Sofia is the capital and largest city of
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
and the
12th largest cityThis is a list of the largest cities in the European Union by population within city limits which have more than 300,000 inhabitants. It deals exclusively with the areas within city administrative boundaries as opposed to urban areas or metropolitan areas, which are generally larger in terms of...
by population in the
European UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...
, with 1.4 million people living in the Capital Municipality. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount
VitoshaVitosha is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the tourists symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous...
, and is the administrative, cultural, economic, and educational centre of the country.
One of the oldest cities in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
, the history of Serdica-Sredets-Sofia can be traced back some 7000 years; prehistoric settlements were excavated in the centre of the present city, near the
royal palaceThe National Art Gallery is Bulgaria's national gallery and houses over 50,000 pieces of Bulgarian art...
, as well as in outer districts such as Slatina and Obelia. The well preserved town walls (especially their substructures) from antiquity date back before the
7th century BCThe 7th century BC started the first day of 700 BC and ended the last day of 601 BC.The Assyrian Empire continued to dominate the near east during this century, exercising formidable power over neighbors like Babylon and Egypt. In the last two decades of the century, however, the empire began to...
, when
ThraciansThe ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes who spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
established their city next to the most important and highly respected mineral spring, still functioning today. Sofia has had several names in the different periods of its existence, and remnants of the city's millenary history can still be seen today alongside modern landmarks.
Names
Sofia was first mentioned in the sources as
Serdica in relation to
Marcus Licinius CrassusMarcus Licinius Crassus was a Roman general and politician who commanded Sulla's decisive victory at Colline gate, suppressed the slave revolt led by Spartacus and entered into a secret pact, known as the First Triumvirate, with Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Gaius Julius Caesar...
' campaigns in 29 BC. The name
Serdica or
Sardica (Σερδική, Σαρδική) was popular in
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
,
Ancient GreekAncient Greek is the historical stage in the development of the Greek language spanning across the Archaic , Classical , and Hellenistic periods of ancient Greece and the ancient world. It is predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
and
Byzantine GreekMedieval Greek, also known as Byzantine Greek is a cover term for all forms of the Greek language that were spoken and written during the time of the Byzantine Empire...
sources from Antiquity and
the Middle AgesThe Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus...
; it was related to the local Celtic tribe of the
SerdiThe Serdi were a Celtic tribe inhabiting Thrace. They were located around Serdika, now Sofia in modern Bulgaria. They established themselves in this area during the Celtic migrations at the end of the 4th century BC. There is no evidene for their existence before the 1st century BC...
. The name was last used in the 19th century in a Bulgarian text,
Service and hagiography of Saint George the New of Sofia:
ВЪ САРДАКІИ. Another of Sofia's names,
Triaditsa (Τριάδιτζα), was mentioned in Greek medieval sources. The Bulgarian name
Sredets (
СРѢДЄЦЪ), an adaptation of
Serdica, first appeared in the
11th-centuryAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century is the period from 1001 to 1100 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era.
...
Vision of Daniel and was widely used in the Middle Ages. The current name
Sofia was first used in the
14th-centuryAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was the century which lasted from 1301 to 1400.-Events:* The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age...
Vitosha Charter of Bulgarian tsar
Ivan ShishmanIvan Shishman ruled as emperor of Bulgaria in Tarnovo 1371-1395. He was born about 1350/1, and was executed on June 3, 1395.-Life:...
or in a
RagusanThe Republic of Ragusa, or Republic of Dubrovnik, was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia , that existed from the 14th century AD until the year 1808...
merchant's notes of 1376; it refers to the famous Hagia Sophia Church, an ancient church in the city named after the Christian concept of the
Holy WisdomHoly Wisdom, also called Divine Wisdom is the theological idea that perfect Wisdom is to be found in God alone....
. Although
Sredets remained in use until the late 18th century,
Sofia gradually overcame the Slavic name in popularity. During the Ottoman rule it was called Sofya by the Turkish population.
Geography
Sofia's development as a significant settlement owes much to its central position in the
BalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. It is situated in western Bulgaria, at the northern foot of the
VitoshaVitosha is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the tourists symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous...
mountain, in the
Sofia ValleyThe Sofia Valley is a valley in central western Bulgaria, bordering Stara Planina to the northeast, the Viskyar, Lyulin, Vitosha and Lozen mountains to the southwest, the Vakarel Mountain to the southeast and the low Slivnitsa Heights to the northwest.After the valley's bottom was formed, the...
that is surrounded by mountains on all sides. The valley is the largest one in the country with territory of and average altitude of . Three
mountain passIn a range of hills, or especially of mountains, a pass is a path that allows to cross a mountain chain, it is usually a saddle point in between two areas of higher elevation. If following the lowest possible route through a range, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
es lead to the city, which have been key roads since antiquity, connecting the
Adriatic SeaThe Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. The Adriatic Sea is a part of the Mediterranean Sea...
and
Central EuropeCentral Europe is the region lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. The term and widespread interest in the region itself came back into fashion after the end of the Cold War, which, along with the Iron Curtain, had divided Europe politically into East and West,...
with the
Blackur a loser!The Black Sea is an inland sea bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and various straits. The Bosporus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects it to...
and
Aegean SeaThe Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey respectively. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
s.
A number of low rivers cross the city, including the
VladaiskaThe Vladaya River is a river in western Bulgaria, a tributary to the Iskar River.The river flows from the northwestern slopes of Cherni Vrah on Vitosha Mountain, crossing Torfeno Branishte Nature Reserve, then submerging beneath Zlatnite Mostove Stone River, turning to the northeast at the village...
and the
PerlovskaThe Perlovska Reka is a small river in the Sofia Valley in western Bulgaria. The river is only long. It takes its source from the foothills of Vitosha, runs through Sofias South Park, separates the two lanes of Evlogi Georgiev Boulevard, runs through the neighbourhood Poduyane, and finally flows...
. The
Iskar RiverThe Iskar is, with a length of 368 km, the longest river that runs solely in Bulgaria, and a tributary of the Danube.The Iskar is formed by three rivers, the Cherni Iskar, Beli Iskar and Levi Iskar , with the source being accepted to be the Prav Iskar, a tributary of the Cherni Iskar...
in its upper course flows
near easternNear East today is an ambiguous term that covers different countries for archeologists and historians, on one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
Sofia. The city is known for its numerous
mineralA spring is any natural occurrence where water flows on to the surface of the earth from below the surface, and is thus where the aquifer surface meets the ground surface.- Formation :...
and
thermalA hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are hot springs all over the earth, on every continent and even under the oceans and seas.-Definitions:...
springs. Artificial and dam lakes were built in the last century.
It is located northwest of
PlovdivPlovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia, with a population of 380,312. Known in ancient times as Philippoupolis, it is the administrative center of Plovdiv Province in southern Bulgaria and three municipalities and Bulgaria's Yuzhen tsentralen planning region , as well as the...
,
Bulgaria's second largest city, west of
BurgasBurgas is the second-largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast with population 210,260. It is also the fourth-largest by population in the country, after Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna...
west of
VarnaVarna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and in Northern Bulgaria, third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, and 77th-largest in the European Union, with a population of 355,450 .Commonly referred to as the marine capital of Bulgaria, Varna is a...
, Bulgaria's major port-cities on the
Bulgarian Black Sea CoastThe Bulgarian Black Sea Riviera covers the entire eastern bound of Bulgaria stretching from the Romanian Black Sea Riviera in the north to European Turkey in the south, along 378 km of coastline. White and golden sandy beaches occupy approximately 130 km of the 378 km long coast...
. The city is situated at less than from the borders with three countries: from
KalotinaKalotina is a village in Dragoman municipality, Sofia Province, in westernmost central Bulgaria. As of 2005 it has 282 inhabitants and the mayor is Mariya Naydenova. The village is located at the border with Serbia, 55 km to the northwest of the capital Sofia, on the main highway and railway...
on the
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
n border, from
GyueshevoGyueshevo is a village in Kyustendil municipality, Kyustendil Province, in western Bulgaria. the population is 275 and the mayor is Stoyne Maksimov. The village is located on the border with the Republic of Macedonia and is the most important of the three border checkpoints between the two...
on the frontier with the
Republic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country in the central Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and from the
GreekGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
border at
KulataKulata is a village in Petrich municipality, Blagoevgrad Province, in southwestern Bulgaria. it has 892 inhabitants and the mayor is Dimitar Manolev. The village is a major border checkpoint on the border with Greece...
.
Climate
Sofia has a
humid continental climateThe humid continental climate is a climate found over large areas of landmasses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. The humid continental climate is marked by variable weather patterns and a large seasonal...
(Koppen
Cfb) with high temperature amplitudes. The hottest month is August while January is the coldest. Up to 1936 the average annual temperature was and since then it has risen by +0.5 °C (+1 °F). The city receives around annual precipitation with summer maximum and winter minimum. The temperatures in Sofia generally remain cooler than other parts of Bulgaria in summer, due to the high altitude of the valley in which it is situated. However temperatures can still reach up to 40 °C on occasions.
Antiquity
Sofia was originally a
ThracianThe ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes who spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
settlement called
Serdica, or
Sardica, possibly named after the Celtic tribe
SerdiThe Serdi were a Celtic tribe inhabiting Thrace. They were located around Serdika, now Sofia in modern Bulgaria. They established themselves in this area during the Celtic migrations at the end of the 4th century BC. There is no evidene for their existence before the 1st century BC...
. For a short period during the
4th century BCThe 4th century BC started the first day of 400 BC and ended the last day of 300 BC. It is considered part of the Classical era, epoch, or historical period.-Overview:This century marked the height of Classical Greek civilization in all of its aspects...
