Sofia София
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Flag Coat of arms
Position of Sofia in Bulgaria
Coordinates: 42°42′N 23°20′E / 42.7, 23.333
Country	Bulgaria
Province	Sofia-City
Government
- Mayor	Boiko Borisov
Area
- Total	1,349 km² (520. The St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Храм-паметник „Свети Александър Невски“ Hram-pametnik „Sveti Aleksandar Nevski“) is a The Coat of arms of Sofia consists of a shield divided into four Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Since 1999 Bulgaria has been divided into twenty-six provinces (области oblasti singular област oblast; also translated as "region" which This is a chronological list of Mayors of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, since that post was established after the Liberation of Bulgaria in Boyko Metodiev Borisov (Бойко Методиев Борисов (born June 13, 1959) is the current Mayor of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 9 sq mi)
Elevation	550 m (1,804 ft)
Population (2008-03-14)
- Total	▲1,346,665
- Density	1,030/km² (2,667. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 7/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Website: sofia.bg

Sofia listen (help·info) (Bulgarian: София, IPA: [ˈsɔ.fi.ja]), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria, with a population of 1,346,665 in the Capital Municipality. Eastern European Time ( EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time Daylight saving time ( DST Eastern European Summer Time ( EEST) is one of the names of UTC+3 Time zone, 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+3 is used in the following locations Moscow Time Eastern European Summer Time West Asian Summer Time Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian ^[1] It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of the mountain massif Vitosha, and is the administrative, cultural, economic, and educational centre of the country. In Geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or Flexures In the movement of the crust, a massif Vitosha (Витоша is a Mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

One of the oldest cities in Europe, the history of Serdica-Sredets-Sofia can be traced back some 7000 years ago - prehistoric settlements were excavated in the centre of the present city - near the royal palace, as well as in outer districts such as Slatina and Obelia. The National Art Gallery (Национална художествена галерия Natsionalna hudozhestvena galeriya) is Bulgaria 's National gallery The well preserved town walls (especially their substructures) from antiquity date back before the 7th century BC, when Thracians established their city next to the most important and highly respected mineral spring, still functioning today. "Thracians" also refers to modern inhabitants of Thrace, regardless of ethnicity 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.

Geography

Sofia seen from space

Sofia's development as a significant settlement owes much to its central position in the Balkans. It is situated in western Bulgaria, at the northern foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the Sofia Valley that is surrounded by mountains on all sides. Vitosha (Витоша is a Mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The Sofia Valley ( Bulgarian: Софийска котловина transliterated as Sofiyska kotlovina, or Софийско поле Sofiysko pole) is The valley is the largest one in the country with territory of 1,186 square kilometres (457. 9 sq mi) and average altitude of 550 metres (1,804 ft). Three mountain passes lead to the city, which have been key roads since antiquity, connecting the Adriatic Sea and Central Europe with the Black and Aegean Seas. Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey Etymology In ancient times there were various explanations for the name Aegean.

A number of low rivers cross the city, including the Vladaiska and the Perlovska. The Vladaya River (Владайска река Vladayska reka) is a river in western Bulgaria, a tributary to the Iskar River. Perlovska Reka (Перловска река is a small River in the Sofia Valley in western Bulgaria. The Iskar River in its upper course flows near eastern Sofia. The Iskar (Искър Latin: Oescus) is with a length of 368 km, the longest river that runs solely in Bulgaria, and a tributary of the The city is known for its numerous mineral and thermal springs. A spring is a point where Groundwater flows out of the ground and is thus where the Aquifer surface meets the ground surface A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated Groundwater from the earth's crust. Artificial and dam lakes were built in the last century.

It is located 130 kilometres (81 mi) northwest of Plovdiv ^[2], Bulgaria's second largest city, 340 kilometres (211 mi) west of Burgas^[2], 380 kilometres (236 mi) west of Varna^[2], Bulgaria's major port-cities on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Burgas (Бургас sometimes transliterated as Bourgas) is the second-largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast with population 210260 Varna (Варна is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv The Bulgarian Black Sea Riviera (Черноморие Chеrnomoriе) covers the entire eastern bound of Bulgaria stretching from the Romanian The city is situted at less than 200 kilometres (124 mi) from the borders with three countries: 55 kilometres (34 mi) from Kalotina on the Serbian border, 113 kilometres (70 mi) from Gyueshevo on the frontier with the Republic of Macedonia and 183 kilometres (114 mi) from the Greek border at Kulata. Kalotina (Калотина is a village in Dragoman municipality Sofia Province, in westernmost central Bulgaria. Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Gyueshevo (Гюешево IPA {{IPA|/ˈgjuɛʃɛvu/}}; also transliterated Gjueshevo, Guieshevo, Gjueševo) is a village The Republic of Macedonia (Република Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Kulata (Кулата "the tower" is a village in Petrich municipality Blagoevgrad Province, in southwestern Bulgaria.

Climate

Sofia has a moderate continental climate with high temperature amplitudes. Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year The hottest month is August while January is the coldest. Up to 1936 the average annual temperature was 10. 0 °C (50 °F) and since then it has risen with +0. 5 °C (+1 °F). ^[3] The city receives around 650 millimetres (25. 6 in) 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.

History

Main article: History of Sofia

Antiquity

The Church of Sv. Georgi is among the oldest Christian churches in the Balkan peninsula dating back to 4th century

Sofia was originally a Thracian settlement called Serdica, or Sardica, possibly named after the Thracian tribe Serdi. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to The history of Sofia, Bulgaria 's capital and largest city spans thousands of years from Antiquity to modern times in which the city has always been a The Church of St George (Ротонда „Свети Георги“ Rotonda "Sveti Georgi" is an Early Christian red brick rotunda that A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth "Thracians" also refers to modern inhabitants of Thrace, regardless of ethnicity Around 500 BC another tribe settled in the region, the Odrysi, known as an ethnos with their own kingdom. The Odrysian kingdom was a union of Thracian tribes that endured between the 5th century BC and the 3rd century BC. For a short period during the 4th century BC, the city was ruled by Philip of Macedon and his son Alexander the Great. Philip was the name of several Macedonian monarchs Philip I of Macedon (ruled 640–602 BC Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ'

Around AD 29, Serdica was conquered by the Romans. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC It became a municipium, or centre of an administrative region, during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98-117) and was renamed Ulpia Serdica. Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan ( September 18 53 &ndash August 9 117) was a Roman Emperor who

