Paseo por la ciudad de Sofia. Bulgaria

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Toniagustí

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Trail stats

Distance: 2.1 mi
Elevation gain: 26 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 23 ft
Max elevation: 1,897 ft
TrailRank: 44
Min elevation: 1,760 ft
Trail type: One Way

Moving time: 59 minutes
Time: 2 hours 38 minutes
Coordinates: 562
Uploaded: July 15, 2023
Recorded: July 2023

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near Sofia, София-град (България)

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Walk through the city of Sofia. Bulgaria

Sofia is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria. With a population of 269,384 inhabitants in 2018, it is the 14th largest city in the European Union, where it joined in January 2007, and around 1,380,406 in its metropolitan area. It is located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula, west of Bulgaria, surrounded by Mount Vitosha to the south, Mount Lyulin to the west, and the Balkan Mountains to the north. Its average altitude is 600 m above sea level, which makes it the fourth highest capital in Europe.

It is one of the oldest capitals in Europe, Sofia's history dates back to the 8th century BC. C., when the Thracians established a settlement in the area. Sofia has had several names in the different periods of its existence, but it finally adopted the name of Sofia, thanks to the Hagia Sofia Church, one of the oldest in the city, in national homage to the Holy Martyrs of Sofia. Sofia Day is celebrated on September 17 and on January 4, the city celebrates that in 1878 it was liberated from Ottoman rule by Russian imperial troops. Sofia was declared the capital on April 3, 1879 and was heavily bombarded by the Allied forces during World War II.

Sofia is the administrative, economic, cultural, transport and educational center of the country. The city is also an important religious center, since Sofia is the seat of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and has the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in the Orthodox world. This Orthodox church began to be built in 1882 with donations from the town that, in addition to having a cathedral, wanted a place that would honor the Russian soldiers and Bulgarian revolutionaries who died during the Russo-Turkish war, which liberated Bulgaria from the ottoman occupation. It was designed by Russian architects in the Neo-Byzantine style,

It is dedicated to Alexander Nevsky, venerated as a saint by the Orthodox Church for his defense of Orthodox Christianity against attacks by Catholics, Teutons and Tatars. To the left of the altar of the cathedral are the relics of the saint, which could be those of a rib.

Strolling along Vitosha Boulevard is a must. This is the commercial artery of the city and one of the most beautiful avenues you will find during your stay. It extends from the Plaza de San Nedelya to the Parque del Sur for about 2.5 kilometers where you will find luxurious shops, bars and restaurants with terraces and two important buildings:

Palace of Justice: the imposing façade with 12 columns and 5 doors is guarded by two huge lions reminiscent of the Congress of Deputies in Madrid. Sofia tours start here.

National Palace of Culture: This Soviet-style congress center was opened in 1981 to commemorate the 1,300th anniversary of the birth of the Bulgarian state.

Although not as impressive as that of Alejandro Nevski, another of the religious buildings to see in Sofia is the Sveta-Nedelya or Santo Domingo Cathedral. It is another of the cathedrals of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, although what we can see today is a reconstruction of the previous building from 1867 because, unfortunately, it was razed by a bomb attack in 1925. This was perpetrated by members of the Bulgarian Communist Party and killed 128 people. It is well worth going in, as you will find Byzantine-style murals on almost all its walls. Also, admission is free.

The Church of Saint Nicholas is known as the Russian Church because it was built to be the official church of the nearby Russian embassy and of the entire Russian community residing in Bulgaria. The five gold-clad domes and the bells donated by Tsar Nicholas II, for whom it received its name, stand out.

The Banya Bashi Mosque is in the heart of the city and dates back to the 15th century, which is why it was erected during the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria. Its name (the translation is "many baths") derives from being surrounded by ancient springs. The Banya Bashi Mosque is the only temple of the Muslim community in Sofia and stands out for its 15 meter diameter dome and its minaret and although both its exterior and interior are quite austere. It is free to do so, but keep in mind that women must cover their knees and their hair. At the entrance they can leave you clothes if you don't have anything at hand.

Although you can only visit Sofia in one day, we advise you to spend a few hours visiting the Boyana Church. About 10 kilometers from the center, at the foot of the Vitosha massif, what this place hides is one of the jewels of Europe and, for this reason, it has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

Built between the 10th and 19th centuries, what stands out is its interior are the frescoes made in 1259, which are one of the best examples of medieval art in Eastern Europe and possibly those in the best state of preservation. To this day you can still see the 89 scenes with 240 human figures in which we can see scenes from the life of Jesus Christ represented, but also from different moments in the history of Bulgaria.

The Hagia Sofía or Santa Sofía is another of the places that you cannot miss during your tour of the city. It was here that the Roman necropolis of the city of Serdica was located and also a Roman theater. First a church was built in the 4th century, but this and the successors were destroyed by the different invaders from Sofia. The current one was erected around the 6th century, during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Therefore, it is believed to be a modern version of the Hagia Sophia of Constantinople in Istanbul.