, the city was ruled by
Philip of MacedonPhilip II of Macedon, Philip II of Macedon, Philip II of Macedon, ( — φίλος = friend + ίππος = horse — transliterated 382 – 336 BC, was an ancient Greek king (basileus) of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip...
and his son
Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon, popularly known as Alexander the Great , was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history...
.
Around BC 29, Serdica was conquered by the
RomansAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. It became a
municipium, or centre of an administrative region, during the reign of Emperor
TrajanMarcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan , was a Roman Emperor who reigned from A. D. 98 until his death in A. D. 117...
(98-117) and was renamed
Ulpia Serdica.
It seems that the first written mention of Serdica was made by
PtolemyClaudius Ptolemaeus , known in English as Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Greek ancestry. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer and a poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under the Roman Empire, and is believed to have been born in the town of...
(around
100 ADYear 100 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.-Roman Empire:* Bricks become the primary building material in the Roman Empire....
).
Serdica (Sardica) expanded, as
turretIn architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
s, protective walls,
public bathsPublic baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. Often the term public is misleading to some people, as they will have restrictions based upon who can use the facility — elite members of the culture, men only, religious only, etc...
, administrative and cult buildings, a civic
basilicaThe Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building , usually located in the forum of a Roman town. In Hellenistic cities, public basilicas appeared in the 2nd century BC.Basilicas were also used for religious purposes...
, an
amphitheatreAn amphitheatre is an open-air venue for spectator sports, concerts, rallies, or theatrical performances. There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word 'amphitheatre' is used: Ancient amphitheatres, built by the ancient Romans, were large central performance spaces...
- the
City CouncilA city council is the legislative body that governs a city, municipality or local government area.-Australia:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council may vary slightly...
(Boulé), a large Forum, a big Circus (Theatre), etc. were built. When Emperor
DiocletianGaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus , born Diocles and commonly known as Diocletian , was Roman Emperor from 20 November 284 to 1 May 305. Born to a Dalmatian family of low status, he rose through the ranks of the military to become cavalry commander to the emperor Carus...
divided the province of
DaciaIn ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land in East-Central Europe inhabited by the Dacians. Ancient Greeks called the same people "Getae"...
into Dacia Ripensis (at the banks of the
DanubeThe Danube is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg rivers which join at the German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows...
) and
Dacia MediterraneaRoman Dacia, also Dacia Traiana or Dacia Felix, was a province of the Roman Empire . Its territory consisted of eastern and southeastern Transylvania, the Banat, and Oltenia . Dacia was from the very beginning organized as an imperial province and remained so throughout the Roman occupation...
, Serdica became the capital of
Dacia MediterraneaRoman Dacia, also Dacia Traiana or Dacia Felix, was a province of the Roman Empire . Its territory consisted of eastern and southeastern Transylvania, the Banat, and Oltenia . Dacia was from the very beginning organized as an imperial province and remained so throughout the Roman occupation...
. The city subsequently expanded for a century and a half, it became a significant political and economical centre, moreso — it became one of the first roman cities where Christianity was recognized as an
official religionA state religion is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. Practically, a state without a state religion is called a secular state. The term state church is associated with Christianity, and is sometimes used to denote a specific national branch of Christianity...
(Еmperor
GaleriusGalerius Maximianus , formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311.-Early life:...
). So it was only very natural that
Constantine the GreatCaesar Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus , commonly known in English as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine , was Roman emperor from 306, and the sole holder of that office from 324 until his death in...
called Serdica (Sardica) "My Rome". In 343 A.D. , the
Council of SardicaThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Sofia and Plovdiv is a Roman Catholic diocese of the Latin Rite, which includes the whole southern part of Bulgaria. The remainder of Bulgaria is comprised in the Diocese of Nicopoli. The seat of the episcopal see is in Plovdiv. The diocese is immediately subject of...
was held in the city, in a church located where the current
6th centuryThe 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era. In the West this century marks the end of Classical Antiquity and the beginning of the Middle Ages.- Overview :...
Church of Saint Sofia was later built. Serdica was of moderate size, but magnificent as an urban concept of planning and architecture, with abundant amusements and an active social life. It flourished during the reign of
Byzantine Emperor Justinian IFlavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ; AD 483 – 13 or 14 November 565, known in English as Justinian I or Justinian the Great, was the second member of the Justinian Dynasty and Eastern Roman Emperor from 527 until his death...
, when it was surrounded with great fortress walls whose remnants can still be seen today.
The city was destroyed by the
HunsThe Huns were a group of nomadic pastoral people who, appearing from beyond the Volga, migrated into Europe c.AD 370 and built up an enormous empire in Europe. They were possibly the descendants of the Xiongnu who had been northern neighbours of China three hundred years before and may be the first...
in 447 but was rebuilt by
JustinianFlavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ; AD 483 – 13 or 14 November 565, known in English as Justinian I or Justinian the Great, was the second member of the Justinian Dynasty and Eastern Roman Emperor from 527 until his death...
and for a while called
Triaditsa or
Sredets by the
slavonic tribesThe Slavic Peoples are an ethnic and linguistic branch of Indo-European peoples, living mainly in eastern and central Europe. From the early 6th century they spread from their original homeland to inhabit most of eastern Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Balkans...
.
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Middle Ages
Sofia first became part of the
First Bulgarian EmpireThe First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in AD 632 in the lands near the Danube Delta and disintegrated in AD 1018 after its annexation to the Byzantine Empire. At the height of its power it spread between Budapest and the Black Sea and from the Dnieper river in modern...
during the reign of Khan Krum in 809 after a long
siegeThe Siege of Serdica took place in the spring of 809 at modern Sofia, Bulgaria. As a result, the city was permanently included in the Bulgarian State.- Origins of the conflict :...
. Afterwards, it was known by the
BulgarianThe Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
name
Sredets and grew into an important fortress and administrative centre. After the fall of North-eastern Bulgaria under
John I TzimiskesJohn I Tzimiskes or Tzimisces, was Byzantine Emperor from December 11, 969 to January 10, 976...
' armies in 971, the Bulgarian Patriarch Damyan chose Sofia for his seat in the next year. After a number of unsuccessful sieges, the city fell to the
Byzantine EmpireThe Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople, and ruled by Emperors in direct and de jure succession to the ancient Roman Emperors...
in 1018, but once again was incorporated into the
restored Bulgarian EmpireThe Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually declining to be conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
at the time of Tsar
Ivan Asen IIvan Asen I ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1189-1196. The year of his birth is unknown.-Life:...
.
From the 12th to the 14th century, Sofia was a thriving centre of trade and crafts. It is possible that it has been called by the common population
Sofia (meaning "wisdom" in
Ancient GreekAncient Greek is the historical stage in the development of the Greek language spanning across the Archaic , Classical , and Hellenistic periods of ancient Greece and the ancient world. It is predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
) about 1376 after the Church of St. Sofia. However, in different testimonies it was called both "Sofia" and "Sredets" until the end of the 19th century. In 1382 Sofia (Sofya in Turkish) was seized by the
Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
in the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars - after a long siege the city was captured with treason. The new name — Sofia, replaced the old one — Sredets, after the liberation of the city from Turkish rule in 1878. Quite some time after 1878 there was a strong will, expressed by Bulgarian committees, to keep the name Sredets, but the Russian administration accepted Sofia.
Ottoman rule
After the campaign of Władysław III of Poland in 1443 towards Sofia, the city's Christian elite was annihilated and became the capital of the
Ottoman provinceThe subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire were administrative divisions of the state organisation of the Ottoman Empire based on military administration but with civil executive functions as well. Outside this system were various types of vassal and tributary states. There were two main eras of...
(beylerbeylik) of
RumeliaRumelia or Rumeli is a Turkish name, used from the 15th century onwards, for the southern Balkan regions of the Ottoman Empire...
for more than 4 centuries, which encouraged many Turks to settle there. In the 16th century Sofia's urban layout and appearance began to exhibit a clear Ottoman style, with many mosques, fountains and
hamams (bathhouses). During that time the town had a population of around 7,000 which rose to 55,000 by the mid 17th century.
The town was seized for several weeks by Bulgarian
haiduksHajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans.Forms of the word in various languages include:...
in 1599. In 1610 the Vatican established the See of Sofia for Catholics of
RumeliaRumelia or Rumeli is a Turkish name, used from the 15th century onwards, for the southern Balkan regions of the Ottoman Empire...
, which existed until 1715 when most Catholics had emigrated. In the 16th century there were 126 Jewish households, and there has been a synagogue in Sofia since 967. She was the center of Sofya Eyalet (1826-1864).
End of Ottoman Rule
Sofia was taken by
Russian forcesThe Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917.-Precursors: Regiments of the New Order:...
on January 4, 1878, during the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78, and became the capital of the autonomous
Principality of BulgariaThe Principality of Bulgaria was a self-governing entity created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. The preliminary treaty of San Stefano between the Russian Empire and the Porte , on March 3, had originally proposed a significantly larger Bulgarian territory: its...
in 1879, which became the
Kingdom of BulgariaThe Kingdom of Bulgaria was established on October 5, 1908 when the Principality of Bulgaria officially proclaimed itself independent from the Ottoman Empire and was elevated to the style of kingdom. This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had...
in 1908. It was proposed as a capital by
Marin DrinovProfessor Marin Stoyanov Drinov was a Bulgarian historian and philologist from the National Revival period who lived and worked in Russia through most of his life...
and was accepted as such on 3 April, 1879. By the time of its liberation the population of the city was 11,649. For a few decades after the liberation the city experienced large population growth mainly from other regions of the country.