It seems that the first written mention of Serdica was made by Ptolemy (around 100 AD). Claudius Ptolemaeus ( Greek: Klaúdios Ptolemaîos; after 83 &ndash ca

Serdica (Sardica) expanded, as turrets, protective walls, public baths, administrative and cult buildings, a civic basilica, an amphitheatre - the City Council (Boulé), a large Forum, a big Circus (Theatre), etc. In Architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower Latin: turris, tower is a small Tower that The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basiliké Stoà, Royal Stoa) was originally used to describe a Roman An amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is an open-air venue for spectator sports concerts rallies or theatrical performances were built. When Emperor Diocletian divided the province of Dacia into Dacia Ripensis (at the banks of the Danube) and Dacia Mediterranea, Serdica became the capital of Dacia Mediterranea. Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( ca. December 22 244 The modern historian Timothy Barnes takes December 22 as his birthdate Dacia, in ancient geography was the land of the Dacians. It was named by the ancient Hellenes ( Greeks) " Getae " The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj The Roman province of Dacia on the Balkans included the modern Romanian regions of Transylvania, Banat and Oltenia, and temporarily The Roman province of Dacia on the Balkans included the modern Romanian regions of Transylvania, Banat and Oltenia, and temporarily 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 religion (Еmperor Galerius). Galerius Maximianus ( ca. 260&ndashlate April or early May 311 formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311 So it was only very natural that Constantine the Great called Serdica (Sardica) "My Rome". Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine

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 I, when it was surrounded with great fortress walls whose remnants can still be seen today. This is a list of the Emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly known as the Byzantine Empire by modern historians Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or

The city was destroyed by the Huns in 447 but was rebuilt by Justinian and for a while called Triaditsa. The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy

A fresco depicting Desislava, a 13th century patron of the church

Sofia has been a centre of Christianity since the times of the Roman Empire

Middle Ages

The Boyana Church is among the most precious monuments from the Bulgarian Empire

Sofia first became part of the First Bulgarian Empire during the reign of Khan Krum in 809 after a long siege. The Boyana Church (Боянска църква Boyanska tsarkva) is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia The Second Bulgarian Empire ( Bulgarian: Второ българско царство Vtorо Balgarskо Tsartsvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state The First Bulgarian Empire (Първo Българско царство Părvo Bălgarsko Tsarstvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state founded in AD 632 The Siege of Serdica ( Bulgarian:Обсадата на Сердика took place in the spring of 809 at modern Sofia, Bulgaria. ^[4] Afterwards, it was known by the Bulgarian name Sredets and grew into an important fortress and administrative centre. The Slavic languages (also called Slavonic languages) a group of closely related Languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages After the fall of North-eastern Bulgaria under John I Tzimiskes' armies in 971, the Bulgarian Patriarch Damyan chose Sofia for his seat in the next year. John I Tzimiskes or Tzimisces, (Ιωάννης Α΄ Τζιμισκής Iōannēs I Tzimiskēs; Հովհաննես Ա Չմշկիկ Hovhannes Ayp Chmshgig After a number of unsuccessful sieges, the city fell to the Byzantine Empire in 1018, but once again was incorporated into the restored Bulgarian Empire at the time of Tsar Ivan Asen I. The Second Bulgarian Empire ( Bulgarian: Второ българско царство Vtorо Balgarskо Tsartsvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state Ivan Asen I (also Ioan Asen I, Ioan Asan, in English John Asen I) (Иван Асен I ruled as emperor ( Tsar) of Bulgaria 1189-1196

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 AncientGreek) about 1376 after the Church of St. Sofia. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c The Hagia Sophia Church (Църква „Света София“ is the second oldest church in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. However, in different testimonies it was called both "Sofia" and "Sredets" until the end of the 19th century. In 1382 Sofia was seized by the Ottoman Empire in the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars - after a long siege the city was captured with treason. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The new name - Sofia, replaced the old one - Sredets, after the liberation of the city from Turkish rule in 1878. Quite a 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 province (beylerbeylik) of Rumelia for more than 4 centuries, which encouraged many Turks to settle there. This article refers to the 15th century Jagiellon monarch For the 12th century Piast monarch see Władysław III Spindleshanks, and for other monarchs with similar Rumelia or Rumeli ( Turkish: Rumeli ("Land of the Romans" from Rum: "Greek" "Roman" and El In the 16th century Sofia's appearance became more Oriental with many mosques, fountains and hamams (bathhouses). The Orient is a term which simply means the " East " It originated in Western Asia to describe that part of the world 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 haiduks in 1599. Hajduk (or haiduk, haiduc, hayduck, hayduk) is a term most commonly referring to Outlaws highwaymen or Freedom fighters In 1610 the Vatican established the See of Sofia for Catholics of Rumelia, which existed until 1715 when most Catholics had emigrated^[5]. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sofia and Plovdiv is a Roman Catholic Diocese of the Latin Rite, which includes the whole southern part of Bulgaria Rumelia or Rumeli ( Turkish: Rumeli ("Land of the Romans" from Rum: "Greek" "Roman" and El In the 16th century there were 126 Jewish households, and there has been a synagogue in Sofia since 967. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************

End of Ottoman Rule

Sofia was taken by Russian forces on 4 January 1878, during the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78, and became the capital of the autonomous Principality of Bulgaria in 1879, which became Kingdom of Bulgaria in 1908. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 had its origins in a rise in nationalism in the Balkans as well as in the Russian goal of recovering territorial losses it had suffered The Principality of Bulgaria (Княжество България was a state created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878 The Kingdom of Bulgaria (Царство България was established on October 5, 1908 ( September 22 O It was proposed for capital by Marin Drinov and was accepted as such on 3 April 1879. Professor Marin Stoyanov Drinov (Марин Стоянов Дринов known in Russia as Марин Степанович Дринов ( 1838 - 13 March Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. By the time of its liberation the population of the was 11,649. ^[6] For a few decades after the liberation the city experienced a large population growth mainly from other regions of the country.

