Patriarch Evtimiy Square

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Patriarch Evtimiy Square  (Bulgarian: площад “Патриарх Евтимий”, ploshtad “Patriarh Evtimiy”), more popularly known as Popa (Попа, “The Priest”), is a small urban square and a busy intersection in the centre of Sofia. The square was named after Evtimiy of Tarnovo, Patriarch of Bulgaria from 1375 to 1393 and one of the most important figures of medieval Bulgaria; a monument to Evtimiy by sculptor Marko Markov has adorned the square since 1939.

Patriarch Evtimiy Square is located at the crossing of the car-free Graf Ignatiev Street, Vasil Levski Boulevard and Patriarch Evtimiy Boulevard, which branches off Vasil Levski at the square. Due to its central location, it is a very popular meeting point. The Odeon Cinema lies in the western part of the square and the Bulgartabac headquarters lie to the south of it.

The Sofia Court House

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The Sofia Court House (Bulgarian: Съдебна палата, Sadebna palata) is a building in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, accommodating all the courts in the city. Stylistically a simplistic yet monumental structure, it is located on 2 Vitosha Boulevard, surrounded by Alabin Street, Laveleye Street and Positano Street.

The need for a common building to house all the courts in Sofia was raised in 1926 with the foundation of the Judicial Buildings fund. Construction began in 1929 and finished in 1940. While it was the first structure in this strict monumental style in the city, it was followed by the Bulgarian National Bank in the 1930s and the Largo in the 1950s. The initial architectural plan was the work of Nikola Lazarov, later redesigned by Pencho Koychev. The Court House has a syenite plinth, a facing of white limestone and a noticeable cornice below the top floor. The four-storey building (with two additional underground floors) spreads over a ground area of 8,500 square metres and has 430 premises, of which 24 courtrooms, a library and a bank hall, totalling 48,000 square metres of used area.

The facade features five large gates and 12 columns. In its style, the Court House is eclectic, uniting several Classical themes, with a fourth floor instead of a baluster, as well as Roman and Byzantine style decorations on the doors, windows and corbels.

In the period 1980-1998 the building housed the National museum of history.

Municipal cultural institute – House of Culture “Sredets”

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2A, Krakra Str.

Winner of the badge “Golden Book” and Golden Seal awarded by the Council of Europe’s scientific and cultural community to contribute to the development of Bulgarian culture

House of Culture “Sredets” is the successor of the Municipal Youth Center, opened in 1974.

The home of culture is one of the most popular areas of traditional and contemporary art and culture in the country. Thanks to its good location in the city center and its hospitality to the bands and artists with different aesthetics and different ages, it is a continual source of new ideas and initiatives convenient for contacts, creative exchange and events.

The objectives of the Sredets house of culture include storage, production and dissemination of cultural values realized in the following areas:

• Artistic – organizes all music artists, theatrical and concert performances of the team back home and abroad: concerts, celebrations, competitions, festivals, exhibitions, etc.

• Advertising and Information – promote the activities of the House through printed materials, souvenirs, media coverage, PR events

• Educational Qualifications – organizes courses on various topics and duration, schools, discussions, lectures, seminars and more.

• Administrative and Business – provides administrative and financial services

The University Library at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”

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15, Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd.

The University Library at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” is one of the biggest scientific libraries in Bulgaria; it offers services that combine the traditions and the modern technologies that made it a modern library and information, cultural and educational center. It was opened in 1888 at the same time as the Institute of Higher Education in Sofia and today it plays a major role in the development of Bulgarian Science and Education.

The first Rector of the University, Aleksander Teodorov-Balan put the question for immediate creating of a library, it had to satisfy the needs of lecturers and students of scientific literature.

It was designed by the famous architects Iv. Vasiliov and D. Tzolov. The new building of the University Library opened in December 1934 and it was declared a cultural monument.

The opening hours are Monday-Friday 8-20 h, Saturday 8-18h.

Central library with BAS

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1, 15^th November Str.

The establishment of the Central library with BAS dates back to 1869 as a book collection to the Bulgarian Book Club later named Bulgarian Academy of Science. It has been based in Braila, Romania. In 1873 was made the first catalog of the 2761 book volumes.

In 1879 th Library relocates to Sofia. Gradually the systematization and the computerization begins, and in 2003 was made an online catalog.

In 2004 the Library starts active collaboration with leading libraries in the country and abroad.

Currently the Library maintains the book stock and of the 49 special libraries of the Academy that counts 1 905 253 volumesл

Ancient temple “St. Petka Stara”

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The temple “St Petka Stara (St Petka The Old) is dedicated to the Thracian reverend Paraskeva, born in Epivat, who lived in 11^th century. On the Southern gate of the church there is a table “Ancient temple St. Petka, 1241” That means that during 1241 the temple has been either renovated, or newly build on old foundations in honor of bringing the relics of reverend Paraskeva-Petka on Bulgarian territory – in Tarnovo.

