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| City Guide - Sofia - Key Attractions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Key Attractions Hram-pametnik Aleksander Nevski (St Alexander Nevski Memorial Church) Said to be Sofia's most photographed monument, Alexander Nevski is a magnificent neo-Byzantine structure, topped by copper and golden domes. It was built between 1882 and 1912, in honour of the Russian soldiers who gave up their lives when the Russian army helped liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878. The church takes its name from Alexander Nevski, the patron saint of the family of the Russian Tsar at that time, Alexander IIP> (also known as Tsar Osvoboditel, the 'Tsar Liberator'). Inside, there are three altars: 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). The Icon Museum is located in the crypt, to the left of the main entrance. Here, over 300 exhibits trace the development of Bulgarian icon-painting from the late ninth century up to the end of the nineteenth century. A guidebook is available in Bulgarian and English. The square in front of the church, Ploshtad Aleksander Nevski, hosts stalls selling souvenirs and bric-a-brac the year through. Ploshtad Aleksander Nevski Tel: (02) 877 697 (Icon Museum). Transport: Bus to Ploshtad Aleksander Nevski. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800; Wed-Sun 1000-1700 (Icon Museum). Admission: Free; Lv10 (Icon Museum). Tsurkva Sveta Sofia (Church of St Sofia) Standing next to St Aleksander Nevski, this brown brick church dates back to Roman times. The earliest basilica was probably built here in the fourth century, during the reign of Emperor Justinian. The present church still follows the classic Byzantine plan of a regular cross with a central dome. In the fourteenth century, the church gave its name to the city. During Ottoman rule, the church was converted into a mosque: the original twelfth-century frescoes were destroyed and minarets were added. During the nineteenth century, it was abandoned following damage caused by an earthquake. After the Liberation in 1878, it was restored and reinstated as a church - there are no Muslim features left. Outside, to the left of the main entrance, stands the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, lit by a perpetual flame in honour of those who died for Bulgaria. Ploshtad Aleksander Nevski Transport: Bus to Ploshtad Aleksander Nevski. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800. Admission: Free. Tsurkva Sveta Nedelya (Church of St Nedelya) Sveta Nedelya, with its huge dome, is a typical example of Byzantine architecture. There has been a church here since medieval times, although the present building dates from the mid-nineteenth century. In 1925, the church was largely destroyed when a bomb exploded during a funeral service, attended by Tsar Boris and his cabinet ministers, killing 123 people. The square, Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya, used to be named after Lenin and a statue of the man himself once stood here. Recently, it has been replaced by a 24m (79ft) bronze statue of the goddess protector of the city, Sofia, holding the symbols of wisdom and fame. Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya Transport: Bus to Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800. Admission: Free. Natzionalen Archeologicheski Musei (National Archaeological Museum) Housed in the ivy-clad fifteenth-century Buyuk Mosque (Big Mosque), the National Archaeological Museum is worth visiting just for the building itself. Recently reopened after extensive renovation work, the interior is airy and well lit and all exhibits are labelled in Bulgarian and English. Most of the pieces are of Thracian, Greek and Roman origin. The star attraction is the Vulchitrun Treasure - a 12.5kg (27lb) collection of 13 decorated solid gold vessels, probably used by a King-Priest during Thracian religious rituals. After visiting the museum, the new Art Club Museum café behind the main building, is a good place to stop for a drink, as some of the larger carved Roman marbles are displayed in the courtyard. 2 Saborna Ulica Tel: (02) 882 405. Transport: Bus to Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700. Admission: Free, donations welcomed. Rotonda Sveti Georgi (Rotunda of St George) Standing in the courtyard of the Sheraton Balkan Hotel, the redbrick Rotunda of St George was built during the fourth century as a Roman temple. It was then destroyed by the Huns, rebuilt by Justinian and turned into a mosque by the Ottomans before being reinstated as a church. Restoration work has revealed three layers of medieval frescoes, which had been hidden by plaster since the sixteenth century. The impressive cupola bears a fourteenth-century portrait of Christ the Pantocrator, surrounded by four angels and symbols of the Evangelists. Beneath, twelfth-century fresco work depicts 22 prophets holding scrolls, with texts alternately in Bulgarian and Greek. To the east lie excavated foundations of the Roman settlement of Serdica. 2 Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya Transport: Bus to Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya. Opening hours: Daily 0800-1700 (winter); daily 0800-1800 (summer). Admission: Free. Banya Bashi Dzhamiya (Banya Bashi Mosque) Legacy to five centuries of Ottoman rule, the Banya Bashi Dzhamiya consists of a large dome and an elegant minaret. It was designed in 1576 by Hadji Mimar Sinan, who also built the Sultan Selim Mosque in Edirne, Turkey. Loudspeakers on the minaret call the city's Muslim minority to prayer five times a day. The mosque is not officially open to the public, but it might be possible to ask a Muslim going in or out for special permission to enter. The inside is decorated with fine calligraphy, citing texts from the Koran - as the portrayal of human figures is banned in Islamic art. The mosque takes its name from the neighbouring Tsentralnata Banya (Central Baths) - Banya Bashi means 'a lot of baths'. The first thermal baths were built here by the Romans, although the present building, currently closed for restoration, dates from 1911. On the square in front of the baths, it is possible to taste the steaming mineral water (46°C/115°F) from public taps. Maria Luiza Boulevard at Triyaditsa Ulica Transport: Bus to Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya. Tsentralni Hali (Central Food Halls) Reopened in May 2000, after three years of restoration work, the Tsentralni Hali offers a clean, well-organised, modern version of the bazaar shopping experience. Stalls on ground level sell fruit and vegetables, local cheeses, olives, wine and spirits, plus an array of breads and pastries. The upper level is given over to fast food kiosks with a large seating area. There are also crèche facilities. 25 Maria Luiza Boulevard Transport: Bus to Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya. Opening hours: Daily 0700-2400. Admission: Free. |
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