In 1925 the
St Nedelya Church assaultThe St Nedelya Church assault was a terrorist attack on St. Nedelya Church in Bulgaria. It was carried out on 16 April 1925, when a group of the Bulgarian Communist Party blew up the roof of the St Nedelya Church in the capital Sofia. This occurred during the funeral service of General Konstantin...
was carried out by the
Bulgarian Communist PartyThe Bulgarian Communist Party was the name of the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a Communist state...
which claimed the lives of 170 people and injured another 500.
During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Sofia was
bombed by Allied aircraftThe Bulgarian capital of Sofia suffered a series of Allied bombing raids during World War II, from late 1943 to early 1944.Bulgaria declared a token war on the United Kingdom and the United States on 13 December 1941...
in late 1943 and early 1944. As a consequence of the invasion of the
SovietThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
Red ArmyThe Red Army The Red Army The Red Army was the Soviet government’s revolutionary militia beginning in the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the USSR. Since 1946, after the Second World War, it was called the Soviet Army.The 'Red...
, Bulgaria's government, which was allied with
GermanyNazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany between 1933 and 1945, while it was led by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Worker's Party . The name Third Reich refers to the state as the successor to the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages and the German...
, was overthrown. Like
PraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" , "city of a hundred spires", or Stověžatá Praha in Czech and "the golden city" or Zlaté město in Czech.Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the...
,
WarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains. Its population as of 2009 was estimated at 1,709,781, and the Warsaw metropolitan area at approximately 2,785,000...
,
BucharestBucharest is the capital city, industrial and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmboviţa River....
etc. Sofia became a capital of the Communist-ruled
People's RepublicThe People's Republic of Bulgaria was the official name of the Bulgarian state from 1946 to 1990, when it was under the rule of the Bulgarian Communist Party . Bulgaria was an Eastern Bloc country and a Soviet ally during the Cold War, a member of the Warsaw Pact and the Comecon...
. The population of Sofia expanded at high rates because of the
collectivisation of agricultureCollective farming is an organization of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise. A collective farm is essentially an agricultural production cooperative in which members-owners engage jointly in farming activities...
and the related land dispossession of people in the province, and also because a large emphasis was placed on the industrial development of the city — many new large factories and
manufacturing plantsA factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where workers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
were built in and around it. The city expansion accelerated after 1958 when the collectivisation and the construction of the huge
Kremikovtsi Steel ComplexKremikovtzi AD is Bulgaria's largest metalworking company. The construction of its facilities began on 5 November 1960 and the first production capacities were put into operation in 1963 to produce cast iron and coke, with production extending to cover other areas in the 1960s and 1970s...
near Sofia were completed. That led to the creation of many new neighbourhoods and the expansion of the
public transportPublic transport comprises passenger transportation services which are available for use by the general public, as opposed to modes for private use such as automobiles or vehicles for hire.Public transport services are usually funded by fares charged to each passenger, with varying levels of subsidy...
network.
Administration
The city of Sofia is one of 28
Provinces of BulgariaSince 1999, Bulgaria has been divided into 28 provinces which correspond approximately to the 28 okrugs that existed before 1987. From 1987 until 1999, beginning with the Communist administration of Todor Zhivkov, the okrugs were consolidated into nine larger oblasts.Each oblast is named after...
(not to be confused with
Sofia ProvinceSofia Province is a province of Bulgaria. It borders three sides of the city of Sofia , but does not include it....
, which surrounds but does not include the city). Besides the city of Sofia, the capital province encompasses three other cities and 34 villages, being split into a total of 24 municipalities. Each municipality has a head person who is elected in a popular election. The head of the county is its mayor. The assembly members are chosen every four years. The current
mayor of Sofia is Minko Gerdzhikov.
Municipalities of Sofia City:
| Rank |
Name |
Unemployment (2004, %) |
Population |
Type |
| 1 |
BankyaBankya is a town and municipality in western Bulgaria. It is administratively part of greater Sofia and is close to Pernik and the city of Sofia....
|
10.4 |
9,186 |
Town |
| 2 |
Vitosha Vitosha is one of the 24 municipalities in Sofia, situated in the southern parts of the City on the foot of the Vitosha mountain. As of 2006 it has 42,953 inhabitants. The municipality includes 7 neighbourhoods: "Boyana"; "Simeonovo"; "Dragalevtsi"; "Pavlovo"; "Buckstone"; "Manastirski Livadi" and...
|
3.5 |
42,953 |
Suburban |
| 3 |
Vrabnitsa Vrabnitsa is a municipality in the City of Sofia, located in the western part of the Sofia region. It has a population of 47,417.Moderno Predgradie ,Vrabnitsa & Obelia are the neighbourhoods in Vrabnitsa Region....
|
4.6 |
47,417 |
Urban |
| 4 |
VazrazhdaneVazrazhdane is an urban municipality in the centre of Sofia. it has 47,794 inhabitants. The municipal area is or 2,5% of the total capital area. It has several neighbourhoods: the Zones B-2, B-3, B-4, B-5, B-18 and B-19 as well as Serdika...
|
5.3 |
47,794 |
Urban |
| 5 |
Izgrev |
3.1 |
33,611 |
Urban |
| 6 |
Ilinden Ilinden is an urban municipality of Sofia, located in the western parts of the City. it has 37,256 inhabitants. There are four neighbourhoods: "Zaharna Fabrika", "Gevgeliiski", "Sveta Troitsa" and "Ilinden"....
|
4.5 |
37,256 |
Urban |
| 7 |
Iskar Iskar is a municipality located in the eastern parts of Sofia. As of 2006 it has 69,896 inhabitants and has an area of 25,6 km². It includes four neighbourhoods: "Druzhba 1", "Druzhba 2", "Dimitar Milenkov" and Abdovitsa as well as the village of Busmantsi...
|
3.9 |
69,896 |
Urban |
| 8 |
Krasna polyana Krasna Polyana is an urban municipality in the western parts of Sofia. it has 65,442 inhabitants. The municipality includes six neighbourhoods: "Ilinden"; "Zapaden park"; "Razsadnika"; "Krasna Polyana" 1, 2 ,3. There are many green areas especially in the neighbourhood of "Zapaden Park" as the...
|
9.2 |
65,442 |
Urban |
| 9 |
Krasno selo Krasno selo is a municipality and neighbourhoood of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, located in the western part of the city. The main thoroughfare in the neighbourhood is Tsar Boris III Boulevard....
|
3.7 |
72,302 |
Urban |
| 10 |
Kremikovtsi Kremikovtsi is an industrial municipality of Sofia, Bulgaria. It is located to the northeast of the capital. The Kremikovtsi Steel Complex which is close to the neighbourhood is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Bulgaria and the Balkans...
|
5.8 |
23,599 |
Suburban |
| 11 |
LozenetsLozenets is an urban municipality located in the southern parts of the City of Sofia. it has 45,630 inhabitants.Lozenets is an attractive residential area with aesthetic new buildings as well as many communist-era apartment blocks. The area is undergoing regeneration with areas experiencing...
|
3.3 |
45,630 |
Urban |
| 12 |
Lyulin |
5.4 |
120,897 |
Urban |
| 13 |
MladostMladost is an urban municipality in Sofia. it has 110,852 inhabitants which makes it the second most populous municipality in the capital. It is among the most modern and fast developing areas of Sofia and is a good place for investment. Business Park Sofia located in one of the neighbourhoods.-...
|
4.2 |
110,852 |
Urban |
| 14 |
Nadezhda Nadezhda is an urban municipality located it the north-western parts of Sofia with an area of 19,300 decares. As of 2006 it has 77,000 inhabitants...
|
3.8 |
77,000 |
Urban |
| 15 |
Novi IskarNovi Iskar is a town in western Bulgaria, located in Sofia City Province and the Capital Municipality. It is often regarded as a suburb of Sofia and lies in the northern part of the Sofia Valley, with the gorge of the Iskar's through the Balkan Mountains beginning just north of the town.Novi...
|
4.5 |
26,544 |
Town |
| 16 |
Ovcha kupel Ovcha Kupel is a municipality located in the south-western parts of Sofia. it has 47,380 inhabitants. It is located at 6 km to the south-west of the City centre....
|
3.8 |
47,380 |
Urban |
| 17 |
OborishteOborishte is an urban municipality located in the centre of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. the population is 36,000.It has an area of 3,07 hectares, of which streets and squares encompass 59 ha, parks and gardens 47 ha, schools and kindergartens 9 ha, hospitals and polyclinics 5 ha, embassies 1.5...
|
2.8 |
36,000 |
Urban |
| 18 |
PancharevoPancharevo is a suburban municipality located in the south-eastern parts of the Capital Municipality. it has 26,000 inhabitants. It is the largest region in Sofia with total area of 364,7 km²...
|
5.3 |
24,342 |
Suburban |
| 19 |
PoduyanePoduyane or Poduene is a residential complex in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria with 85,996 inhabitants. It is located in the eastern outskirts of the city and is divided into microregions. Poduyane consists of the neighbourhoods Suhata Reka, Hadzhi Dimitar, Poduyane, Stefan Karadzha, Levski,...
|
4.5 |
85,996 |
Urban |
| 20 |
SerdikaSerdica is an urban municipality located in the center of the capital Sofia. It includes four neighbourhoods: "Fondovi zhilishta"; "Banishora", "Orlandovtsi" and "Malashevtsi" as well as the central parts of "Draz mahala". It has an area of 17.53 km² that counts for 1,3% of the total Capital...
|
3.6 |
52,918 |
Urban |
| 21 |
Slatina |
4.1 |
65,772 |
Urban |
| 22 |
Studentski grad |
2.9 |
50,368 |
Urban |
| 23 |
SredetsSredets is an urban municipality located in the very centre of the capital Sofia. it has 41,000 inhabitants. The municipality has an area of around 300 hectares or 3 km²....
|
4.0 |
41,000 |
Urban |
| 24 |
TriaditsaTriaditsa is an urban municipality located in the southern parts of Sofia. the population is 65,000. The municipality has an area of 9,8 km². It includes three neighbourhoods: "Ivan Vazov", "Strelbishte" and "Gotse Delchev".- Economy :...
|
3.7 |
65,000 |
Urban |
| |
TOTAL |
4.5 |
1,299,155 |
|
Sources:
(Population )
Demographics
According to 1999 data, the whole Capital Municipality, with a population of 1,246,651, had a population density of 917.8.
