ExpatinBulgaria

Weather

16° Sofia, Bulgaria

16° Plovdiv, Bulgaria

18° Varna, Bulgaria

18° Burgas, Bulgaria

BNB Fixing - May 16 2008

EUR 1,95583

USD 1,26395

GBP 2,45337


expat news
expat articles
expat forum topics
expat forum posts
Home > Destinations > Useful info

Sofia's landmarks

When you come to Sofia, start your tour outside the capital. The magnificent mountains that surround Sofia are one of the most preferred places to visit. Vitosha, Liulin and Plana mountains all surround Sofia. They feature both magnificent nature and unique culture sites.

Liulin is placed 3km southwest of Sofia. This area is preferred for its tranquility and the suitable places for (family) picnics and outings.

To see Kokalianski Monastery you have to take a walk 10km away from central Sofia into Plana Mountain. It was built in the 10th century by Tsar Samuil. Pancherevo lake is located only five km away. It provides opportunities for water sports, sun bathing and swimming.

roskoVitosha is the most popular of the three mountain parks. Boyana church and the Dragalveski monastery are both located in this mountainous area. They were built during the 13th and 14th century and are regarded as predecessors of European Renaissance. The Boyana church is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Besides cultural landmarks Vitosha is known for its ski runs found only a short trip from Sofia. If you need a place to stay- Aleko and Zlatnite Mostove are some of the Vitosha resorts that offer accommodation.

The Boyanski Waterfall, Vitosha’s stone rivers and Bulgaria’s longest cave Duhlata are some of the natural phenomena found within the Vitosha area.

The little town of Bankia is about 20 km west from Sofia. Bankia is famous for its mineral water springs. It features spa resorts as the mineral springs found there are said to cure cardio-vascular diseases.



roskoA number of buildings and monuments are emblematic for the capital of Sofia. One is St Alexander Nevski Cathedral. This church is the central cathedral of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Built in 1880, the cathedral was designed by the Russian architect Alexander Pomeranski and constructed using very expensive materials.
Near the church Alexander Nevsky is located another remarkable landmark, the Monument of the Unknown Soldier with the eternal flame. The monument was built in 1981 to commemorate 1300 years since the founding of the Bulgarian state and to honour Bulgarian soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation.

St. Sofia Church is located on the same square. It was built during sixth century, about 527-565 CE. After this church roskois given the name of the City Sofia

The National Gallery of Foreign Arts and the National Gallery of Fine Arts are both found near the Alexander Nevski Cathedral.

National Theatre Ivan Vazov is also a building worth taking a look at. It was built in 1907 in the typical style of the early 20th century.

For more information and for tour guides and holiday bookings, visit http://bulgariainfo.start.bg/




National Palace of Culture (NDK – Natsionalen Dvorets na Kulturata)

roskoBuilt in 1981 by architect Alexander Barov. The National Palace of Culture is a huge building in the heart of Sofia, having 13 halls mainly used for cultural events and concerts. The NDK building spreads over 123 000 sq m and has eight floors and three underground levels. It can accommodate 12 000 guests and artists.
Expos usually take place on the first, second and third floors. The rest of the building is used for administrative offices.



The Building of Bulgaria’s National Assembly

roskoThe National Assembly of Bulgaria was formed in 1878 and its building was constructed from1884 to 1886 by architect Konstantin Iovanovich, an Austrian-Swiss of Serbian descent. The exterior is formed in neo-renaissance style; the interior has been reconstructed many times, but the main look and idea of the original project have been kept.

Since 1991 the Parliament has one more building, which is located near the main National Assembly building. This new building is found at Alexander Batemberg Square.

