The
SOF
5.
Russian Church "St. Nikolay the Miracleworker"
3, Tsar Liberator Blvd.
HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE The temple is called “Saint Nicholay the Wonderworker”, yet most inhabitants of Sofia know it as the “Russian church”.
It was built in 1914 and is among the most beautiful buildings in Sofia. It is located right in the centre of the city, surrounded by a beautiful garden with abundant flowers and trees. A small, yet easily distinguishable building, constructed according to the Russian Orthodox architectural tradition. It has 5 gold-covered domes of typical shape, abundantly ornamented friezes, mosaics, typical Russian wood carvings, sharp-pointed roofs with golden and green arranged small roof-tiles.
It is built onto land of the Russian embassy and is governed not by the Bulgarian, but by the Moscow Patriarchate and is spiritual centre of Russian immigrants in Sofia, the guests and inhabitants of the city. The building design and its wall-paintings have been created by Russian artists and architects, and its bells are gifted especially by the Russian tsar Nikolay II.
There is a small crypt at the Western side of the building. There they keep the relics of its first archbishop, celebrated by the believers as a saint – Saint Serafim, also called the Sofia Wonderworker. For already 50 years the people have been leaving at a special location letters of prayers and requests to the Saint.
NEAR BY you can see also
THE GARDEN
in front of the
MILITARY CLUB
This small garden in the Sofia centre has been in existence for at least 100 years. It has witnessed numerous dramatic historical events, like the murder of Stefan Stambolov in 1895, a former prime-minister in the Kingdom of Bulgaria.
Even though “Crystal” restaurant has not been operational for years, the garden is still popular among Sofia citizens as the garden in front of “Crystal”.
CENTRAL
MILITARY CLUB
Historic building in the centre of Sofia. It remained untouched by the bombarding over the city during the Second World War hence it remained in its original appearance, decorations and purpose until today. The stone built into its foundations was brought from the fields by the Bulgarian town of Slivnitsa, a place where one of the most heroic battles of the Bulgarian-Serbian War took place (1885) and ended up with the success of the smaller Bulgarian army.
It was built and decorated in Neo-Renaissance style and has three floors with small and large halls and salons, hidden doors and rooms, underground areas with high vaults and arches, rich library with over 120 000 volumes, exterior terraces and balconies.
THE PALACE
The Palace was built in 1882. The royal offices were located in it, there was also a private wing and a magnificent garden. Modern for its time, furnished in European style, with salons, winter gardens, library, and even an elevator. Most of the interior and the parks were destroyed after monarchy’s forceful resignation in Bulgaria. The palace was residence and office of three Bulgarian kings. Nowadays, the building hosts the exhibitions of the National Art Gallery and Ethnographic Museum.