In 1925 the St Nedelya Church assault was carried out by the Bulgarian Communist Party which claimed the lives of 170 people and injured another 500. The St Nedelya Church assault was a terrorist attack on St Nedelya Church in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Communist Party (Българска комунистическа партия / Balgarska Komunisticheska Partiya) was the ruling party of the People's Republic

During World War II, Sofia was bombed by Allied aircraft in late 1943 and early 1944, as well as later occupied by the Soviet Union. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Bulgarian capital of Sofia suffered a series of Allied Bombing raids during The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 As a consequence of the Russian occupation with the approval of the Allied countries USA, Great Britain, France, Bulgaria's government, which allied the country with Germany, was overthrown by a communist revolution. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Like Prague, Warsaw, Bucharest etc. Sofia became a capital of the Communist-ruled People's Republic (1944). The country did not lose territory, but lost vital and important connections with Bulgarian population abroad and all over the world. During that time the population of Sofia expanded at high rates, as a great push has been given to the industrial development of the city - many new large factories and manufacturing plants were built in and around the city. That led to the creation of many new neighbourhoods and expansion of the public transport network.

Administration

The city of Sofia is one of 28 Provinces of Bulgaria (not to be confused with Sofia Province, which surrounds but does not include the city). Since 1999 Bulgaria has been divided into twenty-six provinces (области oblasti singular област oblast; also translated as "region" which Sofia Province is a Province ( Oblast) of Bulgaria. It borders three sides of the city of Sofia (which is in a separate 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 by the municipal assembly. The head of the county is its mayor. The assembly members are chosen every four years. The current mayor of Sofia is Boyko Borisov. This is a chronological list of Mayors of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, since that post was established after the Liberation of Bulgaria in Boyko Metodiev Borisov (Бойко Методиев Борисов (born June 13, 1959) is the current Mayor of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria

Municipalities of Sofia City:

The municipalities of Sofia

Demographics

Modern Apartment Buildings

A view of Lyulin, a typical suburb in Sofia

According to 1999 data,^[9] the whole Capital Municipality, with a population of 1,246,651 ^[1], had a population density of 917. Lyulin (Люлин is the largest residential complex in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. 8.

The ratio of women per 1,000 men was 1,114 and the rate of population ageing was 100. Population ageing (Aging Population also or population aging (see English spelling differences) occurs when the median age of a country or region 3. The birth rate per 1000 people was 7. 9 and steadily declining in the last 15 years, the death rate reaching 12. 2 and growing. The population was declining by 4. 3 per cent. 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 rate was 11 dead babies per 1,000 born alive, down from 18. Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of Infants (one year of age or younger per 1000 live births 9 in 1980.

The unemployment is significantly lower than in other parts of the country — 2. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. 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). "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[10] The large share of unemployed people with higher education, 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 Plovdiv, Ruse, Varna and Shumen. Varna (Варна is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv Shumen (Шумен is a city in the northeastern part of Bulgaria, capital of Shumen Province. Plovdiv remained the most populous town in Bulgaria till 1892 when Sofia took the lead.

Culture

Music and nightlife

Sofia has a huge nightlife scene with many different night clubs, live venues, pubs, mehani (Bulgarian traditional taverns), and restaurants. A meyhane (or mehana) is a traditional Restaurant or bar in Turkey or the Balkans region The city has been host to many world star concerts including performances by Elton John, Depeche Mode, Iron Maiden, Seal, Metallica, KISS, Marilyn Manson, Eros Ramazotti, DJ Tiesto, Korn , Judas Priest, Robin Gibb, Kylie Minogue, Rihanna and Dima Bilan to name a few. Sir Elton Hercules John CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 is an English pop / rock Singer, Composer Depeche Mode (dəˌpɛʃˈmoʊd are an English Electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. For other uses see Iron maiden. Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. Marilyn Manson is an American Alternative metal band based in Los Angeles California. Eros Luciano Walter Ramazzotti (born on October 28, 1963) known simply as Eros Ramazzotti, is an Italian Singer and Songwriter Tiësto ( born Tijs Verwest ( on January 17 1969 is a Grammy -nominated Dutch trance DJ and Record producer. Korn, occasionally typeset as KoЯn or KoRn, is an American Nu metal band from Bakersfield California, and is often credited with popularizing Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in 1970 in Birmingham. See also Bee Gees Robin Hugh Gibb CBE (b December 22, 1949) is a singer and songwriter Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE, born 28 May 1968 is an Australian pop Singer - Songwriter and occasional Actress. Rihanna (pronounced /riːˈɑːnə/ born Robyn Rihanna Fenty; February 20 1988 is a Barbadian singer, model and Fashion designer Dima Bilan (Дима Билан birth name Viktor Nikolaevich Belan, ru Виктор Николаевич Белан 24 December, 1981 in Ust-Dzheguta

Yalta Club and Chervilo are among the most popular clubs in Bulgaria. Yalta Club has hosted some of the most popular DJs: Pete Tong, Axwell, Steve Angello, Dimitri From Paris, Tom Novy and many others.

Museums

Sofia houses numerous museums, notably the National Historical Museum, the Bulgarian Natural History Museum, the Museum of Earth and Men, the Ethnographic Museum, the National Museum of Military History, the National Polytechnical Museum and the National Archaeological Museum. The National Historical Museum (Национален исторически музей Natsionalen istoricheski muzey in Sofia is Bulgaria 's largest museum The National Museum of Natural History (Национален природонаучен музей Natsionalen prirodonauchen muzey; abbreviated НПМ NMNH) of Earthandman2JPG|thumb|300px|The museum's main hall is used for chamber music concerts]]The Earth and Man National Museum (Национален музей „Земята и хората“ The National Military History Museum (Национален военноисторически музей Natsionalen voennoistoricheski muzej) is a Bulgarian museum based in The National Archaeological Museum (Национален археологически музей Natsionalen arheologicheski muzey) is an archaeological Museum In addition, there are the Sofia City Art Gallery, the Bulgarian National Gallery of Arts, the Bulgarian National Gallery for Foreign Art as well as numerous private art galleries. The National Art Gallery (Национална художествена галерия Natsionalna hudozhestvena galeriya) is Bulgaria 's National gallery The National Gallery for Foreign Art (Национална галерия за чуждестранно изкуство Natsionalna galeriya za chuzhdestranno izkustvo) of

Places of special interest

The city also offers many places of special interest such as the Sts. Cyril and Methodius National Library (which houses the largest national book collection and is Bulgaria's oldest cultural institute), the Sofia State Library, the British Council, 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 Institut, Instituto Cervantes, and the Open Society Institute. The SS Cyril and Methodius National Library (Народна библиотека „Свети Свети Кирил и Методий“ is the National library Families with children used to be able to enjoy Sofia Land, the nearly nine-acre amusement park adjacent to the Sofia Zoological Garden (founded in 1888). Sofia Land (София Ленд was an Amusement park in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Sofia Zoo in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, was founded by royal decree on 1 May 1888, and is Bulgaria 's oldest and largest Unfortunately the park was closed in 2006.