The square also boasts one of Sofia’s impressive monuments, the one of Tsar Osvoboditel. It was set up to honour Russian Emperor Alexander II, who led Russian troops in the war against the Ottoman Empire, resulting in Bulgaria’s liberation from Ottoman rule.

comments
Friday, May 16 2008

Expat of the Week

anglachanka

I like motorcycles, driving, rambling in the countryside, going to bazaars, relaxing in the sunshine ... read more

What`s on in Bulgaria

Theatre

  • Short Play for a Child’s Room
    What: The play resulted from a fortunate – and unlikely – encounter between director Galin Stoev and playwright Yana Borissova’s debut text.
    When: May 24 and 29
    Where: Theatre 199
  • Valentine’s Day
    What: One of the most popular contemporary Russian playwrights, Ivan Vyrypaev has chosen for his play’s motto the words of an Arabian philosopher: “There are only two things – love and love.”
    When: May 22
    Where: Little City Theatre off the Channel
  • Three Sisters
    What: Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters is a play about the things that never happen and the sophisticated sadness and despair of the characters.
    When: May 21 and 30
    Where: Nikolai Binev Youth Theatre
  • Lazarus and Jesus
    What: Based on Emilian Stanev’s apocrypha, Lazarus and Jesus aims to excite interest in the “damned questions” raised by the author and to argue against the assertion that Bulgarian literature is limited mostly to the regional and the untranslatably Bulgarian.
    When: May 18
    Where: Sfumato Theatre-Workshop
  • 16th International Istanbul Theatre Festival
    What: two weeks of theatre and dance performances from around the globe
    When: May 15 to June 4
    Where: Istanbul
  • The Taming of the Shrew (premiere)
    What: Director Marius Kurkinski returns to the stage of the Satirical Theatre with this Shakespearean comedy, which was one of the master’s earlier plays.
    When: May 10, 19 and 26
    Where: Aleko Konstantinov Satirical Theatre, Sofia

Cultural Institutes

  • Salon of the Arts
    What: The annual Salon of the Arts features tens of exhibitions, concerts and performances. For a complete programme, stop by the Ticket centre at the National Palace of Culture (NDK)
    When: May 11 to June 30
    Where: National Palace of Culture, Sofia

Art

  • Sofia, Paris, Strasbourg
    What: A joint project by the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, the Ecole Superieure d’arts graphiques – Penninghen and the Ecole superieure des arts decoratifs, Strasbourg, focusing on the Cyrillic alphabet with a newspaper theme.
    When: Opens May 8
    Where: Akademia, 1 Shipka Str, Sofia
  • ART POSITIVE 2008: FRAGMENT
    What: exhibition with the participation of 14 Plovdiv artists
    When: Until May 25
    Where: Centre for Contemporary Art - Plovdiv arttoday.org

Live Music

  • KYLIE MINOGUE
    What: Indisputably, one of the major concerts in Bulgaria in 2008 will be that of pop icon Kylie Minogue. Ticket prices vary from 40 to 50 leva.
    When: May 18
    Where: Lokomotiv Stadium
  • JAZZ PLUS FESTIVAL 2008
    What: Jan Garbarek Group featuring Manu Katche, Alboran Trio, Roberto Fonseca, Luisito Quintero. Tickets at 20 and 25 leva, available from Dyukyan Meloman, Bulgaria Hall, NDK box office, eventim.bg and ticketstream.bg.
    When: May 15, 17, 18 and 29
    Where: NDK, Bulgaria Hall and 4km Party Center
  • After Business Club
    What: weekly mixers
    When: Wednesdays, 8pm
    Where: Chillout Bar & Dinner, 5 Triaditsa Str
  • RONI SIZE DJ SET
    What: The Sofia gig of the world-famous drum ’n’ bass DJ Roni Size will be the first in a series of events presenting legendary performers from the global drum ’n’ bass scene.
    When: May 17
    Where: Hristo Botev Hall in Studentski Grad
  • WORLD BEAT NIGHTS – DANCING AROUND THE GLOBE
    What: Three more World Beat Nights – Dancing Around The Globe parties will be held in May.
    When: May 16, 23 and 30. May 16: African Night, May 23: The Latino Friday and May 30: Arabian Night.
    Where: Club Pulse