The ratio of women per 1,000 men was 1,114 and the rate of
population ageingPopulation ageing or population aging occurs when the median age of a country or region rises. With the exception of 18 countries termed by the United Nations 'demographic outliers' this process is taking place in every country and region across the globe.-Overview:Population ageing is...
was 100.3. The
birth rateCrude birth rate is the nativity or childbirths per 1,000 people per year.According to the United Nations' World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision Population Database, crude birth rate is the Number of births over a given period divided by the person-years lived by the population over that...
per 1000 people was 7.9 and steadily declining in the last 15 years, the
death rateMortality rate is a measure of the number of deaths in some population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit time. Mortality rate is typically expressed in units of deaths per 1000 individuals per year; thus, a mortality rate of 9.5 in a population of 100,000 would mean 950 deaths per...
reaching 12.2 and growing. The population was declining by 4.3 percent. However, considerable immigration to the capital from poorer regions of the country, as well as urbanization, are the reasons Sofia's population is in practice increasing. 5.7 people of every one thousand were married (only heterosexual marriage is possible in Bulgaria) and the
infant mortality rateInfant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births. The most common cause worldwide has traditionally been due to dehydration from diarrhea...
was 11 dead babies per 1,000 born alive, down from 18.9 in 1980.
According to the 2001 census, Sofia's population is made up of 96% ethnic
BulgariansThe Bulgarians are a South Slavic people, generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language. Emigration has resulted in Bulgarian minorities or immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-Ethnogenesis:...
; among minority communities, nearly 18,000 (1.5%) officially identified themselves as Roma, 6,000 as
TurkishTurks in Bulgaria constituted 9.4% of the total population in 2001 and are the largest minority group in Bulgaria. The Turks in Bulgaria are descendants of the early Turkic settlers who came from Anatolia across the narrows of the Dardanelles and the Bosporus following the Ottoman conquest of the...
, 3,000 as
RussianThe Russian people are an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, 1,700 as
ArmenianThe Armenians are a nation and ethnic group which originated in the Caucasus and the Armenian Highland. It is estimated that there are 8 million Armenians around the world. There is a large concentration of Armenians in the Caucasus, especially in Armenia, and there is a significant presence in...
, and 1,200 as
GreekThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
.
The unemployment is lower than in other parts of the country — 2.45% of the active population in 1999 and declining, compared to 7.25% for the whole of Bulgaria as of July 1, 2007 (also on the decrease). The large share of unemployed people with
higher educationHigher education refers to a level of education that is provided by universities, vocational universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, institutes of technology and other collegiate level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools and career colleges, that award academic...
, 27% as compared to 7% for the whole country, is a characteristic feature of the capital.
When Sofia was declared capital in 1879 it was the fifth-largest city in the country after
PlovdivPlovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia, with a population of 380,312. Known in ancient times as Philippoupolis, it is the administrative center of Plovdiv Province in southern Bulgaria and three municipalities and Bulgaria's Yuzhen tsentralen planning region , as well as the...
,
RuseRuse is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria with a population of near 175,600. Ruse is situated in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, 300 km from the capital Sofia and 200 km from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast...
,
VarnaVarna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and in Northern Bulgaria, third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, and 77th-largest in the European Union, with a population of 355,450 .Commonly referred to as the marine capital of Bulgaria, Varna is a...
and
ShumenShumen is a city in the northeastern part of Bulgaria, capital of Shumen Province. From 1950–1965 it was called Kolarovgrad, after Vasil Kolarov. Other English variants include Shoumen and Šumen...
. Plovdiv remained the most populous town in Bulgaria till 1892 when Sofia took the lead.
Music and nightlife
Sofia has an extensive nightlife scene with many
night clubsA nightclub is a drinking, dancing and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark. People who frequent nightclubs are known as clubbers...
, live venues, pubs,
mehaniA meyhane is a traditional restaurant or bar in Turkey or the Balkans region. It serves alcoholic beverages with meze and traditional foods. "Meyhane" is composed of two Persian words: may and χāna...
(Bulgarian traditional taverns), and restaurants. The city has played host to many world star concerts.
To name a few like
Madonna-Entertainer:* Madonna , American singer and actress** Madonna , the entertainer's first self-titled album** Madonna , a music video collection-Christianity:...
,
George MichaelGeorgios Kyriacos Panayiotou , best known as George Michael, is a two-time Grammy Award winning, English singer-songwriter, who has had a career as frontman of the duo Wham! as well as a soul-influenced, solo pop musician...
,
Kylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE is an Australian pop singer, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actor on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing her career as a recording artist in 1987...
,
Depeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic band who formed in 1980, in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andrew Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
,Metalica and many more.
Museums
Sofia houses numerous museums, notably the
National Historical MuseumThe National Historical Museum in Sofia is Bulgaria's largest museum. It was founded on 5 May 1973 and its first representative exposition was opened in 1984 to commemorate 1300 years of Bulgarian history...
, the
Bulgarian Natural History MuseumThe National Museum of Natural History of Bulgaria is a museum of natural history located in Sofia, the capital of the country on "Tzar Osvoboditel" str. next to the Russian church...
, the
Museum of Earth and MenThe Earth and Man National Museum is a mineralogical museum in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria....
, the Ethnographic Museum, the National Museum of Military History, the National Polytechnical Museum and the
National Archaeological MuseumThe National Archaeological Museum is an archaeological museum in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It occupies the building of the largest and oldest former Ottoman mosque in the city, Büyük camii , built from stone around 1474 under Mehmed II...
. In addition, there are the
Sofia City Art GalleryThe National Art Gallery is Bulgaria's national gallery and houses over 50,000 pieces of Bulgarian art...
, the
Bulgarian National Gallery of ArtsThe National Art Gallery is Bulgaria's national gallery and houses over 50,000 pieces of Bulgarian art...
, the
Bulgarian National Gallery for Foreign ArtThe National Gallery for Foreign Art of Bulgaria is a gallery located on St Alexander Nevsky Square in the capital city of Sofia. It serves as the country's national institution for foreign art. It is situated in the imposing 19th-century Neoclassic edifice of the former Royal Printing Office...
as well as numerous private art galleries.
Places of special interest
The city also offers many places of special interest such as the
Sts. Cyril and Methodius National LibraryThe SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library is the national library of Bulgaria, situated in the capital city of Sofia...
(which houses the largest national book collection and is Bulgaria's oldest cultural institute), the
Sofia State LibraryThe SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library is the national library of Bulgaria, situated in the capital city of Sofia...
, the
British CouncilThe British Council is a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation based in the United Kingdom which specialises in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is a non-departmental public body, a public corporation incorporated by royal charter, and is registered as a charity in...
, the Russian Cultural Institute, the Polish Cultural Institute, the Hungarian Institute, the Czech and the Slovak Cultural Institutes, the Italian Cultural Institute, the French Cultural Institute,
Goethe InstitutThe Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German...
,
Instituto CervantesThe Cervantes Institute is a worldwide non-profit organization created by the Spanish government in 1991. It is named after Miguel de Cervantes , the author of Don Quixote and perhaps the most important figure in the history of Spanish literature...
, and the
Open Society InstituteThe Open Society Institute , a private operating and grantmaking foundation, aims to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform. On a local level, OSI implements a range of initiatives to support the rule of law, education, public...
. The city is also known for the
Boyana ChurchThe Boyana Church is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, in the Boyana quarter...
, which is a
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...
world heritage site.
In addition, Sofia houses the
Sofia Zoological GardenSofia Zoo in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, was founded by royal decree on 1 May 1888, and is Bulgaria's oldest and largest zoological garden...
, which was founded in 1888.
Several international film productions were made here.
Vitosha BoulevardVitosha Boulevard is the main commercial street in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, which is abundant in many posh stores, restaurants and bars. It extends from the Southern Park to the St Nedelya Square...
, also called Vitoshka — ranked as the world's 22nd most expensive commercial street — represents numerous fashion boutiques and
luxury goodIn economics, a luxury good is a good for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises, in contrast to a "necessity good", for which demand is not related to income....
s stores and features exhibitions by world
fashion designFashion design is the applied art dedicated to clothing and lifestyle accessories created within the cultural and social influences of a specific time.It is considered to have a built in obsolescence usually of one to two seasons...
ers. Sofia's
geographic locationA geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified in three coordinates, using mainly a spherical coordinate system....
, situated in the foothills of the weekend retreat
VitoshaVitosha is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the tourists symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous...
mountain, further adds to the city's specific atmosphere.
Economy
Sofia is the major economic center of Bulgaria and home to most major Bulgarian and international companies operating in Bulgaria. Sofia is also the country's financial hub, home to the
Bulgarian National BankThe Bulgarian National Bank is the central bank of the Republic of Bulgaria and one of the oldest central banks in the world, established on 25 January 1879. The BNB is an independent institution responsible for issuing all banknotes and coins in the country, overseeing and regulating the banking...