Sofia currently enjoys a booming film industry as the filming ground of several international film productions. Vitosha Boulevard, also called Vitoshka — ranked as the world's 22nd most expensive commercial street — represents numerous fashion boutiques and luxury goods stores and features exhibitions by world fashion designers. Vitosha Boulevard (булевард „Витоша“ often called just bg „Витошка“ Vitoshka) is the main commercial street in the centre of Sofia Sofia's geographic location, situated in the foothills of the weekend retreat Vitosha mountain, further adds to the city's specific atmosphere. Vitosha (Витоша is a Mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences building	The former royal palace at Battenberg Square, now the National Art Gallery	National Palace of Culture	The Neoclassical old Royal Printing Office built in 1882–1884 is today the National Gallery for Foreign Art
The architecture in Sofia centre is a unique mixture of Western and Central European Architecture. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS in Bulgarian: Българска академия на науките Balgarska akademiya na naukite, abbreviated Prince Alexander of Battenberg Square (площад „Княз Александър Батенберг“ often called simply Battenberg Square (площад „Батенберг“ The National Art Gallery (Национална художествена галерия Natsionalna hudozhestvena galeriya) is Bulgaria 's National gallery The National Palace of Culture (Национален дворец на културата Natsionalen dvorets na kulturata; abbreviated as bg НДК NDK) located The National Gallery for Foreign Art (Национална галерия за чуждестранно изкуство Natsionalna galeriya za chuzhdestranno izkustvo) of	The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world. The St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Храм-паметник „Свети Александър Невски“ Hram-pametnik „Sveti Aleksandar Nevski“) is a	The centre of the city is well-known for being paved with yellow Viennese cobblestones. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria.	The Largo
Central Sofia Market Hall	Sofia Public Mineral Baths	Monument to the Tsar Liberator	Central Military Club

Tourist attractions

Some of Sofia's popular tourist attractions include among others:

Churches

Church	Description	Picture
Church of St George	The Church of St George is a late Roman rotonda dated from 4th century situated in the courtyard of the Sheraton Sofia Hotel. The Largo (Ларго definite form Ларгото Largoto) is an architectural ensemble of three Socialist Classicism edifices in central Sofia, the The Central Sofia Market Hall (Централни софийски хали Tsentralni sofiyski hali) known popularly simply as The Market Hall (Халите The Sofia Public Mineral Baths (Софийска градска минерална баня Sofiyska gradska mineralna banya) or the Central Mineral Baths (Централна The Monument to the Tsar Liberator (Паметник на Цар Освободител Pametnik na Tsar Osvoboditel) is an equestrian monument in the The Central Military Club (Централен военен клуб Tsentralen voenen klub) is a multi-purpose monument of culture building in the centre of Sofia The Church of St George (Ротонда „Свети Георги“ Rotonda "Sveti Georgi" is an Early Christian red brick rotunda that It was constructed with red bricks and is considered the oldest building in Sofia. It is known for its Medieval frescoes in the central dome dating from 12-14th centuries.
Church of St Sophia	The early Byzantine Church of St Sophia was built in the 6th century on the place of an ancient Roman theatre and several earlier churches. The Hagia Sophia Church (Църква „Света София“ is the second oldest church in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. During the Second Bulgarian Empire the structure served as the cathedral of the city but was later converted to a mosque by the Ottoman invaders.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral	The gold-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built in the early 20th century in memory of the 200,000 Russian soldiers, who died in the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878. The St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Храм-паметник „Свети Александър Невски“ Hram-pametnik „Sveti Aleksandar Nevski“) is a Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 had its origins in a rise in nationalism in the Balkans as well as in the Russian goal of recovering territorial losses it had suffered It is the largest church in the Balkans and the second largest Orthodox cathedral in the world. The cathedral's gold-plated dome is 45 m high, with the bell tower reaching 50. 52 m.
St Nedelya Church	St Nedelya is a medieval church that has suffered destruction through the ages and has been reconstructed many times. St Nedelya Church (църква „Света Неделя“ is an Eastern Orthodox church in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, a cathedral of the Sofia It was razed in the assault in 1925 that claimed over 150 victims. The St Nedelya Church assault was a terrorist attack on St Nedelya Church in Bulgaria. After the assault, the church was restored to its modern appearance. Today St Nedelya is a cathedral of the Sofia bishopric of the Bulgarian Patriarchate. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (Българска православна църква Bălgarska pravoslavna cărkva) is an Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church
Church of St Petka	The tiny Church of St Petka of the Saddlers from the 14th century featuring some fine frescoes. The Church of St Petka of the Saddlers (Църква „Света Петка Самарджийска“ is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church in Sofia, the It is a one-nave edifice dedicated to St Petka, a 11th century Bulgarian saint.
Russian Church	The Russian Church or the Church of St. The Russian Church of Sofia, officially known as the Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker ( Руската църква or църква „Свети Николай“ Nicholas the Miracle-Maker, built in 1914 is dedicated to the patron-saint of the Russian Tsar at the time Nicholas II. Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. The construction was supervised by the architect A. Smirnov, who was building the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral nearby.

Museums and galleries

Museum	Description	Picture
National Historical Museum	The National Historical museums is among the largest museums in Eastern Europe and possess more than 650,000 artifacts. The National Historical Museum (Национален исторически музей Natsionalen istoricheski muzey in Sofia is Bulgaria 's largest museum Ancient Thracian treasures, old armoury and weaponry, medieval church plates are among the most valuable objects in the collection. The Thracians were skillful craftsmen They made beautifully ornate golden and silver objects such as various kinds of vessels rhytons, facial masks pectorals jewelry weapons
National Archaeological Museum	The National Archaeological Museum occupies the largest and oldest former Ottoman mosque in the city built in 1474. The National Archaeological Museum (Национален археологически музей Natsionalen arheologicheski muzey) is an archaeological Museum It has a large collection of archaeological artifacts from all over the Balkans including some of the golden Thracian treasures. The museum is among Bulgaria's oldest and was inaugurated in 1905.
National Gallery of Foreign Art	The National Gallery of Foreign Art occupies an imposing 19th century building. The National Gallery for Foreign Art (Национална галерия за чуждестранно изкуство Natsionalna galeriya za chuzhdestranno izkustvo) of The gallery's permanent exposition features European, Asian (Buddhist, Japanese and Indian) and African art, as well as separate contemporary art and engraving sections. Also see articles History of painting, Western painting Western Art' redirects here Asian art can refer to Art amongst many cultures in Asia. Many modern Asian artists seek to blend ancient Asian themes with contemporary artistic styles African art constitutes one of the most diverse legacies on earth Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it

