Museums and churches

Housed in the stately Boyana Residence, it comprises of approximately 22,000 exhibits, showing the development of social, political and cultural life on Bulgarian lands in the prehistoric period; Bulgarian lands in ancient times; the Bulgarian state during the middle ages; the XV - XVII century, the Bulgarian National revival period and the Bulgarian State 1878 - 1945. Of special interest are the silver Thracian treasures from Rogozen, the unique Panagyurishte gold treasures, archeological finds from the early bronze ages, silver and bronze jewellery and tools, a large collection of Bulgarian Christian art, a rich collection of printed antique vases as well as precious and rare armoury.

Archaeological Museum  

Newly opened after a long period of restoration sponsored by the Italian government and the Bulgarian Cultural Heritage Foundation, the Museum now boasts one of the best displayed collections of any museum in Bulgaria. Remains of Thracian, Greek and Roman settlements can be seen in well lit surroundings with excellent captions in Bulgarian and English. Star exhibit is the Valchitran gold treasure from the 14th century BC which is in the centre of the main hall. There is also a sarcophagus showing dramatic scenes of violence, and the original mosaic rescued from the floor of the St. Sofia Church. The museum would be worth a visit for the building alone, the ivy-clad 15th century 'Buyuk (Big) Mosque'.      

The Earth and Man Museum  

Founded in 1986. Over 20,000 exhibits are on display, divided into six sections: Giant Crystals, Minerals of the Earth, Industrial Minerals, Raw Material Sources of Bulgaria, Gems, New Materials. The museum also holds exhibitions and classical music evenings, which are noted in our cultural supplement.   

National Museum of Natural Science   

The museum was founded in 1889 and opened to visitors in 1907. Nowadays the museum has three major sections: Geology, Zoology and Botany. Apart from several meteorites, the 'Earth and Space' exhibition features unique lunar samples and an impressive array of stuffed and preserved wildlife. A special exhibition shows live pythons, crocodiles, spiders, frogs and lizards.   

Ethnographic Museum  

The museum displays folk costumes, fabrics, jewellery, woodcarvings, hammered ironwork, etc. A small craft shop sells crafts, costumes and musical instruments from all over Bulgaria.   

The Alexander Nevsky Crypt  

The crypt museum was founded in 1965 and contains items from the very beginnings of Bulgarian iconography (the end of the 9th century) until the end of the 19th century. All stages of the Bulgarian iconography school are represented in a collection of 300 original icons. An excellent guide book is now available in Bulgarian and English. The illustrations and clearly written texts will help anyone understand the intracacies of the icon genre. The guide costs 7 leva.   

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral  

The place for which all tourists make a beeline is the St. Alexander Nevsky Memorial Cathedral, whose golden domes are under wraps at the moment, being regilded. The cathedral was built in honour of the Russian Tsar Alexander 2nd, the "Tsar Liberator", whose army liberated Bulgaria from Turkish rule and was named after St. Alexander Nevsky, the patron saint of the Tsar and his family. The foundation stone was laid in 1882 but the building was not completed until 1912. The Russian architect Pomerantsev built the cathedral in the typically neo-Byzantine style which was so fashionable in 19th century Russia. Notable features are Siena and Carrara marbles at the entrance, Brazilian onyx and albaster on the King's and bishop's thrones and stained glass windows as well as icons, rich frescoes and grandiose chandeliers. The square surrounding the cathedral hosts souvenir stalls (winter and summer alike) and is a popular place for political demonstrations.  

St. Nedelya Church  

The church squats on a plot dividing two of Sofia's busiest streets, Vitosha Blvd. and Maria Luiza Blvd. St. Nedelya was built in the period 1856-1863 upon remains of the Roman town of Serdica. In 1925 it was almost demolished by political sabotage, but was later reconstructed.  

The Rotunda of St. George  

The red brick rotunda church of St. George is considered the oldest building in Sofia. It is situated behind the Sheraton Hotel, amid remains of the ancient town of Serdica. Three layers of frescoes have been discovered, the earliest dating back to the 10th century. Magnificent frescoes of 22 prophets over 2 metres tall crown the dome.   

St. Sofia Church  

St. Sofia is the oldest Eastern Orthodox Christian church in Sofia. Many legends surround its history, but it was actually built during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian between 527-565. In the 14th century the church gave its name to the city. During the Turkish rule minarets were added and the church functioned as a mosque until two earthquakes in the 19th century destroyed one of the minarets and the mosque was abandoned. Restoration work was begun after 1900. The present building is a cross basilica with three altars.  

The St. Petka Samardzhiiska Church  

This mediaeval church nestles peacefully in the subway in front of TsUM and can be seen rising out amidst the traffic-filled boulevards that pass it by. The church, built in the 14th century, is still well preserved and houses frescoes from three different periods.   

The Church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius and their five disciples

The church bears the name Sveti Sedmochislenitsi (the Holy Seven) and is on Graf Ignatiev St., close to Patriarch Evtimii Blvd. It was built in 1528 by the Turkish architect Sinan and was originally a mosque, called the Black Mosque due to the black marble of its minarets. It was later refurbished to serve the needs of Orthodox Christians, but its monumental naos is preserved.  

The 'St. Nikolai' Russian Church  

Built in 1912 by Russian workmen, this church on the corner of Tsar Osvboditel Blvd. and Benkovski St. preserves the style of Moscow decorative arts, painting and architecture. The high dome is surrounded by four smaller domes.
The roof of the church and above the door is covered with green majolica tiles, which harmonise perfectly with the gold-plated domes. The external decoration of the Russian church is a joy to behold with its exquisite and rich colours.
The frescoes were painted in the style of the Novgorod icon school.

The Banya Bashi Mosque  

This is a typical monument of Homan architecture which adds colour to Sofia city centre. It was built in 1576 by the famous Turkish architect who also built the Sultan Selim mosque in the town of Edrine in Turkey. Loudspeakers on the tall minaret call worshippers to prayer. On Maria Luiza Blvd., oposite Halite.  

The Synagogue  

The Sofia Synagogue, which was designed by the architect Grunanger on 1910, has been recently refurbished both inside and out, and now is a sight not to be missed. It was opened for worship in 1909. The building is in Spanish-Moorish style, with a onion-shaped dome lit by the biggest chandelier on the Balkans. On Ekzarh Yosif and Washington St., behind Halite.  

Boyana Church   

This is one of Bulgaria's most significant historical treasures dating back to the 13th century and is on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Most remarkable are the murals, painted by an unknown artist, which exhibit a new humanistic tendency in mediaeval art. 240 realistic figures, bearing the features of Bulgarian life at that time, are depicted in biblical scenes on the walls of the church. Some of the murals have recently undergone restoration and the church is not always open to visitors. A museum nearby shows photographs of the murals, items from the church and a video in several languages.  

Dragalevtsi Monastery  

The 'Vitosha Virgin Mary' is approximately one and a half km walk up from the village itself in the woods. The monastery was founded in 1345 by Tsar Ivan Alexander and expanded by his son Tsar Ivan Shishman. During the period of Turkish rule in Bulgaria the monastery was a centre of Bulgarian education and culture, the national hero Vasil Levski is known to have stayed there often. Of particular interest are the 15th century murals.