The
SOF
11.
Basilica "Saint Sofia"
2, Paris Street
Monday to Sunday / 10 - 17:30
HISTORY and ARCHITECTURE The legend has it that a princess named Sofia arrive sick and got healed in the city. As a sign of gratitude for God, his father built this church. She called it “Saint Sofia” and its name remained unchanged for at least 1400 years.
As a result of archaeological excavations, they found in its foundations remnants of four earlier Christian churches, the oldest of which dates back to the IV century, when it was still located in the city outskirts and the necropolis of ancient Serdika was located there. Today, this is the only underground museum in town. The catacombs still being researched, hide a real multi-centurial treasure – stone niches and sarcophagi, some of them are with preserved drawings, a labyrinth of staircases and galleries at various levels.
In the XVI century, at the time when Bulgaria was under Ottoman Rule, the temple shared the destiny of most Christian churches namely, it was transformed into a mosque. Its wall-paintings were destroyed and a minaret was constructed. Another legend is related to it, according to which an earthquake took the minaret down and killed hodja’s two sons that were inside the mosque. This made the Muslims believe they made the Christian God angry with their actions and he sent them a punishment. They abandoned the temple and it sunk into desertion and ruins until Bulgaria’s Liberation. Then it was renewed in the way it looked like in Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages, the way we see it today.
It is known that on the 4th of January 1878, during the Russian-Turkish War, in front of “Saint Sofia”, with a church service full of gratitude the Liberation troops were welcomed. To this end, because the church had no bell-tower, and it still does not have one, its bell was placed onto a tree in the yard, in front of church’s entrance, where it could be seen today.
Its architecture is authentic and original, it looks like no other church or building. Its appearance does not follow the Byzantine canon typical to the churches of later periods, when Christianity was already a religion well-established in the region which witnessing for its earlier origin.
It is located in the centre of Sofia, close to the Cathedral “Alexander Nevsky”. Behind the church, the tomb of the great Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov (1850 – 1921) is located, in close proximity is the monument of the Unknown warrior – place for worship before all the Bulgarian soldiers who died.
NEAR BY you can see also
"ST. ALEXANDER
NEVSKY
CATHEDRAL"
One of the most recognizable symbols of Sofia and the biggest Orthodox temple at the Balkan peninsula. Its construction was initiated in 1882. The domes are covered with pure gold, and the bell-tower has 12 bells, the heaviest among them all weighs 12 tonnes. The interior is elaborated in abundant fashion from coloured marbles, onyx and alabaster. In the crypt, at present – a museum – the most beautiful Bulgarian icons and wall paintings dating back to Middle Ages and Antiquity are located.
SOFIA OPERA
AND BALLET
The present building was designed and finalized in 1953. It was constructed in the monumental style typical for those times, with classical architectural elements, just like many buildings dating back to this period. Hall’s acoustics is excellent. It was designed in such manner as if the viewer is located inside a musical instrument. About it, the globally renown French conductor Hermann Grutkamp says it is among the best in Europe, together with “La Scala” in Milano.
BULGARIAN
ACADEMY OF
THE SCIENCES
BAS (the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) is the largest scientific-research centre in Bulgaria. It is being funded by the state and includes at present 42 scientific institutes and laboratories, in which over 3000 scientists work in 9 different sectors.
Building’s appearance was preserved in almost authentic looks, despite the partial destruction as a result of bombarding during the Second World War. It is one of city’s symbols and was built in 1892 according to the design of the Swiss architect Hermann Mayer, who worked on many other famous projects for the Sofia centre. It is located at 1, “15th of November” Street between two of the most prominent squares in the centre – “National Assembly” Square and “Saint Aleksander Nevsky” Square, Parliament’s building is located nearby.