Miscellaneous places of culture

• The Ivan Vazov National Theatre. The Ivan Vazov National Theatre (Народен театър „Иван Вазов“ Naroden teatar „Ivan Vazov“) is Bulgaria 's national theatre
• The outdoor book-market on Slaveykov Square. Slaveykov Square (Площад Славейков is one of the most popular squares in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.
• The National Palace of Culture cultural and congressional centre — the largest multifunctional complex in Southeastern Europe, inaugurated in 1981 and situated in a lush green park surroundings. The National Palace of Culture (Национален дворец на културата Natsionalen dvorets na kulturata; abbreviated as bg НДК NDK) located

Outdoors sights

• The Monument to the Tsar Liberator commemorating Alexander II of Russia. The Monument to the Tsar Liberator (Паметник на Цар Освободител Pametnik na Tsar Osvoboditel) is an equestrian monument in the Alexander (Aleksandr II Nikolaevich (Александр II Николаевич ( Moscow, 29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881 in St
• Sofia's central boulevards paved with Viennese yellow cobblestones.

Vitosha Mountain

• Vitosha mountain, one of the symbols of Sofia, just a short drive or lift trip away, open year round. Vitosha (Витоша is a Mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Ski and snowboard are popular in the winter, and hiking in the summer.
• Borisova gradina, Sofia's main and oldest garden, the construction of which began in 1884. Borisova gradina or Knyaz-Borisova gradina (Борисова градина or Княз-Борисова градина translated as Boris' Garden or Knyaz

Other places of interest

• Sofia Public Mineral Baths, decorated with the finest majolica tiles and completed in 1911. The Sofia Public Mineral Baths (Софийска градска минерална баня Sofiyska gradska mineralna banya) or the Central Mineral Baths (Централна
• TZUM, Sofia's oldest and largest department store. Tzum (Tsjom is a small village in Franekeradeel in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 1167 citizens (2004
• The Largo, an architectural complex in downtown Sofia which includes the headquarters of many national institutions
• Sofia Zoo

Economy

The DZI headquarters in central Sofia

A new office building on Bulgaria Blvd., an example of one of the many new buildings that spurred in the city in recent years. The Largo (Ларго definite form Ларгото Largoto) is an architectural ensemble of three Socialist Classicism edifices in central Sofia, the Sofia Zoo in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, was founded by royal decree on 1 May 1888, and is Bulgaria 's oldest and largest DZI Insurance (/'dɛ'zɛ'i/ an acronym for State Insurance Institute (Държавен застрахователен институт D arzhaven z Bulgaria Boulevard (Булевард „България“ is a Boulevard and key thoroughfare connecting the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria

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 Bank, the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, the Financial Supervision Commission as well as the headquarters of all commercial banks operating in the country. The Bulgarian National Bank (Българска народна банка Balgarska narodna banka) is the Central bank of the Republic of Bulgaria The Bulgarian Stock Exchange - Sofia ( Bulgarian: Българска фондова борса - София Balgarska fondova borsa - Sofiya, abbreviated BSE The Financial Supervision Commission (Barrantee Oaseirys Argidoil Chairmen Col Dr Edgar Mann, 1983-1985 David Construction, trade and transport are other important sectors of the local economy. Increasingly, Sofia is becoming an outsourcing destination for multinational companies, among them IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Sony. Outsourcing is Subcontracting a process such as product design or Manufacturing, to a Third-party company International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with

Fuelled by Bulgaria's sustained economic growth, the real estate market in Sofia has skyrocketed in recent years. Apartment prices have more than tripled since 2003, with a growth rate in excess of 30% in 2007 alone. The construction industry has exploded with the emergence of new residential and office buildings, hotels, business parks, shopping malls 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

Heavy traffic near Orlov most (Eagles' Bridge) in the centre of the city

With its developing infrastructure and strategic location, Sofia is an important centre for international railway and automobile routes. Orlov Most (Орлов мост meaning "Eagle's Bridge" is a bridge over the Perlovska River in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. Three Trans-European Transport Corridors cross the city: 4, 8 and 10. All major types of transport (except water transport) are represented in the city. Transport or transportation is the movement of people and goods from one place to another It is home to 8 railway stations ^[11], the biggest of which is the Central Railway Station. Just next to it is the new Center Bus Station, the biggest and most modern of its kind in the country. Central Bus Station Sofia ( Bulgarian: Централна автогара София Tsentralna avtogara Sofiya; abbreviated as CBS) is the main Bus ^[12] A number of other Bus Stations allow interurban and international trips from different parts of the city. The Sofia Airport with its new second terminal, finished in 2006, ^[13] handled some 2. Sofia Airport (Летище София Letishte Sofiya) also known as Vrazhdebna ( Враждебна) after the village located to the north is Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. 7 million passengers in 2007. ^[14]

Public transport is relatively well-developed with bus, tram (153,6 km network^[11]) and trolley (97 km network^[11]) lines running in all areas of the city. ^[15] The Sofia underground became operational only in 1998 and is yet largely underdeveloped with one line and eight stations only. The Sofia Metropolitan (Софийско метро Sofiysko metro) is the underground urban railway network servicing the Bulgarian capital Sofia. ^[16] At present six new stations are under construction and will become operational in 2009. ^[16] The masterplan for the Sofia underground includes three lines with a total of 47 stations. ^[16] In recent years privately operated vans serving fixed routes proved an efficient and popular means of transportation 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. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[11] There are some 6,000 licensed taxi cabs operating in the city and another 2,000 operating somewhat illegally. A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of Public transport for a single passenger or small group of passengers typically for a non-shared ride A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status ^[17] Low fares in comparison with other European countries, make taxis affordable and popular among a big art of the city population.

With the extensive growth of private automobile ownership in the 1990s the number of cars registered in Sofia has exceeded 1,000,000 in the past five years. The Sofia municipality is known for the minor and cosmetic repairs and most streets are in a poor condition^[18]. Consequently the traffic (and air pollution) problems of the city have become more severe. Traffic on Roads may consist of Pedestrians ridden or herded Animals Vehicles Streetcars and other Conveyances either singly Air pollution is the human introduction into the atmosphere of Chemicals Particulate matter, or Biological materials that cause harm or discomfort The extension of the underground system might alleviate the city's traffic problems.