, the
Bulgarian Stock ExchangeThe Bulgarian Stock Exchange - Sofia is a stock exchange operating in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It was originally founded as Sofia Stock Exchange on 15 April 1914 through a tsar's decree, but ceased to operate after the Second World War as Bulgaria became a Communist state...
, the
Financial Supervision CommissionThe Financial Supervision Commission -Chairmen:*Col Dr Edgar Mann, 1983-1985*David Cannan MHK, 1987-1989*Phil Braidwood MHK, 1999-2001*Alan Crowe MLC, 2001-2003...
as well as the headquarters of all
commercial bankA commercial bank is a type of financial intermediary and a type of bank. Commercial banking is also known as business banking. It is a bank that provides checking accounts, savings accounts, and money market accounts and that accepts time deposits. After the Great Depression, the U.S...
s operating in the country. Construction, trade and transport are other important sectors of the local economy. Increasingly, Sofia is becoming an
outsourcingOutsourcing is subcontracting a service, such as product design or manufacturing, to a third-party company. The decision whether to outsource or to do inhouse is often based upon achieving a lower production cost, making better use of available resources, focussing energy on the core competencies...
destination for
multinational companiesA multinational corporation or transnational corporation , also called multinational enterprise , is a corporation or enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country...
, among them
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation, abbreviated IBM, is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, Town of North Castle, New York, United States. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating...
,
Hewlett-PackardHewlett-Packard Company , commonly referred to as HP, is a technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States. HP has its United States offices at the former old Compaq Campus in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, Latin America offices in Miami-Dade County, Florida,...
,
SAPThe abbreviation, acronym, or initialism SAP may stand for:* Standard Assessment Procedure , a method system for measuring the energy rating of residential dwellings used in the UK....
,
Software AGFounded in 1969, Software AG is an enterprise software company with over 4,000 enterprise customers in over 70 countries. The company is the second largest software vendor in Germany, the fourth in Europe and among the top 25 globally.In addition to ADABAS database management system and the...
and
Sonyis a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
.
Fuelled by Bulgaria's sustained
economic growthEconomic growth is a term used to indicate the increase of total GDP. It is often measured as the rate of change of gross domestic product . Economic growth refers only to the quantity of goods and services produced; it says nothing about the way in which they are produced...
, the
real estate marketReal estate is a legal term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, specifically property that is fixed in location.
"Real estate" The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin...
in Sofia has skyrocketed in recent years. Apartment prices have more than tripled since 2003, with a growth rate of 30% in 2008. The
construction industryIn the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of multitasking...
has exploded with the emergence of new residential and office buildings, hotels, business parks,
shopping mallA shopping mall, shopping centre or shopping center is a building or multiple buildings consisting of a complex of shops representing leading merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a convenient parking area – a modern,...
s and logistics space. Unemployment is rather low at about 2.5% compared to the Bulgarian average of 6.25% and to levels in other European countries.
Transport and infrastructure
With its developing infrastructure and strategic location, Sofia is an important centre for international railway and automobile routes. Three Trans-European Transport Corridors cross the city: 4, 8 and 10. All major types of transport (except
water transportShip transport is watercraft carrying people or goods . Sea transport has been the largest carrier of freight throughout recorded history. Although the importance of sea travel for passengers has decreased due to aviation, it is effective for short trips and pleasure cruises...
) are represented in the city. It is home to eight
railway stationsA railway station, train station, railroad station, or station yard is a facility at which passengers may board and alight from trains, and/or where rail-transported freight may be loaded or unloaded. Historically, the term depot has also been employed in North America...
, the biggest of which is the Central Railway Station. Just next to it is the new
Central Bus StationCentral Bus Station Sofia is the main bus station of Sofia, Bulgaria. Its building was opened in 2004 and covers an area of 7,173 m², of which the waiting area is 1,500 m². The bus station has 57 ticket windows, which accept cash, debit and credit...
, the biggest and most modern of its kind in the country. A number of other Bus Stations allow interurban and international trips from different parts of the city. The
Sofia AirportSofia Airport , also known as Vrazhdebna after the village located to the north, is the main airport in Sofia, Bulgaria...
with its new second terminal, finished in 2006,
handled some 2.7 million passengers in 2007.
Public transportPublic transport comprises passenger transportation services which are available for use by the general public, as opposed to modes for private use such as automobiles or vehicles for hire.Public transport services are usually funded by fares charged to each passenger, with varying levels of subsidy...
is well-developed with bus,
tramThe Sofia tram system exists since 1 January 1901. The current length of the trams system is over 300 km using two gauge types - normal and standard. The narrow gauge is 1,009 mm wide and the standard is 1,435 mm which is Europe's normal gauge...
(153,6 km network) and trolleybus (97 km network) lines running in all areas of the city.
The
Sofia undergroundThe Sofia Metropolitan is the underground urban railway network servicing the Bulgarian capital Sofia. It is the first and only network of this kind in Bulgaria...
became operational from 1998 and is yet largely underdeveloped with one line and only 14 stations. At present one station on the first line is under construction and will become operational in September 2009. Another, second line is being build with a targeted completion date in 2012.
The masterplan for the Sofia underground includes three lines with a total of 47 stations. In recent years the
marshrutkaMarshrutka , from marshrutnoye taksi is a share taxi in the CIS countries, the Baltic states, and Bulgaria. Marshrutnoye taksi literally means routed taxicab...
, a private passenger van, began serving fixed routes and proved an efficient and popular
means of transportationMode of transport is a general term for the different kinds of transport facilities that are often used to transport people or cargo....
by being faster than public transport but cheaper than taxis. As of 2005 these vans numbered 368 and serviced 48 lines around the city and suburbs. There are some 6,000 licensed
taxi cabsA taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire, with a driver, for a single passenger, or small group of passengers, typically for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
operating in the
cityA city is a relatively large and permanent settlement, particularly a large urban settlement. Although there is no agreement on technical definitions distinguishing a city from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status...
and another 2,000 operating somewhat illegally.
Low fares in comparison with other European countries, make taxis affordable and popular among a big part of the city population.
Private automobile ownership has grown rapidly in the 1990s; more than 1,000,000 cars were registered in Sofia in the last five years. The Sofia municipality is known for minor and cosmetic repairs and most streets are in a poor condition. Consequently traffic and
air pollutionAir pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment, into the atmosphere....
problems have become more severe and receive regular criticism in local media. The extension of the underground system is hoped to alleviate the city's immense traffic problems.
Sofia has a unique, very large
combined heat and power (CHP)Cogeneration is the use of a heat engine or a power station to simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat...
plant. Virtually the entire city (900,000 households and 5,900 companies) is centrally heated, using residual heat from
electricity generationElectricity generation is the process of creating electricity from other forms of energy.The fundamental principles of electricity generation were discovered during the 1820s and early 1830s by the British scientist Michael Faraday...
(3,000
MWThe watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units . It measures rate of energy conversion. One watt is equivalent to 1 joule of energy per second....
) and gas- and oil-fired heating furnaces; total
heat capacityThermal mass is the capacity of a body to store heat. It is typically measured in units of J/°C or J/K . If the body consists of a homogeneous material with sufficiently known physical properties, the thermal mass is simply the amount of material present times the specific heat capacity of that...
is 4,640 MW. The heat distribution piping network is 900 km long and comprises 14,000 substations and 10,000 heated buildings.
Historical landmarks
A number of ancient Roman and Byzantine buildings have been preserved in the city and its outskirts. Most notably, the
10th centuryThe 10th century is the period from 901 to 1000 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era.The tenth century is usually regarded as a low point in European history. In China it was also a period of political upheaval. In the Muslim World, however, it was a cultural zenith,...
Boyana ChurchThe Boyana Church is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, in the Boyana quarter...
(one of the
UNESCO World Heritage protected sitesA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
), the Church of St. George, considered the oldest building in Sofia, and the early Byzantine Church of St Sophia.
A medieval monument of significant interest is The Church of St. Petka located in the very centre of the city providing a sharp contrast to the surrounding three
Socialist ClassicismStalinist architecture , also referred to as the Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism, is a term given to architecture of the Soviet Union between 1933, when Boris Iofan's draft for Palace of Soviets was officially approved, and 1955, when Nikita Khruschev condemned "excesses" of the past...
edifices of the former Party House,
TZUMTZUM-Sofia is an upmarket department store in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, officially opened in 1957 and situated in a monumental edifice on one of the city's main boulevards.The store's construction began in 1955 and ended in...
, and
Sheraton Sofia Hotel BalkanSheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts' largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
.
Post-liberation and Communism
After the
Liberation of BulgariaIn Bulgarian historiography, the term Liberation of Bulgaria is used to denote the events of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 that led to the establishment of a Bulgarian state with the Treaty of San Stefano of 3 March, 1878...
from Ottoman rule in 1878 and the establishment of an autonomous Bulgarian monarchy with its capital in Sofia, Knyaz
Alexander BattenbergAlexander Joseph of Battenberg was the first prince of modern Bulgaria, reigning from 29 April 1879 to 7 September 1886.-Early life:...
invited architects from Austria-Hungary to shape the new capital's architectural appearance.
Among the architects invited to work in Bulgaria were
Friedrich GrünangerFriedrich Grünanger was an Austro-Hungarian architect who worked primarily in Bulgaria.Born in Schäßburg in Austria-Hungary , Grünanger studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna architecture school between 1877 and 1879, under Friedrich von Schmidt...
