From the Sofia entry in Wikipedia:

Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and has many mineral springs, such as the Sofia Central Mineral Baths. It has a humid continental climate. Being in the center of the Balkans, it is midway between the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea, and closest to the Aegean Sea.

Known as Serdica in Antiquity and Sredets in the Middle Ages, Sofia has been an area of human habitation since at least 7000 BCE. The recorded history of the city begins with the attestation of the conquest of Serdica by the Roman Republic in 29 BCE from the Celtic tribe Serdi. During the decline of the Roman Empire, the city was raided by Huns, Visigoths, Avars and Slavs. In 809 Serdica was incorporated into the Bulgarian Empire by Khan Krum and became known as Sredets. In 1018, the Byzantines ended Bulgarian rule until 1194, when it was reincorporated by the reborn Bulgarian Empire. Sredets became a major administrative, economic, cultural and literary hub until its conquest by the Ottomans in 1382. From 1530 to 1836, Sofia was the regional capital of Rumelia Eyalet, the Ottoman Empire's key province in Europe. Bulgarian rule was restored in 1878. Sofia was selected as the capital of the Third Bulgarian State in the next year, ushering a period of intense demographic and economic growth.

All pictures are © Dr. Günther Eichhorn, unless otherwise noted.

Sofia

National Art Gallery Former
National Art Gallery, the former royal palace of Bulgaria. (906k)
National Art Gallery
National Art Gallery. (1209k)
Bulgaria National Assembly Building
Bulgaria National Assembly Building, former headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party. (822k)
Front Former Headquarters Bulgarian
Front of the former headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party. (672k)
Ivan Vazov National Theater
Ivan Vazov National Theater. (1099k)
Front Ivan Vazov National
Front of the Ivan Vazov National Theater. (926k)
Fountain Front Ivan Vazov
Fountain in front of the Ivan Vazov National Theater. (1328k)
National Archaeological Museum Bulgaria
National Archaeological Museum, Bulgaria. (879k)
Sofia History Museum
Sofia History Museum. (1013k)
Statue Apollo Medicus
Statue of Apollo Medicus. (884k)
Remnants Ancient Serdica Discovered
Remnants of ancient Serdica, discovered during subway excavations under central Sofia. (933k)
Remnants Ancient Serdica
Remnants of ancient Serdica. (1262k)
Remnants Ancient Serdica
Remnants of ancient Serdica. (868k)
Guards President's Palace
Guards at the president's palace. (997k)
Change Guards
Change of the guards. (847k)

Churches, Synagogues, and Mosques

Sofia's Central Market Hall
Sofia's Central Market Hall with the Sofia Synagogue on the left and the Banya Bashi Mosque on the right. (909k)
Sofia Synagogue
Sofia Synagogue. (1300k)
Banya Bashi Mosque
Banya Bashi Mosque. (961k)
Holy Synod Bulgarian Orthodox
Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. (1472k)
Church Saint Petka Saddlers
Church of Saint Petka of the Saddlers from 11th century. (1004k)
Saint Nedelya Church
Saint Nedelya Church. (1174k)
Russian Church Officially Church
Russian Church, officially Church of Saint Nicholas the Miracle-Maker. (1181k)
Entrance Russian Church
Entrance to the Russian Church. (1114k)
Saint George Rotunda Early
Saint George Rotunda, early 4th century CE. (1.6M)
Saint George Rotunda Early
Saint George Rotunda, early 4th century CE. (1288k)
Saint Sophia Church Roman
Saint Sophia Church, a Roman basilica, the oldest church in Sofia from 4th century. (1302k)
Closer View Saint Sophia
Closer view of the Saint Sophia Church. (1190k)
Lion Statue Front Saint
Lion statue in front of Saint Sophia Church. (1191k)
Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral
Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral from 1924. (1138k)
Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral
Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral. (1012k)

Dragalevtsi Monastery

From the Dragalevtsi Monastery entry in Wikipedia:

Dragalevtsi Monastery of the Holy Mother of God of Vitosha (Bulgarian: Драгалевски манастир „Света Богородица Витошка“, Dragalevski manastir „Sveta Bogoroditsa Vitoshka“) is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery on the lower slopes of Vitosha mountain on the outskirts of the capital Sofia in western Bulgaria. Founded in the mid-14th century by Bulgarian tsar Ivan Alexander, the monastery was abandoned after the Ottoman conquest of Sofia and reestablished in the late 15th century, when it became an important literary center. The monastery church and some of its frescoes date from this period.

Dragalevtsi Monastery
Dragalevtsi Monastery. (1290k)
Dragalevtsi Monastery
Dragalevtsi Monastery. (1267k)
Church Monastery
Church in the monastery. (1.7M)
Lilac Bush Wall Monastery
Lilac bush at the wall of the monastery. (1240k)
Bells Monastery
Bells in the monastery. (1.5M)
Interior Church Frescoes
Interior of the church with frescoes. (778k)
15th Century Frescoes
15th century frescoes. (760k)
15th Century Frescoes
15th century frescoes. (820k)

This page contains 38 pictures

Bulgaria
Main page for България (Bulgaria)

Page last updated on Fri Jun 17 18:11:55 2022 (Mountain Standard Time)


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