Vitosha Boulevard

Before the Liberation of 1878 it was called “Dzhebel Vitosh sokagi”, and in 1883 it was named the way it is today, and just like the previous name, it is related to the direct view of the Vitosha Mountain. The street had other names too, yet these existed only for short periods. 
In the beginning, the houses along the street were small, mainly single-storey ones, yet consequently as the city developed, they became nicer, of two and three storeys, and later on grew into whole residential buildings. Some of the most famous and richest citizens lived here, there was a hotel, a school, a fountain and a small square. The end of the street was at the crossing of “Patriarch Evtimiy” Boulevard where the pedestrian part ends today. Could you imagine that from there on vegetable gardens started and the territory of the National Palace of Culture of the present hosted military barracks called “Vitoshki barracks”. Electric tram used to pass along the street and stop at the Central Railway Station.

Gradually, the street acquired its modern appearance – the Palace of Justice was built, as well as cinema “Rex” (which is no longer existent), community centre “Petar Beron”, the National Palace of Culture. Stores and restaurants moved into the ground floors of the buildings and are still there today, when “Vitosha” Boulevard ranked among the most colorful streets in Sofia.