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St Alexander Nevski Memorial Church
 Said
to be Sofia's most photographed monument, Alexander Nevski is a
magnificent neo-Byzantine cathedral-sized church, topped by copper and
golden domes. Considered the heart of the city, it was built between
1882 and 1912, in honor of the Russian soldiers, who fell when the
Russian army helped liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878. The
church takes its name from Alexander Nevski, credited with saving Russia
from Swedish troops in 1240 and the patron saint of the family of the
tsar at that time, Alexander II – also known as Tsar Osvoboditel, the
'King Liberator' – who led the army that drove out the Turks.
 Inside,
the central altar is dedicated to St Alexander Nevski, the southern
altar to St Boris (who brought Christianity to Bulgaria) and the
northern altar to Saints Cyril and Methodius (who created the Cyrillic
alphabet). A total of 32 Russian and 13 Bulgarian artists worked on the
delicate murals. The Icon Museum is located in the crypt, to the left of
the main entrance. Here, over 300 icons and mural frescoes from the
country’s many monasteries, tracing the development of Bulgarian
icon-painting from the late 9th century up to the end of the 19th
century. There are English labels, as well as a guidebook available in
Bulgarian and English. The square in front of the church, Ploshtad
Alexander Nevski, hosts stalls selling souvenirs, dubious antiques and
bric-a-brac throughout the year.
St Alexander Nevski Memorial Church
Opening hours: Daily 07:00-18:00; services 08:00 and 17:00, Sat 18:00,
Sun 17:00.
Admission: Free
Icon Museum (Crypt)
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 10:00-17:00.
Admission: 10 BGN
Church of St Sofia
Standing next to St Alexander Nevski, this early Byzantine brick church
dates to the fifth century, although there were several churches here
before it, as well as the pre-Christian Serdika city necropolis. The
present church still follows the classic Byzantine plan of a regular
cross with a central dome. The city was named after this very church in
the 14th century, which was converted to a mosque under Ottoman rule,
when the original 12th-century frescoes were destroyed and minarets
added. During the 19th century, the building was abandoned, following
damage caused by an earthquake. After the Liberation in 1878, it was
restored and reinstated as a church and now is a popular spot for
weddings, funerals and baptisms.
Outside, to the left of the main entrance, stands the Monument to the
Unknown Soldier, lit by a perpetual flame in honor of those who died for
Bulgaria. In the back of the church are stalls selling handmade lace and
other traditional textiles.
Opening hours: Daily 09:00-18:00.
Admission: Free
Church of St Nedelya
Sveta Nedelya, with its huge dome, is a typical example of neo-Byzantine
architecture. There has been a church here since medieval times,
although the present building dates from the mid-19th century. In 1925,
the church was largely destroyed when Communist rebels exploded a bomb
during a funeral service, attended by Tsar Boris III and his cabinet
ministers, killing 123 people.
 The
square, Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya, used to be named after Lenin and a
statue of the Communist leader once stood here. It has since been
replaced by a 24m (79ft) bronze statue of the goddess protector of the
city, Sofia, holding the symbols of wisdom and fame.
Opening hours: Daily 07:00-18:00.
Admission: Free
Rotunda of St George
Standing in the courtyard of the Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan, the tiny
sunken redbrick Rotunda of St George is the oldest preserved building in
the city, built in the 4th century, as a Roman temple. Partly destroyed
by the Huns, it was rebuilt as a church by Justinian, in the sixth
century. The Turks converted the rotunda into a mosque, until it was
finally reinstated as a church. Careful restoration work has revealed
three layers of exquisite medieval frescoes – some dating from as early
as the 10th century – which had been hidden by plaster during the 500
years of Ottoman rule. The impressive cupola bears a 14th-century
portrait of Christ the Pantocrator, surrounded by four angels and
symbols of the Evangelists. Beneath, 12th-century fresco work depicts 22
prophets holding scrolls, with texts alternately in Bulgarian and Greek.
To the east lie excavated foundations of an octagonal-shaped Roman
public building and paved street.
Opening hours: Daily 08:00-17:00 (winter); daily 08:00-18:00 (summer);
liturgy 09:00 every day.
Admission: Free |
 Sofia
certainly takes culture seriously. In keeping with European tradition,
Sofians enjoy ballet, opera and theatre. These are of such high quality
and low price, visitors are advised to have a look, despite language
difficulties. The city’s official arts centre, National Palace of
Culture (NDK), is a colossal modern structure incorporating concert
halls, exhibition spaces, congress facilities and the Lumiere Cinema.
Most major cultural events take place here. The box office is to the
left of the main entrance.
MusicThe Bulgaria Hall and Bulgaria
Chamber Hall is the top venue symphonic concerts and boasts a showpiece
pipe organ. The National Radio Orchestra is highly recommended. Sofia
National Opera hosts the main opera and ballet performances in one of
city’s most impressive buildings. The foyers, balconies and main hall
are painted with scenes from various well known operas. Finally, Eastern
Orthodox Church services offer a perfect opportunity to hear highly
skilled choirs chanting amid incense and flickering candles.
 Theatre
The theatre season in Sofia runs from
early October to late June. Naturally, plays are staged in Bulgarian but
the high standard of the performances can make a visit to the theatre a
memorable experience. Tickets cost 5-10 BGN. Ivan Vazov National Theatre
is an impressive neo-classical building and home to the national theatre
company. Works by eminent Bulgarians and classical writers are staged
here. Sofia is famous for a sophisticated puppet tradition and it is not
all geared for children – Kuklen Teatar (Central Puppet Theatre), gives
regular performances for all ages.
Cultural Events
in Sofia
Sofia Music Weeks run through
late May to late July. The programme features classical music,
attracting international soloists and ensembles, as well as ballet. The
International Jazz Festival takes place in November, attracting local
musicians and performers from all over the world. The Music Evenings, in
early-December, draw Bulgarian classical musicians. |
The main shopping areas in Sofia are on Vitosha Boulevard (now
pedestrian and closed for vehicles), Graf Ignatiev St., Rakovski St.
and Pirotska St.
The largest shopping malls in the city include TzUM, City Center
Sofia, Mall of Sofia, and Sky City Center. All of them host stores of
world famous brands and offer many cafés, restaurants and entertainment
facilities such as the IMAX 3D movie theatre and the Mega Extreme Bowling Centre. The Tsentralni Hali (Central Food Halls), on Maria Luisa Boulevard have been
refurbished to form a spotlessly clean and well-organized bazaar and are
open daily 07:00-24:00.
Souvenirs, such as reproduction icons, jewelry,
ceramics, wooden items, embroidered tablecloths and lace are for sale at
stalls in front of Alexander Nevski church. Also worth investigating for
souvenirs are the shops in the subway between TzUM and the Sheraton
Hotel. There is a large book market at Slaveykov Square, near the
National Theatre and Rakovski St.
Luxury goods to take home include Bulgarian wines, notably the
full-bodied red, and "rakia" – favourites being "grozdova" made
from grapes and "slivova" from plum. These are available in shops
throughout the city.
Most shops are open 09:00-19:00 on weekdays and until 13:00 on Saturday.
Some shops are also open on Saturday afternoon and even Sunday. VAT in
Bulgaria is 20% and is normally included in the total price. |