During the Ottoman period, Hagia Sofia was converted into a mosque, so the frescoes that were painted in the 12th century were destroyed and minarets were added. One of the essential things to do in Sofia is to visit its interior, considered one of the best examples of early Christian architecture in the southeast of the continent. In addition, it is possible to visit the necropolis and admire impressive Roman frescoes and mosaics from the 3rd and 4th centuries.

The Church of Sveti Georgi or Saint George from the 4th century, in the 16th century it was converted into a mosque. It is worth entering the oldest church in Bulgaria and contemplating the frescoes, among which the representation of Christ Pantokrator on the dome stands out. The Church of Sveti Georgi is located inside the Presidential Palace and surrounded by ruins of the ancient Roman city of Serdica.

Independence Square, better known as Largo, is one of the most impressive architectural complexes to see in Sofia. It was designed in the fifties to be the representative center of the Bulgarian capital and is considered one of the best examples of Stalinist architecture. It consists of the following buildings:

Presidential Palace: here you can see the changing of the guard every hour on the hour. As we told you above, it houses the Church of Sveti Georgi inside.

National Assembly of Bulgaria: it was the former headquarters of the extinct Bulgarian Communist Party.

Bulgarian Council of Ministers: where the TZUM department store is also located.

In 1989, with the democratic transition, the communist symbols were removed from the square, highlighting the red star that crowned the current National Assembly building. A Bulgarian flag can now be found and the star is in the Museum of Socialist Art. Where the statue of Lenin stood you will see a sculpture of Hagia Sophia in black and gold.

In the surroundings there is also the Church of Saint Petka or Sveta Petka, dedicated to the 3rd century Christian martyr Saint Petka Paraskeva.

In addition, you can also see some ruins of Serdica in the glazed areas. For all these reasons, taking a walk through the Largo is essential.

As you have seen, there are several points where you can discover the ancient city of Serdica, conquered by the Romans around the 30th century BC. The most important archaeological site is located around the Serdika metro, where you can visit a glass-enclosed part and another discovered in which you will see mosaics, the walls of some buildings and remains of ancient Roman roads. Admission is free.

The Sofia Synagogue is the third largest in Europe and was built for worship by the mainly Sephardic Jewish community of the Bulgarian capital at the beginning of the 20th century. The style of its architecture is neo-Arabic with elements of Venetian architecture on the façade. Located in the center of Sofia, very close to the central market, it has a capacity for 1,300 faithful.

It is essential that you visit its interior, where you will find Venetian mosaics, Carrara marble columns and an impressive 1.7-ton chandelier, which legend has it may be made of Palestinian gold. In addition, it houses the Museum of Jewish History, which recounts the past of the Jewish communities in Europe and the Holocaust, focusing on the Bulgarian community.

Very close to the mosque and the synagogue is the Central Market, a beautiful covered building that was inaugurated in 1911 and where you can find both typical delicacies (the banitsa) and handicrafts.

More local flavor has the Zhenksi Pazar or Women's Market, on Bratya Miladinovi street. It takes its name because before almost all the vendors were women, mainly local producers who came to the city to sell their fruits and vegetables. Currently we can also find men and it is one of the biggest and liveliest markets in Sofia, since the prices are more competitive.

Ivan Vazov is considered the national poet of Bulgaria. Also a novelist and playwright, the most important theater in Sofia is dedicated to him and can be found in the City Garden or the city gardens. It is a beautiful neoclassical building inaugurated in 1907.
Damaged by fire in 1923 and bombing during World War II, it was rebuilt, now seating up to 1,000 people.

The City Garden is a good place to walk, rest for a while, ....

As if all of the above were not enough, there are several interesting museums to visit in Sofia. Among the most relevant are:

Museum of Socialist Art: although it is not in the center, the displacement is worth it. In it you can find around 80 statues from the socialist period, among which the red star and the statue of Lenin that was in the Largo stand out.

Bulgarian Archaeological – With Bulgaria's rich historical past, this is one of the best museums to visit in Sofia, with much of the Serdica finds.

Regional Historical Museum: located in the old thermal baths of Sofia (a beautiful building from the beginning of the 20th century), it contains an interesting collection, among which the first car that arrived in Bulgaria stands out.

National Museum of History: located in Boyana and with the possibility of buying a ticket combined with the church, it contains historical objects from Bulgaria since the time of the Thracians.

National Gallery of Sofia: located in the old Royal Palace, in it we can find around 50,000 pieces of Bulgarian art. It is the largest art collection in the country.

Other routes made in Bulgaria are:

Malyovitsa peak and hut. Lake Elensko. Allen Mak. Rila NP. Bulgaria
Borovest. Alekovo and Musalensky lakes. Musala Peak. Rila Mountains. Bulgaria
Bezborg Lake. Peaks Polezhan and Bezbog. Pirin National Park. Bulgaria
Lake and Muratovo peak. Pirin Mountains. Bulgaria
Peaks Vihren and Kutelos. koncheto crest. Pirin NP. Bulgaria
Okoto and Ribno lakes. Pirin National Park. Bulgaria
Walk through the city of Sofia. Bulgaria
Rila Monastery. Bulgaria