The capital of Bulgaria. Popular tourist attractions in Sofia

Beautiful and ancient Sophia hospitably meets its guests, demonstrating what the capital itself and the whole wonderful country of Bulgaria is rich in. The sea of impressions and emotions leaves an acquaintance with the tourist sights of the capital city - the brightest examples of medieval architecture, museums, theaters, parks, squares, squares, markets, antique shops, hospitable cafes and many other interesting objects.

The history of Sofia is rooted in the depths of millennia. The territory, on which the capital of Bulgaria is located, was inhabited by primitive people in the Neolithic age. In the VII century. BC. E. Here existed the city of Serdika. The modern name - Sofia (in translation from Greek - "wisdom") - the city received in the XIV century. It was destroyed many times and passed from hand to hand, was an important center of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, and from 1382 was under Turkish domination. The status of the "capital of Bulgaria" Sofia was received only in 1879, after which it gradually began to change the face from the Ottoman to the European one. Fortunately, Bulgarians are able to keep a historical memory. To date, more than 250 historical monuments have survived in the main city of the country, evidencing the rich and complex past of Sofia, which determined such a peculiarity of the city's appearance as a mixture of architectural styles related to different ethnic groups and epochs.

Sofia has preserved many excellent examples of church architecture. The Rotunda of Saint George was built by the Romans in the IV century in the center of the residence of the Emperor Constantine the Great. It was originally used as a baptistery - a building for the rite of baptism, then as a Christian church, and after the conquest in the late 14th century. Bulgaria was turned into a mosque by the Turks. Currently, the building of the oldest church in Sofia is a museum.

The capital of Bulgaria is named after the remarkable ancient structure - the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, represented on the coat of arms of the city. This is the oldest (built in the VI.) Active Orthodox church in the world. On the territory of the temple there is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and next to it, in a cozy and beautiful park - another interesting attraction is the Doctoral monument dedicated to Russian doctors and servicemen who died in the Russian-Turkish war.

The cathedral in the name of the holy Prince Alexander Nevsky occupies the center of the square bearing his name. The majestic temple-monument was built in gratitude to the Russian people for the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke and is dedicated to the heavenly patron of Emperor Alexander II, Saint Alexander Nevsky.

The capital of Bulgaria is the point of the fusion of European and Eastern cultures. In Sofia there is one of the oldest Muslim temples in Europe called Banya Bashi, which translates into Russian as "many baths". An excellent example of Ottoman architecture was erected in the XVI century over a natural thermal resort.

For true lovers of travel, the capital of Bulgaria - one of the most ancient cities of Europe - is attractive not only for its wide range of attractions. Magnificent nature, many healing mineral springs, the mass of significant cultural events taking place here and the developed infrastructure place Sofia on a par with major centers of world tourism.