, Adolf Václav Kolář,
Viktor RumpelmayerViktor Rumpelmayer was a 19th-century Austro-Hungarian architect, whose style was a combination of French and Italian influences and the Viennese trends characteristic for the period...
and others, who designed the most important public buildings needed by the newly-reestablished Bulgarian government, as well as numerous houses for the country's elite. Later, many foreign-educated Bulgarian architects also contributed.
The architecture of Sofia's centre is thus a combination of
Neo-BaroqueThe Baroque Revival was an architectural style movement in the early 20th century. The term is used to describe architecture which displays important aspects of Baroque style, but is not from the Baroque period proper—i.e., the 17th and 18th centuries....
, Neo-
RococoRococo is a style of 18th century French art and interior design. Rococo rooms were designed as total works of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings...
,
Neo-RenaissanceRenaissance Revival is an all-encompassing style designation that covers many aspects of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
and
NeoclassicismNeoclassicism is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw upon Western classical art and culture...
, with the
Vienna SecessionThe Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus.This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
also later playing an important part, but it is mostly typically Central European.
Among the most important buildings constructed in Sofia in the period are the former royal palace, today housing the
National Art GalleryThe National Art Gallery is Bulgaria's national gallery and houses over 50,000 pieces of Bulgarian art...
and the National Ethnographic Museum (1882); the
Ivan Vazov National TheatreThe Ivan Vazov National Theatre is Bulgaria's national theatre, as well as the oldest and most authoritative theatre in the country and one of the important landmarks of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria...
(1907); the former royal printing office, today the
National Gallery for Foreign ArtThe National Gallery for Foreign Art of Bulgaria is a gallery located on St Alexander Nevsky Square in the capital city of Sofia. It serves as the country's national institution for foreign art. It is situated in the imposing 19th-century Neoclassic edifice of the former Royal Printing Office...
; the
National Assembly of BulgariaThe National Assembly of Bulgaria is the unicameral parliament and body of the legislative of the Republic of Bulgaria.It was established in 1879 with the Bulgaria's constitution.-Ordinary National Assembly:...
(1886), the
Bulgarian Academy of SciencesThe Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
(1893), etc.
After the Second World War and the establishment of a
Communist governmentIn political science, a Communist state is a state with a form of government characterized by single-party rule of a Communist party and a professed allegiance to a communist ideology as the guiding principle of the state....
in Bulgaria in 1944, the architectural line was substantially altered.
Socialist ClassicismStalinist architecture , also referred to as the Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism, is a term given to architecture of the Soviet Union between 1933, when Boris Iofan's draft for Palace of Soviets was officially approved, and 1955, when Nikita Khruschev condemned "excesses" of the past...
public buildings emerged in the centre, but as the city grew outwards, the new neighbourhoods were dominated by many Communist-era
tower blockA Tower block, Apartment tower, or Apartment block, Block of flats, is a multi-unit high-rise Apartment building. In some areas they may be referred to as "MDU" standing for "Multi Dwelling Unit". Apartment blocks have technical and economic advantages in areas with high population density...
s (
panelki) and examples of
Brutalist architectureBrutalist architecture is a style of architecture which flourished from the 1950s to the mid 1970s, spawned from the modernist architectural movement...
.
After the abolishment of
CommunismCommunism is a socioeconomic structure and political ideology that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property in general. Karl Marx posited that communism would be the final stage in human...
in 1989, Sofia has witnessed the construction of whole business districts and neighbourhoods, as well as modern skryscraper-like glass-fronted office buildings, but also top-class residential neighbourhoods.
Education
There are 16
universitiesA university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Sofia. The
Saint Clement of Ohrid University of SofiaThe St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
is often regarded as the most prestigious university of Bulgaria, being founded in 1888 and having an incoming class of 14,000 students each year. Other important universities include the
National Academy of ArtsThe National Academy of Arts is an institution of higher education in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It is the oldest and most renowned academy of arts in the country....
, the
Technical University of SofiaThe Technical University of Sofia , based in Sofia, is the largest technical university in Bulgaria....
, the
University for National and World EconomicsThe University of National and World Economy is the oldest and biggest economic university on the Balkans.- History :University of National and World Economy is one of the biggest and oldest higher educational institutions of economics in the Republic of Bulgaria and South Eastern Europe with a...
,
Sofia Medical UniversityThe Medical University of Sofia is a university located in Sofia, Bulgaria. It was founded in 1917 and is organized in 4 Faculties.-History and Profile:...
, the
Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film ArtsThe Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts is an institution of higher education based in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria...
, the
University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and GeodesyThe University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy is located in Sofia, Bulgaria.- Faculties and departments :* Faculty of Architecture* Faculty of Geodesy* Faculty of Hydrotechnics* Faculty of Structural engineering...
, the
University of ForestryThe University of Forestry, based in Sofia, is a state university with six faculties with a total of 30 departments. The university is located in the university suburb in Sofia, close to the Technical University and the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy...
and
New Bulgarian UniversityNew Bulgarian University is a private institution of higher education based in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It was established on 18 September 1991 by a group of Bulgarian intellectuals aimed at creating a university to modernise Bulgarian higher education yet preserve its traditions...
.
Furthermore, institutions of national significance, such as the
Bulgarian Academy of SciencesThe Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
and the
SS. Cyril and Methodius National LibraryThe SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library is the national library of Bulgaria, situated in the capital city of Sofia...
are located in Sofia. The
American College of SofiaThe American College of Sofia is among the top and most prestigious secondary schools in Bulgaria and the Balkans, based in the capital city of Sofia. The college, founded in 1860, is regarded as the oldest American educational institution outside the United States...
, founded in 1860 and often regarded as the oldest American
academic institutionAcademic institution is an educational institution dedicated to education and research, which grants academic degrees. See also academy and university.- Types of academic institutions include :...
outside the United States provides
secondary educationSecondary education is the stage of education following primary school. Secondary education is generally the final stage of compulsory education. However, secondary education in some countries includes a period of compulsory and a period of non-compulsory education. The next stage of education is...
to some of Bulgaria's brightest students.
The
St. Clement of OhridSaint Clement of Ohrid , was a medieval Bulgarian scholar and writer, the first Bulgarian archbishop and one of the seven Apostles of Bulgaria...
University of Sofia is the oldest
higher educationHigher education refers to a level of education that is provided by universities, vocational universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, institutes of technology and other collegiate level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools and career colleges, that award academic...
institution in
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
, founded on 1 October 1888. The university's edifice was constructed between 1924 and 1934 with the financial support of the brothers
Evlogi GeorgievEvlogi Georgiev was a major Bulgarian merchant, banker and benefactor. The main building of the Sofia University was build with a large financial endowmment by him and his brother Hristo Georgiev.-Biography:...
and
Hristo GeorgievHristo Georgiev was a wealthy Bulgarian, and brother of Evlogi Georgiev, who lived in the 19th century. With his brother he funded the construction of Sofia University, in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. The university was one of the most important and up to date institutions of the time, with tens...
.
Sports
Being the country's capital, Sofia is also the centre of Bulgaria's sporting activities, with a large number of sports clubs based in the city. These include most of Bulgaria's primary football teams, such as
CSKAPFC CSKA Sofia is a Bulgarian football club from Sofia. CSKA stands for Central Sport Club of the Army . The home ground of CSKA Sofia is Bulgarska Armia Stadium. The club was officially founded on May 5, 1948...
,
LevskiPFC Levski Sofia, also known simply as Levski, is a Bulgarian football club founded in 1914 and based in the capital Sofia. So far, Levski has won 26 League titles and 27 National cups...
,
Lokomotiv SofiaPFC Lokomotiv Sofia is a Bulgarian football club from the capital city of Sofia, founded on 2 September 1929 as Railway Sports Club .- Honours :See also: PFC Lokomotiv Sofia in Europe...
and
SlaviaPFC Slavia Sofia is a Bulgarian football club founded on 10 April 1913 in Sofia.Slavia's ground is Ovcha Kupel Stadium with a capacity of 32,000...
, as well as formerly great clubs like
AkademikAkademik is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Sofia, currently playing in the Bulgarian B Professional Football Group, the second division of Bulgarian football....
,
Spartak SofiaSpartak Sofia is a Bulgarian football club founded in 1947. It existed indepenently until 1969, when it was merged with Levski Sofia. After 1990 the club's independence has been restored. The team plays in "Bulgarian V Amateur football group". In 2005 the name is changed to "Levski-Spartak" when...
and Septemvri.
The capital's dominance in the sport is reflected in the fact that Sofia-based teams, including dissolved clubs like A.S. 23,
have been Bulgarian football champions on all but thirteen occasions since the national league was formed in 1923.
Although football is popular, sports such as basketball and volleyball have strong traditions. A notable
basketball teamBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
in the capital is
Lukoil AcademicPBC Lukoil Academic are a Bulgarian professional basketball club based in the capital Sofia. They play their home games at the Universiade Hall or at the Pravets sports complex....
, who were twice European Champions Cup finalists.
While no major volleyball teams exist at club level (excluding multiple times champion and Volleyball Champions League participant Levski Sikonko), Bulgaria has always been among the world's top nations at the sport. The
Bulgarian Volleyball FederationBulgarska Federatsiya Volejbol is the governing body of volleyball in Bulgaria.The "SuperLeague" teams are:*VC CSKA*VC Lukoil Neftochimik*VC Levski Sikinko*VC Prin Balkanstroy*VC Marek Union Ivkoni*VC Cherno More BASK*VC Arda*VC Montana...
is the world's second-oldest, and it was an exhibition tournament organised by them in Sofia that in 1957 convinced the
IOCThe International Olympic Committee is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas on 23 June 1894. Its membership consists of the 205 National Olympic Committees....
to include volleyball as an olympic sport.
