian kingdom, rarities from excavations on the territory of the ancient Roman city of Serdiki, which existed on the site of modern Sofia, fragments of frescoes of old churches and numismatic rarities.
- The ethnographic part of the museum acquaints visitors with the household utensils of the old Bulgarian houses, ornaments of noble families, the evolution of the national costume, folk customs, crafts and cuisine.
The museum occupies the Boyana residence on the outskirts of Sofia, and among the buildings belonging to it, the Boyana Church is of particular value. Its wall paintings date from the 13th-16th centuries, and the temple itself on this site was first built in the 10th century.
Art Gallery
The largest gallery of fine art in Bulgaria is of great interest to art lovers. Its halls contain works of the most famous Bulgarian painters and sculptors. The earliest works were created during the Renaissance, but paintings by contemporary authors also attract many tourists interested in fine arts.
The collection of old icons located in the Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church is also part of the art gallery's exposition.
Muzyko
The creators of the Sofia Children's Museum took into account the psychology of young visitors and made sure that guests do not get bored during the excursion. Muzeiko is not at all like a regular exhibition, and the main rule of behavior in its halls is that you can touch the exhibits, play with them, and even try them out.
At Muzeiko, your children will learn what space looks like from the inside, become archaeologists, understand where the dinosaurs have disappeared, test their strength at the climbing wall, hear what the clouds are talking about, and have time to do a lot more to help them comprehend the structure of the universe.