Sofia has a unique, very large combined heat and power (CHP) plant. Energy recycling Cogeneration (also combined heat and power, CHP) is the use of a Heat engine or a Power station to simultaneously generate both Virtually the entire city (900,000 households and 5,900 companies) is centrally heated, using residual heat from electricity generation (3,000 MW) and gas- and oil-fired heating furnaces; total heat capacity is 4,640 MW. The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. The heat distribution piping network is 900 km long and comprises 14,000 substations and 10,000 heated buildings.

Metro station Serdika

Terminal 2 at Sofia International Airport

Old-style tram - trams are a typical transport in Sofia

City Sightseeing Bus

Architecture

Historical landmarks

The Church of St Sophia, built in the middle of the 6th century under Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, gave the city its name

A number of ancient Roman and Byzantine buildings have been preserved in the city and its outskirts. The Sofia Metropolitan (Софийско метро Sofiysko metro) is the underground urban railway network servicing the Bulgarian capital Sofia. City Sightseeing is a global sightseeing bus brand started by Ensignbus and the spanish Hispalense de Tranvíaswhich operates Tour bus rides around various The Hagia Sophia Church (Църква „Света София“ is the second oldest church in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. This is a list of the Emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly known as the Byzantine Empire by modern historians Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or Most notably, the 10th century Boyana Church (one of the UNESCO World Heritage protected sites), the Church of St. George, considered the oldest building in Sofia, and the early Byzantine Church of St Sophia. The Boyana Church (Боянска църква Boyanska tsarkva) is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Church of St George (Ротонда „Свети Георги“ Rotonda "Sveti Georgi" is an Early Christian red brick rotunda that The Hagia Sophia Church (Църква „Света София“ is the second oldest church in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.

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 Classicism edifices of the former Party House, TZUM, and Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan. Stalinist architecture (also referred to as Stalin 's Empire style Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism Tzum (Tsjom is a small village in Franekeradeel in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 1167 citizens (2004 Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts ' largest and second oldest brand ( Westin being the oldest

Post-liberation and Communism

After the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878 and the establishment of an autonomous Bulgarian monarchy with its capital in Sofia, Knyaz Alexander Battenberg invited architects from Austria-Hungary to shape the new capital's architectural appearance. Alexander Joseph of Battenberg ( April 5, 1857 - November 17, 1893) the first prince ( Knyaz) of modern Bulgaria, reigning ^[19]

Among the architects invited to work in Bulgaria were Friedrich Grünanger, Adolf Václav Kolář, Viktor Rumpelmayer 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. Friedrich Grünanger ( 25 January 1856 – 14 December 1929) was an Austro-Hungarian architect who worked primarily in Bulgaria Viktor Rumpelmayer (1830–1885 was a 19th-century Austro-Hungarian architect whose style was a combination of French and Italian influences and the ^[19] Later, many foreign-educated Bulgarian architects also contributed.

The architecture of Sofia's centre is thus a combination of Neo-Baroque, Neo-Rococo, Neo-Renaissance and Neoclassicism, with the Vienna Secession also later playing an important part, but it is mostly typically Central European. Neo-Baroque is a term used to describe artistic creations which display important aspects of Baroque style but are not from the Baroque period proper around the 17th-18th Rococo is a style of 18th century French art and Interior design. "Neo-Renaissance" is an all encompassing style designation that covers many aspects of those 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and The Vienna Secession (also known as the Union of Austrian Artists, or Vereiningung Bildender Künstler Österreichs) was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists

Among the most important buildings constructed in Sofia in the period are the former royal palace, today housing the National Art Gallery and the National Ethnographic Museum (1882); the Ivan Vazov National Theatre (1907); the former royal printing office, today the National Gallery for Foreign Art; the National Assembly of Bulgaria (1886), the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1893), etc. The National Art Gallery (Национална художествена галерия Natsionalna hudozhestvena galeriya) is Bulgaria 's National gallery The Ivan Vazov National Theatre (Народен театър „Иван Вазов“ Naroden teatar „Ivan Vazov“) is Bulgaria 's national theatre The National Gallery for Foreign Art (Национална галерия за чуждестранно изкуство Natsionalna galeriya za chuzhdestranno izkustvo) of The National Assembly of Bulgaria (Народно събрание Narodno sabranie) is the Unicameral Parliament and body of the legislative of the The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS in Bulgarian: Българска академия на науките Balgarska akademiya na naukite, abbreviated

After the Second World War and the establishment of a Communist government in Bulgaria in 1944, the architectural line was substantially altered. Socialist Classicism public buildings emerged in the centre, but as the city grew outwards, the new neighbourhoods were dominated by many Communist-era tower blocks (panelki) and examples of Brutalist architecture. Stalinist architecture (also referred to as Stalin 's Empire style Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism The term Brutalist Architecture originates from the French Béton brut, or "raw concrete" a term used by Le Corbusier to describe

After the abolishment of Communism 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.

Foreign embassies occupy some of Sofia's most beautiful historic houses

The seven-storey house of Baron Gendovich, one of the first high-rise buildings in the city, was completed in 1914	A business district: Mall of Sofia, Sofia Tower and the first IMAX cinema in Southeastern Europe. Mall of Sofia is a Shopping mall in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. IMAX (short for Image MAXimum is a Film format created by Canada 's IMAX Corporation that has the capacity to display images of far greater size and	Typical Architecture	Street Lamps
A typical narrow street in Sofia	Classical Architecture	View of Central Sofia	Central Department Store

Education

Sofia University

There are 16 universities in Sofia. The St Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University (Софийски университет „Св A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects The Saint Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia is often regarded as the most prestigious university of Bulgaria, being founded in 1888^[20] and having an incoming class of 14,000 students each year. The St Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University (Софийски университет „Св Other important universities include the National Academy of Arts, the Technical University of Sofia, the University for National and World Economics, Sofia Medical University, the Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy and New Bulgarian University. The National Academy of Arts (Национална художествена академия abbreviated НХА NAA) is an institution of Higher education in The Technical University of Sofia (Технически университет — София often abbreviated as ТУС TUS or ТУ — София TU — Sofia The University of National and World Economy (Университет за национално и световно стопанство is a school of Economics in The Medical University of Sofia (Медицински университет в София is a university located in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (Национална академия за театрално и филмово изкуство „Кръстьо New Bulgarian University (Нов български университет abbreviated as НБУ NBU) is a private institution of higher education based in Sofia