Tennis is increasingly popular in Sofia. Currently there are some ten
tennis courtA tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
complexes within the city including the one founded by former
WTAThe Women's Tennis Association, formed in 1973, is the principal organizing body of women's professional tennis. It organizes the WTA Tour, the worldwide professional tennis tour for women, which has for sponsorship reasons been known since 2005 as The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour...
top-ten athlete
Magdalena MaleevaMagdalena Maleeva is a former Bulgarian tennis player. She played on the WTA tour competing in singles and doubles, from April 1989 to June 2007. Her best position in the WTA Tour was number 4 between January 29 to February 4, 1996....
.
While
rugbyRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
is a minor sport in Bulgaria, and certainly not a
spectator sportA spectator sport is a sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches. For instance, baseball, basketball, cricket, football , and ice hockey are spectator sports, while hunting or underwater hockey typically are not. Spectator sports may be professional...
, there are several
rugby clubsRugby union in Bulgaria is a minor sport but growing sport.. Bulgaria is ranked 91st worldwide by the International Rugby Board as of 8 October 2007. There are around 2,500 Bulgarian rugby players...
in Sofia for aficionados of the game.
Most other sports, especially individual sports such as boxing, wrestling, and archery can be practiced at the sports complex of the
NSAThe Vasil Levski National Sports Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, is a higher education institution, which specializes in teaching coaching, physical education and kinesitherapeutics....
or at that of any of the sports clubs mentioned above. This is because, during the communist era, all sports clubs concentrated on all-round sporting development.
Sofia applied to host the
Winter Olympic GamesThe Winter Olympic Games is a winter multi-sport event held every four years. They feature winter sports held on snow or ice, such as Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, bobsledding and ice hockey. Cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and...
in 1992 and in 1994, coming 2nd and 3rd respectively. The city was also an applicant for the
2014 Winter OlympicsThe 2014 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXII Olympic Winter Games, is an international winter multiple sports event that will be held from February 7 to February 23 2014. The host city, Sochi, Russia, was elected on July 4 2007, during the 119th International Olympic Committee Session in...
, but was not selected as candidate. In addition, Sofia hosted
Eurobasket 1957The 1957 European Basketball Championship, commonly called Eurobasket 1957, was the tenth regional championship held by FIBA Europe. Sixteen national teams affiliated with the International Basketball Federation entered the competition. The competition was hosted by Bulgaria...
and the
1961The 1961 Summer Universiade, also known as the II Summer Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria.-Medal table:-Events:*Tennis*Basketball...
and
1977 Summer UniversiadeThe 1977 Summer Universiade, also known as the IX Summer Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria.-Medal table:-Events:*Athletics*Basketball*Diving*Fencing*Gymnastics*Swimming*Tennis*Volleyball*Water Polo*Wrestling...
s, as well as the
1983The 1983 Winter Universiade, the XI Winter Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria. This was one of only four Universiades since Winter 1981 with no official mascot.-External links:*...
and
1989 winter editionsThe 1989 Winter Universiade, the XIV Winter Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria.
...
.
Venues
The capital is home to a large number of sports venues, including the 43,000-seat
Vasil Levski National StadiumVasil Levski National Stadium , named after Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski, is one of Bulgaria's largest sports venues and the country's largest stadium. The stadium has 43,632 seats and is located in the centre of Sofia....
which hosts most major outdoor events in Bulgaria, Levski Sofia's
Georgi Asparuhov StadiumGeorgi Asparuhov Stadium , also known as Gerena , is a football stadium situated in the Suhata reka neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. It has been the home of PFC Levski Sofia since 1963....
, CSKA Sofia's
Balgarska Armiya StadiumBalgarska Armia Stadium is the club stadium of the Bulgarian football club CSKA Sofia. It is situated in the Borisova Gradina , in the centre of Sofia. The stadium has four sectors and a total of 22,015 seats, of which 2,100 are covered...
, Slavia Sofia's
Ovcha Kupel StadiumOvcha Kupel Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Ovcha Kupel district of Sofia, Bulgaria. It is currently used for football matches and is the home ground of the local football club PFC Slavia Sofia...
, and Lokomotiv Stadium stadium, which has hosted many major music concerts in recent years.
An important sports facility is the 3,000-capacity Universiade Hall, where in turn many indoor events are held, including Akademik's European basketball games. There are two
ice skatingIce skating is moving on ice by use of ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water such as lakes and...
complexes — the Winter Palace of Sports (capacity 4,000) and the Slavia Winter Stadium (capacity 2,000), both containing two rinks each.
There is a
velodromeA velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
with 5,000 seats in the city's
central parkBorisova gradina or Knyaz-Borisova gradina is the oldest and best known park in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Its construction and arrangement began in 1884 and it is named after Bulgarian tsar Boris III.The history of the garden embraces three periods under three renowned gardeners...
. It is currently disused but undergoing renovation.
Recreation
Most football stadiums have tennis courts,
astroturfAstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Though the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf...
pitches and other sports facilities joined to them, and there are other such facilities scattered throughout the city, mainly in the parks.
There are also various other all-round sports complexes in the city which belong to institutions other than the football clubs, such as those of the
National Sports AcademyThe Vasil Levski National Sports Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, is a higher education institution, which specializes in teaching coaching, physical education and kinesitherapeutics....
, of the
Bulgarian Academy of SciencesThe Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
, or those of the capital's various universities.
There are more than fifteen swimming complexes in the city, most of them outdoor. Nearly all of these were constructed as competition venues and therefore have seating facilities for several hundred people.
There are two
golf coursesGolf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players , using many types of clubs, attempt to hit balls into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not require a standardized playing area...
just to the east of Sofia — in
Elin PelinElin Pelin , born Dimitar Ivanov Stoyanov is arguably considered Bulgaria’s best narrator of country life....
(St Sofia club) and in
IhtimanIhtiman is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located in the Ihtimanska Sredna Gora mountains and lies in a valley 48 km from Sofia and 95 km from Plovdiv, close to Trakiya motorway....
(Air Sofia club), and a horseriding club (St George club).
The capital's main attraction is probably the ample opportunity provided to Sofianites for making use of the city's sprawling parklands, many of which are densely forested. There are four such major parks -
Tsar Boris's GardenBorisova gradina or Knyaz-Borisova gradina is the oldest and best known park in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Its construction and arrangement began in 1884 and it is named after Bulgarian tsar Boris III.The history of the garden embraces three periods under three renowned gardeners...
in the city centre, as well as the
Southern,
Western and
Northern and several other smaller parks, most notable of which is the
City GardenThe City Garden is Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria's oldest and most central public garden, in existence since 1872. It is located between Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard to the north, Knyaz Alexander Battenberg Street to the west and Joseph Vladimirovich Gourko Street to the south, in the historical...
. The
Vitosha Nature ParkVitosha is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the tourists symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous...
(the oldest
national parkA national park is a reserve of natural or semi-natural land, declared or owned by a national government, set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, and protected from most development...
in the
BalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
), which includes a big part of the
Vitosha mountainVitosha is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the tourists symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous...
to the south of Sofia, covers an area of almost 270 km² and lies entirely within the city limits. Many Sofianites take weekly hikes up the mountain, and most do so at least a couple of times a year. There are bungalows as well as several ski slopes on Vitosha, allowing locals to take full advantage of the countryside and of the mountains without having to leave the city.
Mass media
Some of the biggest and most popular telecommunications companies, TV and radio stations,
cable televisionCable television is a system of providing television to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through fixed optical fibers or coaxial cables as opposed to the over-the-air method used in traditional television broadcasting in which a television antenna is required...
companies, newspapers, magazines, and web portals are based in Sofia. Some television companies and channels include
Bulgarian National TelevisionThe Bulgarian National Television or BNT is the public broadcaster of Bulgaria. The company was founded in 1959 and began broadcasting on December 26 of the same year. It began broadcasting in color in 1970...
(featuring BNT Channel 1 and TV Bulgaria), bTV and
Nova TelevisionNova Television is the first Bulgarian commercial television network launched on July 22, 1994...
among others. Top-circulation newspapers include
24 chasa24 Chasa is one of the largest-circulation Bulgarian daily newspapers.The newspaper, part of the 168 Chasa Press Group founded by Petyo Blaskov, was launched in 1990, a few months after the success of the 168 Hours weekly newspaper...
,
TrudDneven Trud , commonly known as Trud , is the largest-circulation Bulgarian daily newspaper. The newspaper's first issue came out on 1 March 1936, making it one of the oldest Bulgarian newspapers still in existence. The newspaper was a syndicate organ until 1992, when it became a private-owned...
,
Sega and others.
Notable people
- See also: :Category:People from Sofia
People that were born in Sofia:
- Galerius
Galerius Maximianus , formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311.-Early life:...
(c. 250–311), Roman EmperorThe Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin titles such as imperator , augustus, caesar and princeps were all associated with it...
(near Sofia, then Serdica)
- Elisaveta Bagryana
Elisaveta Bagryana , born Elisaveta Lyubomirova Belcheva , was a Bulgarian poet who wrote her first verses while living with her family in Veliko Tarnovo in 1907-08...
(1893–1991), Bulgarian poetess
- Boris III
Boris III the Unifier, Tsar of Bulgaria , originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver , son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following the defeat of the Kingdom of Bulgaria during World War I...
(1894–1943), Tsar of Bulgaria
- Assen Jordanoff
Assen "Jerry" Jordanoff was a Bulgarian American inventor, engineer, and aviator...
