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Monthly circulation: 20 000 Central Bus Station Real Estate Agencies Cultural Institutes Top Restaurants & Bars Casinos Travel Agencies COMMERCIAL AND ECONOMIC SECTION OF THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA IN: FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, KAZAKHSTAN, MONTENEGRO, MACEDONIA, MOLDOVA, ROMANIA, SERBIA, SLOVAK REPUBLIC, SLOVENIA, THE NETHERLANDS, UK OVERVIEW 3 Inter Expo Center Information Center Sofia (Largo, Chitalnyata) Galleries Real Estate Agencies Top Restaurants & Bars Travel Agencies 4 OVERVIEW public organizations. Sofia accommodates also SOFIA CITY REGION the cultural institutions in Bulgaria. The capital city of Bulgaria is situated in the It has been given several names in the course of geographic center of Southeastern Europe thus history. serving as a natural bridge to the Middle East. • Serdika was the name of the central dwelling of the ancient Thracian tribe known as “Serdi”. • The toponym Sredets was indicative of its FACT & SYMBOLS central location on the Balkan Peninsula. When the city became part of the Bulgarian state at the beginning of the ninth century it acquired this Slavic name and it was soon recognized as one of the most important feudal towns. • Sofia – In nowadays the Bulgarian capital carries the name of St. Sofia (the holy Lady of wisdom), inspired by the name of the church St. Sofia. Sofia Municipality 33, Moskovska Str. (map E3) & 02 937 73 03 www.sofia.bg Population: 1 291 591 Area: 1 310, 8 sq. km The city motto: “Growing without aging” GDP: around 29% of the national GDP Sofia is the biggest and the most dynamic center of the economic life in Bulgaria. Half of the foreign direct investments in Bulgaria are concentrated in the capital. One third of the St. Sofia Church annual tax revenues in the national budget come from Sofia. The region occupies the central part of the CULTURAL HERITAGE Sofia Plain (with average altitude of 550 m) The cultural heritage of Sofia combines traces and it is encircled by the Balkan Mountains (in from the civilizations of the Neolith and the the north) and the Vitosha Mountain and the Thracians, of the ancient Greeks and Romans, Lyulin Mountain (in the south). The area has an of the Slavs and the proto-Bulgarians and the abundance of curative mineral springs (Gorna Ottomans, These tribes and ethnic groups Banya, Ovcha Kupel, Bankya). The Vitosha molded the face of the city through the victories Mountain is an international winter sports and defeats and through the consequent cultural destination. From ancient times, Sofia was well- influences. The socialist realism and the dynamic known as a spa centre, thanks to her 18 healing changes of modernity are still defining the mineral and thermal springs. Those springs development of Sofia and are also part of its have been drawing settlers and conquerors from inextinguishable charm. While be walking on ancient time to nowadays. They are depicted on the streets of Sofia today, people can still see the coat-of-arms of Sofia Municipality. the remnants from older civilizations can still be seen. THROUGH THE CENTURIES As early as the Neolithic age the territory of the Founded seven thousand years ago, Sofia is the present-day million city was inhabited by primitive second oldest European city. The city situated in societies. Archaeologists continue to discover the center of Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia has implements and devices from the Stone, Copper been the official center of the Bulgarian nation for and Bronze ages in the city and in its vicinity. 127 years, since shortly after the Liberation he There are more than 70 Eastern Orthodox was declared for the capital of Bulgaria. churches and monasteries, many of which have Sofia has been the capital of Bulgaria since April become emblematic for the Bulgarian capital. 3, 1879. It is the permanent seat of the National The city center is an eclectic mix of communist Assembly (the Parliament), the Presidency, era neoclassical and West European architecture, the Council of Ministers, the central governing which enchants with its aristocratic atmosphere bodies of various agencies, political parties and and Eastern charm. BULGARIA IN BRIEF 5 6 BULGARIA IN BRIEF OPEN-AIR EXHIBITIONS IN THE HEART OF SOFIA It’s finally warm outside! Sofia is as green as it could be and it is definitely the right time to have a refreshing walk in one of the many parks and gardens in the city. I’m sure you have done that already anyway – but have you seen the free open-air exhibitions? They can be found at Sofia’s special locations – places with a unique atmosphere where you can experience the city spirit. THE STORY In 2007 the Culture department of Sofia Municipality opened an exhibition of artistic photographs in the City Garden of Sofia. It received very positive reaction from the visitors and today there are multiple ‘open-air galleries’. They give the chance of curious projects to be seen by a broader audience, as well as contribute to the whole energy of the city - the parks are locals’ and visitors’ favorite spot for relaxing. The exhibitions are versatile – historical, archaeological, about social campaigns and others. You’ll have the chance to see different exhibitions on the following locations: the City Garden (at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre) - 42°41’41.9”N 23°19’29.5”E 30.04 – 13.05: Bulgarian Academy of Science 13.05 – 27.05: Follow the steps* the LOVers Bridge (right next to the National Palace of Culture) - 42°40’58”N 23°19’12”E 3.05 – 15.05: Pope Francis exhibition 15.05 – 27.05: Asian Festival BULGARIA IN BRIEF 7 the National Palace of Culture (next to the Lion Statue) - 42°41’16.3”N 23°19’12.3”E 30.04 – 13.05: WEBIT Festival 13.05 – 27.05: Danube Region the Crystal Garden (in front of the Central Military Club) - 42°41’40.1”N 23°19’47.3”E 1.05 – 14.05: National Archives – an exhibition celebrating 140 years of the announcement of Sofia as the capital of Bulgaria *FOLLOW THE STEPS Follow the steps is an exhibition about Bulgarian Folk Dance. It is made by Taratantsi foundation and includes 34 images of the steps of the Bulgarian traditional dance called ‘horo’. There are hundreds of different types of Bulgarian horo and every single one has unique steps and authentic form. The dance moves and rhythms are portrayed on the posters as a different number of lines and colors, depending on the folk region of the country. For some of the posters even a QR code is available – the visitors will be able to virtually follow the steps of the horo one by one. More information about how to spend your time in Sofia on: www.visitsofia.bg www.facebook.com/InformationCentreSofia 8 OVERVIEW Sofia’s Symbols National Assembly The University of Sofia (map E3) St. Kliment Ohridski The building of the National Assembly (map E4) (Parliament of the Republic of Bulgaria) is located on the square of the same name, situated on In front of the entrance to the oldest and largest Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. Parliament is the state high school in Bulgaria is standing the bronze body of the legislature power in the country. The sculpture of the brothers Hristo and Evlogi building of the National Assembly was built after Georgievi, with the financial support of which it the Liberation in 1884 on the idea of Konstantin was built. Founded in 1888, in the 1904 the high Jovanovic, an architect from Vienna in Neo- school was declared a university. He is called Renaissance style. The slogan “The Unity Makes of the name of St. Kliment Ohridski, founder of the Strength” is written above the entrance of the the Ohrid Literary School. The building of the National Assembly. Against the Parliament is the Rectorate is located on Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., monument of the Tzar-liberator Alexander II, and and today the university is the largest and most in close proximity are the Sofia University and St. prestigious research center in the country. Alexander Nevski Temple Church. Monument to the Unknown Soldier (map E3) The Ivan Vazov National Theatre (map D3) From the south side of the “St. Sofia” basilica one In the ideal center of Sofia, once you find the Dyakon bronze lion guarded calm the peace of all known Ignatiy Street, the first to will attract your eyes is and unknown warriors who died in battles for the the impressive building of the National Theater.