Furthermore, institutions of national significance, such as the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library are located in Sofia. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS in Bulgarian: Българска академия на науките Balgarska akademiya na naukite, abbreviated The SS Cyril and Methodius National Library (Народна библиотека „Свети Свети Кирил и Методий“ is the National library The American College of Sofia, founded in 1860 and often regarded as the oldest American academic institution outside the United States^[21] provides secondary education to some of Bulgaria's brightest students. The American College of Sofia (Американски колеж в София Amerikanski kolezh v Sofiya; abbreviated as ACS) is one of the top and most prestigious The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[22]

Sport

Top-level football in Sofia: PFC Levski Sofia playing Chelsea F.C. at the Vasil Levski National Stadium during the UEFA Champions League 2006-07

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. PFC Levski Sofia, also known simply as Levski is a Bulgarian football club from Sofia. Vasil Levski National Stadium (Национален стадион „Васил Левски“ named after Bulgarian National hero Vasil Levski, These include most of Bulgaria's primary football teams, such as CSKA, Levski, Lokomotiv Sofia and Slavia, as well as formerly great clubs like Akademik, Spartak Sofia and Septemvri ^[23]. PFC CSKA Sofia (ПФК ЦСКА София is a Bulgarian football club from Sofia. PFC Levski Sofia, also known simply as Levski is a Bulgarian football club from Sofia. PFC Lokomotiv Sofia is a Bulgarian football club from the capital city of Sofia, founded on 28 October 1929 as ZHSK Akademik (ФК “Академик” is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Sofia, currently playing in the Bulgarian B Professional Football Spartak Sofia is a Bulgarian football club founded in 1947 It existed indepenently until 1969 when it was merged with Levski Sofia. The capital's dominance in the sport is reflected in the fact that Sofia-based teams, including dissolved clubs like A. S. 23 ^[24], have been Bulgarian football champions on all but thirteen occasions since the national league was formed in 1923.

Although football is arguably the most popular sport in the city, as well as the whole country, sports such as basketball and volleyball also have strong traditions in Sofia. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 active players (5 normal players and one 'libero' are separated by a net that is usually four feet The most notable basketball team in the capital is Lukoil Academic, who were twice European Champions Cup finalists. PBC Lukoil Academic (ПБК „Лукойл Академик“ are a Bulgarian professional Basketball club based in the capital Sofia. EuroLeague WomenThe Euroleague (EL is one of the professional Basketball competitions in Europe, with teams from thirteen different European countries

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 Federation is the world's second-oldest, and it was an exhibition tournament organised by them in Sofia that in 1957 convinced the IOC to include volleyball as an olympic sport. Bulgarska Federatsiya Volejbol (in Bulgarian "Българска Федерация Волейбол"is the governing body of volleyball in Bulgaria Volleyball has been contested as an indoor sport at the Summer Olympic Games since 1964. ^[25]

Tennis is another sport gaining popularity in Sofia. Currently there are some ten^[26] Tennis court complexes within the city including the one founded by former WTA top-ten athlete Magdalena Maleeva. A tennis court is where the game of Tennis is played It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center Magdalena Maleeva (Магдалена Малеева (born April 1, 1975) is a Bulgarian former Tennis player ^[27]

While rugby is a minor sport in Bulgaria, and certainly not a spectator sport, there are several rugby clubs in Sofia for aficionados of the game. Rugby union in Bulgaria is a minor sport Bulgaria is ranked 91st worldwide by the International Rugby Board (IRB as of 8 October 2007

Most other sports, especially individual sports like boxing, wrestling, archery, etc. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, Wrestling is the act of physical engagement between two people in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over or control of the opponent Archery is the practice of using a bow or Crossbow to shoot Arrows Archery has historically been used in Hunting and Combat and has can also be practiced at the sports complex of the NSA 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 Games in 1992 and in 1994, coming 2nd and 3rd respectively. The city was also an applicant for the 2014 Winter Olympics, but was not selected as candidate. In addition, Sofia hosted Eurobasket 1957 and the 1961 and 1977 Summer Universiades, as well as the 1983 and 1989 winter editions. The 1957 European Basketball Championship, commonly called Eurobasket 1957, was the tenth regional championship held by FIBA Europe. The 1961 Summer Universiade, also known as the II Summer Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria. The 1977 Summer Universiade, also known as the IX Summer Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria. The 1983 Winter Universiade, the XI Winter Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria. The 1989 Winter Universiade, the XIV Winter Universiade, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Venues

The capital is also home to a large number of sports venues, including the 43,000-seat Vasil Levski National Stadium which hosts most major outdoor events in Bulgaria, Levski Sofia's Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, CSKA Sofia's Balgarska Armiya Stadium, Slavia Sofia's Ovcha Kupel Stadium, and Lokomotiv Stadium stadium, which has hosted many major music concerts in recent years. Vasil Levski National Stadium (Национален стадион „Васил Левски“ named after Bulgarian National hero Vasil Levski, Georgi Asparuhov is the stadium of the Bulgarian football club PFC Levski Sofia. Balgarska Armiya Stadium ( Bulgarian: стадион „Българска Slavia Stadium is a multi-use Stadium in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is currently used mostly for football matches Lokomotiv Stadium is a multi-use Stadium in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of

Another 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 skating complexes - the Winter Palace of Sports (capacity 4,000) and the Slavia Winter Stadium (capacity 2,000), both containing two rinks each. ^[28]

There is a velodrome with 5,000 seats in the city's central park. A 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 Borisova gradina or Knyaz-Borisova gradina (Борисова градина or Княз-Борисова градина translated as Boris' Garden or Knyaz It is currently disused but undergoing renovation. ^[29]

Recreation

Most football stadiums have tennis courts, astroturf pitches and other sports facilities joined to them, and there are other such facilities scattered throughout the city, mainly in the parks. AstroTurf is a brand of Artificial turf. Though the term is a Registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind

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 Academy, of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, or those of the capital's various universities. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS in Bulgarian: Българска академия на науките Balgarska akademiya na naukite, abbreviated

There are more than fifteen swimming complexes in the city, most of them outdoor. ^[30] Nearly all of these were constructed as competition venues and therefore have seating facilities for several hundred people each.

There are two golf courses just to the east of Sofia - in Elin Pelin (St Sofia club) and in Ihtiman (Air Sofia club), and a horseriding club (St George club). Elin Pelin (Елин Пелин ( July 8, 1877 – December 3, 1949) born Dimitar Ivanov Stoyanov (Димитър Иванов Ihtiman (Ихтиман is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province.

