Sofia Sightseeing

"St Alexander Nevski" cathedral is located on Alexander Nevski Square, a wide cobblestone area with a fascinating daily flea market. And the famous gilded domes of this church impress all guests of Sofia with their striking massive overall presence. The current cathedral dates back since 1879, when the National Assembly of Bulgaria concluded the decision to build some church as a special monument to honour the Russian Tsar Alexander. This "Tsar liberator" and his army, 200 000 of whom were killed, helped free Bulgaria from the Ottoman Turks in the War for Liberation in 1877-78. So, the church was named after the patron saint of his family - Alexander Nevski, a Russian prince who helped thwart the Swedish invasion in Russia in 1240. Thus, this enormous stone foundation had been begun in 1882, but it took over thirty years to be completed fully this beautiful neo-Byzantine style cathedral, under the design of the St Petersburg architect Pomerantsev. Together with its five aisles and three altar iconostases, the cavernous interior of this church owns many other interesting details, created by both Russian and Bulgarian artists. This major Bulgarian cathedral has a capacity of 5 000 people and usually hosts most important Orthodox celebrations, such as midnight mass ceremonies on Christmas eve and Easter. So, it could be worth for you to remember that hearing its religious choir, singing Bulgarian Orthodox hymns and chants is a really inspiring and unforgettable experience that should not be missed. Generally said, this church is open daily from seven o clock in the morning to half five in the evening with no fees entrance.

Sofia Valuable Places

The museum of Medieval Bulgarian art in the "Alexander Nevski" cathedral crypt - this is actually very well designed, displayed and maintained museum, which presents about 250 original mural frescoes and icons at any given time of the Bulgarian history. All essential eras of Bulgarian icon painting are represented here and most of them are created in the famous Tryavna, Samokov and Nessebar schools of iconography, including unusual double-sided icons from the 14th century. It is open daily between ten and eighteen o clock in the evening, except on Tuesdays. Its common admission ticket is around three leva, and additionally, you could visit also some specific guided tour for nine leva. Church of "Sveta Sofia" - Sitting near to the Nevski cathedral and looking somehow modest, compared with it, is the red brick Church of "St Sofia". The most curious fact here is that a recently restored ancient Byzantine church gave its name, meaning "holy wisdom" to the city in the late fourteenth century. Nowadays, it is the oldest Eastern Europe Orthodox church in Sofia, and the second oldest building in the entire city with really long and fascinating history. It was originally built on the site of several earlier churches and places of worship, dating back to the period, when it was the necropolis of the Roman town Serdica, named after the Thracian Serdii - tribe who initially inhabited this region. Later, this basic cross design of the present basilica with its two east towers and one tower-cupola, became probably the fifth structure to inhabit this location and was built during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian in the middle of the sixth century.