Sofia was founded over 3000 years ago and was at its pinnacle in terms of regional power in the 4th century. The Bulgars who give this region its current name did not arrive until the 9th century. Unfortunately, much of the legacy of this period disappeared during the Turkish occupation, that lasted from 1396-1878. However, it doesn’t detract from what the city has to offer today’s visitor.
The majority of Sofia’s tourist attractions are centrally located and you can easily walk between them. In the city centre, you will find the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This Eastern Orthodox church was built in honour of St Alexander Nevsky, a prince famed for 13th century military victories over Germany and Sweden.
One church that does survive from before the Turkish Occupation is the thirteenth-century Boyana Church which is now on the UNESCO heritage list. The church is actually a collection of three buildings, the first built in the 10th century. The frescoes in this second church, painted in 1259, make it one of the most important churches housing collections of medieval paintings. This site is one of the most complete and perfectly preserved monuments of east European medieval art.
Mosques were an important feature of old Sofia, the Archeological Museum is housed in a 15th century mosque and you can unofficially visit the The Banya Bashi Mosque built in 1576 by Mimar Sinan, who also designed the great mosque at Edirne in Turkey. Behind the Mosque are Sofia’s mineral baths. Sadly it no longer operates as public baths, but the Sofia Regional Historical Museum is housed in part of the building. It is still possible to taste the hot, sulphurous water from public taps nearby.
Whilst in Sofia, you should not pass up the opportunity to visit the Russian Church or to give it, its full title, The Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker. Built on the site of a mosque in the early twentieth century, the Russian Church is a stunning golden-domed building with an emerald spire and an exuberant mosaic-tiled exterior, which conceals a dark, candle-scented interior. Construction started of what was the church on the Russian Embassy in 1907 and completed in 1914. The Russian government takes on the responsibility for the upkeep of the church and its renovations. The church remained open even after the Russian revolution and all through the Communist era.