According to some sources the church has been a palace church long before that.

The Monument to the Unknown Soldier

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The Monument to the Unknown Soldier (Bulgarian: Паметник на Незнайния воин, Pametnik na Neznayniya voin) is a monument in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, located just next to the 6th-century Church of St Sophia, on 2 Paris Street. The monument commemorates the hundreds of thousands of Bulgarian soldiers who died in wars defending their homeland.

The monument was designed by architect Nikola Nikolov and opened on September 22, 1981, the 1300th anniversary of establishment of the Bulgarian state.

The Monument to the Unknown Soldier features an eternal flame, turf from Stara Zagora and Shipka Pass, sites of two of the most important battles of the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation (the Battle of Stara Zagora and the Battle of Shipka Pass), a sculpture of a lion (a national symbol of Bulgaria) by the noted sculptor Andrey Nikolov, as well as a stone inscription of a stanza (part of The New Graveyard Above Slivnitsa 1885 poem) by the national writer Ivan Vazov:

БЪЛГАРИЙО, ЗА ТЕБЕ ТЕ УМРЯХА,

ЕДНА БЕ ТИ ДОСТОЙНА ЗАРАД ТЯХ

И ТЕ ЗА ТЕБ ДОСТОЙНИ, МАЙКО, БЯХА!

O BULGARIA, FOR YOU THEY DIED,

ONLY ONE WERE YOU WORTHY OF THEM

AND THEY OF YOU WORTHY, O MOTHER, WERE!

Borisova gradina

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Borisova gradina or Knyaz-Borisova gradina (Bulgarian: Борисова градина or Княз-Борисова градина, translated as Boris’ Garden or Knyaz Boris’ Garden) is the oldest and best known park in Sofia . Its construction and arrangement began in 1884 and it is named after Bulgarian Tsar Boris III.

Initially the park was in the outskirts of Sofia, and later became in its center. Today in the park are located the Vasil Levski and Bulgarian army stadiums, as well as the pool Maria Luisa.

It was first named Nursery garden, and later Pipiniera. After the birth of the Prince was named Boris’ garden.

In 1882, the then mayor of Sofia Ivan Hadzhienov brought Swiss gardener Daniel Neff from Bucharest with the intention to create a garden for the capital of Bulgaria.

Neff developed the first plan of the garden in the spring of 1882, set up the nursery and built a house for himself, starting construction in 1884.

Alsatian Joseph Frei was appointed manager of all gardens and parks of Sofia in 1906. He reorganized Borisova gradina according to his own plan further developing the one of Neff. In carrying out this plan Frei planted the two main alleys in the lower part of the garden, the linden and chestnut one, and opened the wide central and two side alleys in the upper part, from the children’s playground to the Fish Lake.

In the beginning of 20^th century was built the Ariana lake, which was the first one in Sofia with boats in it. During the winter it is used for ice-skating. The park also has tennis courts, monuments, fountains and kids playgrounds.

The monastery in Obradovtsy “St. Mina”

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(minibus 11 from Lion’s bridge, metro-exit Maria Luisa)

The monastery is built next to Vladayska river in the former village of Obradovtsy, now district of Sofia. The telephone for contact is (02) 936 69 99

According to the legends the monastery St. Mina has been built in late-Roman era. In 11^th century on that place there was a big monasterial complex with 40 chapels, many buildings and a religious school, as well as women monastery of Sveta Gora.

In medieval times the monastery is part of Sofia’s Mala Sveta gora (“Liltle Sveta Gora”) – a ring of monasteries around the capital. The crusades and ottoman attacks destroyed the monastery, but the memory and legends of the saint-warrior Mina remain. During the construction of Valadayska river’s bed were found buildings’ foundations and other small parts of houses. In 1927 peasants by accident have found remains of the ancient monastery and in 1942-1945 the Obradovsky monastery is rebuilt in its old look. During that period has been built the church and few other chapels. In one of those, named after SS Kozma and Damyan there is a spring with holy water.

On every 11^th of November there us a fest dedicated to the great Saint Mina. The legends says that Mina was an Egyptian, who served in the Roman army during the rule of emperors Dyocletian and Maximilian. He died as a martyr for the Christian faith, because he refused to give a victim to the pagan idols.

Monument of Stefan Stambolov

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Stefan Nikolov Stambolov (Bulgarian: Стефан Николов Стамболов) ( 31 January 1854 – 6 July 1895) was a Bulgarian politician, who served as Prime Minister and regent. He was also a poet and journalist. Stambolov took part in Stara Zagora’s uprising attempt in 1875, as well as in April’s uprising in 1876. During his rule (1887-1894) he stabilized the country and made the basis for the future growth

He is considered one of the most important and popular “Founders of Modern Bulgaria”, and is sometimes referred to as “the Bulgarian Bismarck”.