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 Garden in the city centre, as well as the Southern, Western and Northern and several other smaller parks, most notable of which is the City Garden. Borisova gradina or Knyaz-Borisova gradina (Борисова градина or Княз-Борисова градина translated as Boris' Garden or Knyaz The City Garden (Градска градина Gradska gradina) is Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria 's oldest and most central public garden in existence The Vitosha Nature Park (the oldest national park in the Balkans ^[31]), which includes a big part of the Vitosha mountain to the south of Sofia, covers an area of almost 270 sq km and lies entirely within the city limits. Vitosha (Витоша is a Mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution Vitosha (Витоша is a Mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. ^[32] 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.

Winter Vitosha Panorama

Mass media

The TV Tower on the mountain in Vitosha

Some of the biggest and most popular telecommunications companies, TV and radio stations, cable television companies, newspapers, magazines, and web portals are based in Sofia. Some television companies and channels include Bulgarian National Television (featuring BNT Channel 1 and TV Bulgaria), bTV and Nova Television among others. The Bulgarian National Television (Българска национална телевизия or BNT (БНТ is the public broadcaster of Bulgaria. bTV is the first private-owned national television channel in Bulgaria. For the Croatian television network see Nova TV. For the Czech television network see TV Nova. Top-circulation newspapers include 24 chasa, Trud, Sega and others. 24 Chasa ( 24 часа, translated as 24 Hours) is one of the largest-circulation Bulgarian daily newspapers Dneven Trud (Дневен Труд commonly known as Trud ( labour) is the largest-circulation Bulgarian daily newspaper

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Sofia

People that were born in Sofia:

• Galerius (c. Galerius Maximianus ( ca. 260&ndashlate April or early May 311 formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311 250–311), Roman Emperor (near Sofia, then Serdica)
• Elisaveta Bagryana (1893–1991), Bulgarian poetess
• Boris III (1894–1943), Tsar of Bulgaria
• Assen Jordanoff (1896–1967), Bulgarian-American aviation pioneer
• Cyril (1901–1971), Patriarch of Bulgaria
• Valeri Petrov (b. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC Elisaveta Bagryana (Елисавета Багряна ( April 16, 1893  – March 23, 1991) born Elisaveta Lyubomirova Belcheva Boris III Tsar of Bulgaria (January 30 1894 &ndash August 28 1943 originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver ( Boris Clement Robert Mary This is a list of Bulgarian monarchs from the earliest historical records to 1946 when the monarchy in the country was abolished Assen "Jerry" Jordanoff (Асен Христов Йорданов (born Asen Hristov Yordanov, September 2 1896, Sofia Bulgaria Bulgarian Americans are Citizens of the United States with significant Bulgarian heritage Patriarch Cyril (Патриарх Кирил ( January 3, 1901 - March 7, 1971) born Konstantin Markov (Константин Марков The Patriarch of All Bulgaria is the Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Valeri Petrov (Валери Петров Pseudonym of Valeri Nisim Mevorah (Валери Нисим Меворах (born 22 April 1920) is 1920), Bulgarian writer
• Stoyanka Mutafova (b. Stoyanka Konstantinova Mutafova (Стоянка Константинова Мутафова (born February 2, 1922 in Sofia) is a Bulgarian actress 1922), Bulgarian actress
• Itzhak Fintzi (b. Itzhak Fintzi (Izko Finzi (Ицхак Финци (Ицко Финци (born April 25, 1933) is a Bulgarian Actor. 1933), Bulgarian actor
• Simeon II (b. Royal history Simeon is the son of Tsar Boris III and Tsaritsa Giovanna di Savoia. 1937), Tsar of Bulgaria and former Prime Minister of Bulgaria
• Prof. List of Heads of Government of Bulgaria (1879-Present Principality of Bulgaria (1878-1908 Chairmen of the Council of Ministers Svetla Protich (b. Svetla Protich (Светла Протич born on July 24, 1939 in Sofia, is a notable Bulgarian classical Pianist 1939), Bulgarian classical pianist
• Stefan Danailov (b. Stefan Danailov (born December 9, 1942) is a Bulgarian Actor and current Minister of Culture of Bulgaria 1942), Bulgarian actor and Minister of Culture
• Georgi Asparuhov (1943–1971), Bulgarian football player
• Borislav Mikhailov (b. Georgi R Asparuhov (Георги Аспарухов (sometimes spelled Asparoukhov) nicknamed Gundi ( May 4, 1943 &ndash June 30 Borislav Bisserov Michailov (or Mikhailov (Борислав Михайлов (born 12 February 1963) is a former Bulgarian football goalkeeper 1963), Bulgarian football player and Bulgarian Soccer Union president
• Evgenia Radanova (b. Evgenia Radanova (Евгения Раданова (born 4 November 1977) is a Bulgarian female sportsperson that has participated in both Summer 1977), Bulgarian ice skater
• Mira Aroyo (b. Mira Aroyo (Мира Аройо born in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1977 and now living in London, is a member of the Electropop band Ladytron 1977), member of the band Ladytron
• Antoaneta Stefanova (b. Ladytron are an electronic pop band originally formed in Liverpool, UK Antoaneta Stefanova (Антоанета Стефанова (born April 19, 1979) is a Bulgarian Chess grandmaster, and a former 1979), Bulgarian chess player and Women's World Chess Champion
• Stanislav Ianevski (b. Stanislav Ianevski (Станислав Яневски born May 16, 1985) is a Bulgarian actor known for playing Viktor Krum in the 2005 film 1985), Bulgarian actor
• Alice Panikian (b. Alice Panikian (born May 23, 1985 in Sofia, Bulgaria) is a Bulgarian - Canadian model who was crowned Miss 1985), Miss Universe Canada 2006
• Viktor Antonov , Main Art designer of Valve worked on Half-Life 2 video-game series. For other uses see Valve (disambiguation. For the electronic component see Thermionic valve. Half-Life 2 is a Science fiction First-person shooter computer game and the sequel to the highly acclaimed Half-Life
• Ruth Koll (b. 1990), Singer/song writer of Experimental/Hip Hop music and songs.

Sister cities

See also

References

Further reading

• Sofia — 127 Years Capital (Bulgarian). Municipality of Sofia. Retrieved on 2006-04-05. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop

External links

• City of Sofia
• Sofia City Council (Bulgarian)
• Sofia in old pictures and postcards
• Sofia travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Sofia
• Sofia at the Open Directory Project