![]() |
City Guide - Sofia - Excursions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Excursions For a Half Day Boyana Church and the National History Museum: Boyana Church lies eight kilometres (five miles) southwest of Sofia, accessible by bus 64 from Gotze Delchev Boulevard. This tiny medieval church finally reopened in 2000, after extensive restoration work. It is best known for its exquisite thirteenth-century frescoes, depicting scenes from the Bible and the lives of the saints. Boyana is one of nine Bulgarian cultural monuments included on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Close by, the National History Museum, recently relocated to Boyana Residence, traces the development of Bulgaria's cultural, social and political life from prehistoric times up to World War II. Of special interest are the stunning Thracian gold, silver and bronze treasures. Exhibits are labelled in Cyrillic, but English-speaking guides are available. Boyana Church (tel: (02) 685 304) is open Tuesday-Sunday 0900-1700 and admission, restricted to ten minutes in the company of a guide, costs Lv10. The National History Museum (tel: (02) 955 4280) is open daily 0900-1600 and admission costs Lv10. A guide costs an additional Lv10. For a Whole Day Rila Monastery and Rila National Park: Located about 100km (60 miles) south of Sofia, the Rila Monastery is situated within the beautiful alpine mountains of Rila National Park and included on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The first monastery was founded here in the tenth century by followers of the Bulgarian hermit, St John of Rila. During the five centuries of Ottoman domination, monastic life continued at Rila, thanks to its extreme isolation and heavily fortified defensive walls. Due to fire damage, the building seen today dates primarily from the nineteenth century. Within the complex, the outer walls of the central church are richly decorated with colourful scenes from the Bible, typical of the National Revival period. The monastery also makes an ideal starting point for hiking in Rila National Park, where clearly marked mountain paths take one through dense pine forests. Enthusiastic visitors can stay overnight at the monastery, accommodated in a sparse 'cell', at a cost of Lv30. The Monastery is usually open daily 0800-1800. |
|