(1896–1967), Bulgarian-AmericanBulgarian Americans are citizens of the United States with significant Bulgarian heritage. For the 2000 US Census, 55,489 Americans indicated Bulgarian as their first ancestry, while 92,841 persons declared to have Bulgarian ancestry...
aviation pioneer
- Cyril
Patriarch Cyril , born Konstantin Markov , was the first Patriarch of the restored Bulgarian Patriarchate....
(1901–1971), Patriarch of BulgariaThe Patriarch of All Bulgaria is the Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The Bulgarian patriarchate was re-established in 1953.-History:...
- Valeri Petrov
Valeri Petrov , pseudonym of Valeri Nisim Mevorah is a Bulgarian poet, screenplay writer, playwright and translator of paternal Jewish origin....
(b. 1920), Bulgarian writer
- Stoyanka Mutafova
Stoyanka Konstantinova Mutafova is a Bulgarian actress. She graduated philology at the University of Sofia "Kliment Ohridski"...
(b. 1922), Bulgarian actress
- Itzhak Fintzi
Itzhak Fintzi is a Bulgarian actor.He was born in Sofia, where he graduated from the dramatic art academy. In the following years he played in a number of theatres, both in the capital city and in other places throughout the country, as well as in many feature films...
(b. 1933), Bulgarian actor
- Simeon II
Simeon of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or Simeon II of Bulgaria is an important political and royal figure in Bulgaria. He was head of state as the Tsar of Bulgaria from 1943 to 1946, when the monarchy was overthrown...
(b. 1937), former Tsar of Bulgaria and former Prime Minister of Bulgaria
- Georgi Asparuhov
Georgi R. Asparuhov , nicknamed Gundi was a Bulgarian football player. He is considered to be among the top Bulgarian footballers of all time, if not the best....
(1943–1971), Bulgarian football player
- Borislav Mikhailov
Borislav Bisserov Mihaylov is a former Bulgarian football goalkeeper. He was captain of the Bulgaria national team during their surprising fourth-place run at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, as well their participation in Euro 96...
(b. 1963), Bulgarian football player and Bulgarian Soccer UnionThe Bulgarian Football Union is the governing body of football in Bulgaria. It organizes the football league, Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, and the Bulgaria national football team....
president
- Evgenia Radanova
Evgenia Radanova is a Bulgarian female sportsperson who has participated in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. She is the world record holder in the 500 m short track distance with 43.671s, which she set in Calgary, Canada on 19 October 2001. In the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic games she...
(b. 1977), Bulgarian ice skater
- Antoaneta Stefanova
Antoaneta Stefanova is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster, and a former Women's World Chess Champion. She became the twelfth titleholder in 2004 in a 64-player knockout tournament held in Elista, Kalmykia under the auspices of FIDE...
(b. 1979), Bulgarian chess player and Women's World Chess ChampionThe Women's World Chess Championship is played to determine the women's world champion in chess. Like the World Chess Championship, it is administered by FIDE....
- Viktor Antonov , Main Art designer of Valve
A valve is a device that regulates the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category....
worked on Half-Life 2Half-Life 2 is a science fiction first-person shooter computer game and the sequel to the highly acclaimed Half-Life. It was developed by Valve Corporation and was released on November 16, 2004, following a protracted five-year, $40 million development cycle during which the game’s source code was...
video-game series.
- Moni Moshonov
Shlomo "Moni" Moshonov is an Israeli actor, comedian and theater director.-Biography:Moshonov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1951 and immigrated to Israel with his family at the age of four. His father, Moshe, had studied law in Sofia, and became a fabric merchant in the Ramle market. Moni grew up...
(b. 1951), IsraeliThe culture of Israel developed long before the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948 and combines the heritage of secular and religious lives. Much of the diversity in Israel's culture comes from the diversity of its population...
actor, comedian and theater director.
- Ivan Kostov
Ivan Yordanov Kostov was Prime Minister of Bulgaria from May 1997 to July 2001 and leader of the Union of Democratic Forces between December 1994 and July 2001....
(b.1949), politician, ex prime-ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a politician. In many systems, the prime minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet, and...
1997-2001
- Yordanka Hristova,{b.1943},pop singer
- Margarita Hranova {b.1951}.pop singer
- Vasil Naydenov {b.1950},pop singer and composer
- Bogdana Karadocheva {b.1949.},pop singer
- Maya Neshkova {b.1.5. },pop singer
- Ekaterina Mihaylova from duet Riton {b.18.3.1958}pop singer
- Stefka Berova {b.3.5.1947.},pop singer and actress
- Krisitna Dimitrova {b.31.7.1960.},pop singer
- Georgi Hristov
Ǵorǵi Hristov or Gjorgji Hristov is Macedonian football striker from the who currently plays for Jyväskylän Jalkapalloklubi in Finland....
{b.28.1.1964.},pop singer and composer
- Kamelia Todorova {b.21.1.1954.},pop and jazz singer,music pedagog
- Rositza Kirilova {b.2.7.1963},pop singer,composer and tv journalist
- Pasha Hristova
Parashkeva Hristova Stefanova , known artistically as Pasha Hristova was a Bulgarian singer, best known for performing one of Bulgaria's most popular songs "Една българска роза"...
{b.16.7.1946-22.12.1972},pop singer
- Georgi Stanchev {b.1.6.1951},soloist of group Diana Express and solo pop singer
- Boyan Ivanov (b.4.9.1943),pop singer
- Mihail Yonchev (b.30.8.1947),pop singer
- Antonia Neshev (b.1962),inventor of Three Wolf Moon
Three Wolf Moon is a t-shirt, featuring three wolves howling at the moon. The numerous ironic reviews for this on Amazon have become an Internet phenomenon. The t-shirt was designed by Bulgarian American artist Antonia Neshev.-Origin:...
T-Shirt
Twin towns — Sister cities
Sofia is
twinnedSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
with:
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Algeria AlgiersAlgiers is the capital and largest city of Algeria, and the second largest city in the Maghreb . According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630...
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AlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.It is bordered by Tunisia in...
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Turkey AnkaraAnkara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2007 the city had a population of 4,751,360, which includes eight districts under the city's administration...
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TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
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Germany BerlinBerlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union...
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GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
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Slovakia BratislavaBratislava is the capital of the Slovak Republic and, with a population of about 429,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River...
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SlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe with a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is its capital, Bratislava...
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Belgium BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the de facto capital city of the European Union and the largest urban area in Belgium...
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BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
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RomaniaRomania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory...
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Hungary BudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation center and is considered an important hub in Central Europe. In 2009, Budapest had 1,712,210 inhabitants, down from a mid-1980s...
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HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
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TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
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Finland HelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the southern part of Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, by the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it the most populous municipality in Finland by a wide margin...
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FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland , is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
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Ukraine KievKiev or Kyiv , is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300...
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UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
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UK London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
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UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
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| Spain Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is the third-most populous municipality in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-most populous city by urban area in the European Union after Paris and London.The city is located on the river...
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SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. [The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
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Italy MilanMilan in Italy, is the capital of the region of Lombardia and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while the urban area is the fifth largest in the E.U. with an estimated population of 4.3 million...
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ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
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France ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
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FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
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| USA Pittsburgh |
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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Czech Republic PraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" , "city of a hundred spires", or Stověžatá Praha in Czech and "the golden city" or Zlaté město in Czech.Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the...
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Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
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| Russia Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city's other names were Petrograd and Leningrad...
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RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
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Macedonia SkopjeSkopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia, with more than a quarter of the population of the country, as well as its political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. It was known in the Roman period under the name Scupi. The city developed rapidly after World War II,...
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Israel Tel AvivTel Aviv-Yafo , usually called Tel Aviv, is the second largest city in Israel, with an estimated population of 391,300. The city is situated on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline, with a land area of...
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IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
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Albania TiranaTirana is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Albania. It was founded in 1614 by Sulejman Pasha and became Albania's capital city in 1920. The Municipality of Tirana lies on the river Ishëm, about inland and is located at in Tirana District, Tirana County...
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AlbaniaAlbania , officially the Republic of Albania , is a Mediterranean country in South Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Montenegro to the north, Kosovo to the northeast, Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south-east...
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| Poland Warsaw Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains. Its population as of 2009 was estimated at 1,709,781, and the Warsaw metropolitan area at approximately 2,785,000...
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PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
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Honour
Serdica PeakSerdica Peak rises to approximately 1,200 m in Levski Ridge, Tangra Mountains, Livingston Island, Antarctica.Serdica is the ancient name of Sofia, Bulgaria.-Location:...
on Livingston Island in the
South Shetland IslandsThe South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about 120 kilometres north of the Antarctic Peninsula. By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for non-military...
,
Antarctica| style="border-top:solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding:0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align:top;" | 14,000,000 km
2 280,000 km
2 13,720,000 km
2 |-! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top;...
is named after Serdica.
See also
- Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
- Sofia Metro
The Sofia Metropolitan is the underground urban railway network servicing the Bulgarian capital Sofia. It is the first and only network of this kind in Bulgaria...
- Sofia Airport
Sofia Airport , also known as Vrazhdebna after the village located to the north, is the main airport in Sofia, Bulgaria...
- List of malls in Sofia
- List of cities in Bulgaria
- List of villages in Sofia City
- Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
- Sofia Province
Sofia Province is a province of Bulgaria. It borders three sides of the city of Sofia , but does not include it....
- Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia, with a population of 380,312. Known in ancient times as Philippoupolis, it is the administrative center of Plovdiv Province in southern Bulgaria and three municipalities and Bulgaria's Yuzhen tsentralen planning region , as well as the...
- Varna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and in Northern Bulgaria, third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, and 77th-largest in the European Union, with a population of 355,450 .Commonly referred to as the marine capital of Bulgaria, Varna is a...
External links