The extraordinary National History Museum displays fabulous collections concerning Bulgaria's history and civilisation. Each room deals with a specific period: Prehistory (gold treasures of Hotnica and of the necropoles of Durankulak and Varna), Anti..

The Gallery of Ancient Bulgarian Art presents an exceptional collection of religious art (mostly icons) dating from the 12C to the 19C. The most interesting items include: a 12C St Nicholas, the altar doors of Boboševo Monastery (1488) and an outstan..

The vast prayer hall of the mosque houses the remarkable collections of the Archaeological Museum, which include: stelae, epitaphs, low-relief carvings and an exceptional set of Thracian votive stones (2C-3C). Mural paintings, originally in the Bulga..

The church of St-Petka-of-the-Saddlers (15C) was built under the Ottoman occupation with donations from the region's master saddlers. At that time, the building of churches was tolerated provided that their height did not exceed that of a soldier on ..

St-George's Rotunda was built at the beginning of the 4C, during the reign of Constantine the Great. This religious building (probably a baptistery), was erected according to a fairly complex plan: a vast, circular central chamber, surmounted by a do..

St-Alexander-Nevski Cathedral is, with its golden domes, the very emblem of Sofia. Built between 1904 and 1912, it boasts a vast (space for 6 000 members of the community) and sumptuous interior: polychrome Italian marbles, onyx from Brazil, alabaste..

The slender minaret of the Banja Baši Mosque soars proudly into the sky of the Bulgarian capital. Built in 1576 by Hadži Mimar Sinan, the architect who designed the great mosque of Edirne (Turkey), it symbolises the first stage (before the synagog an..

The edifice housing the Central Baths, featuring a façade covered with polychrome mosaics, is one of the finest buildings in town. Erected in 1908 by the architects Petko Momcilov and Jordan Milanov over the relics of Roman baths, these former Turkis..

The municipal garden is a very pleasant place for strolling and meditating. Once devoted to the culture of melons and cucumbers, it is now shaded by various species of trees, enhanced by the soothing sound of fountains and decorated with contemporary..

The Ivan-Vasov Theatre is a real institution. In fact, all that ever mattered on the Bulgarian stage was produced here at some time or other. Architecture buffs will appreciate the fine neo-Baroque style designed by true specialists: the Viennese arc..

During a tour of the Ethnographic Museum, you will see a collection of traditional regional costumes presented to the royal family. You will also get a good insight into the country's popular traditions: jewellery (filigree work from Vraca, gold work..

Like many visitors, you will no doubt feel a deep emotion on catching sight of the green-and-gold onion-shaped domes of the charming Russian church of St-Nicholas. Built in 1914 in the 17C Russian style, it is believed to have been commissioned by a ..

Lined by some impressive buildings, mostly by Austro-Hungarian architects working here in the early 20C, this long straight paved street (also called the “largo”) is one of the capital’s most attractive thoroughfares. Walking along it, note on the le..

The church of St-Sofia is one of the country's oldest sanctuaries. Built on the foundations of a previous church dating from 363, it was turned into a mosque in the 16C, destroyed by two earthquakes and finally restored in 1999. The lofty interior an..

Boris's Garden was designed in 1882 by a Swiss landscape gardener and later remodelled at the request of King Ferdinand I (1887-1918). Today, this vast park, famous for its rose garden, is one of the favourite haunts of the inhabitants of Sofia. It f..