Bulgaria

September 1-6, 2024:

Bulgaria is a Balkan nation with diverse terrain encompassing Black Sea coastline, a mountainous interior and rivers, including the Danube. A cultural melting pot with Greek, Slavic, Ottoman, and Persian influences, it has a rich heritage of traditional dance, music, costumes, and crafts. At the foot of domed Vitosha mountain is its capital city, Sofia, dating to the 5th century B.C.

FLIGHT FROM ISTANBUL TO SOFIA:

We had a bit of an adventure getting to Sofia, Bulgaria from Istanbul Airport. We got off our direct flight from Denver at the Istanbul Airport and were informed our gate to Sofia was F12B.

We walked to that gate (about 30 minutes) and were informed there had been a gate change – to A4C (30 minutes back).

We walked there and found out when arriving at that gate they now didn’t know what gate yet – we had to wait about 15 minutes for a gate assignment – and, then, of course, our new gate assigned was F12B (yes, we had to walk back again) – and now the plane was delayed 1 hour, 5 minutes! Well, at least we got some exercise and made our flight!

Shuffling between gates at the Istanbul Airport

SOFIA:

Sofia is the capital of the Balkan nation of Bulgaria. It’s in the west of the country, below Vitosha Mountain. The city’s landmarks reflect more than 2,000 years of history, including Greek, Roman, Ottoman and Soviet occupation.

Our Accommodation in Sofia – The Arte Sofia Hotel:

Our accommodation in Sofia was perfect – right in the center of the city, it was convenient for us to walk to all the major sites. A delicious breakfast buffet was included.

Arte Sofia Hotel – Sofia City Center

Early Morning Walk in the City Center:

I took an early morning walk in the city center of Sofia. Lots of great street art close to our hotel…

Bozko – Saint George

Stern – Spark

Nasimo – The Hug

MAD – The Dance of the Bread Rolls

140 Ideas – Sweet Flame

Poem about Lithuania by Poet Marcelijus Martinaitis

Pizza Ad

Unknown Artist

Aleksi Ivanov –
Untitled

Cafe Richard

Blitz Club Casino

Nikolay Binev Youth Theatre

Other sights on my early morning walk in the Sofia City Center

And not so great street art…

Graffiti on a doorway

And an old Soviet car…

Soviet Lada 2101 – c. 1970

Thank God for Google Maps – I couldn’t read any of the street signs (they were in Bulgarian).

Sofia Street Signs in Bugarian

Other Walks in the City Center:

We took several City Center walks from our hotel in Sofia during the day. What follows are the highlights of these walks.

Central Market of Sofia

Central Mosque of Sofia – Banya Boshi Mosque

Central Synagogue of Sofia

Mineral Springs

Monument to Saint Sofia

Ruins of Ancient Serdica

Church of Saint Petka of the Saddlers

Regional History Museum

Independence Square

Church of Saint Nicholas the Miraclemaker

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Lion guarding it

Art Nouveau Buildings

Sculpture “Victory” by Lyubomir Dalchev

Monument to the Bulgarian Militiamen in the War for Liberation (1877-1878)

Sculpture “The Restless Spirit” by Lyubomir Dalchev

Sculpture “Samuel’s Soldiers” by Lyubomir Dalchev

Monument of Tsar Samuil

Sculpture of Person carrying a Man

Sculpture Garden close to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Shopping in an Artisan’s Fair close to Alexander Nesky Cathedral

Strip Tease and Gelato

Vitosha Boulevard

Court of Justice

Slaveykov Square

National Theater – “Ivan Vazov”

City Garden

Aleko Konstantinov Statue – popular writer

Sofia Presidential Palace

L’Arte della Pasta Store

Rape of Europa Statue

Moss-Covered Building

Statue of Woodrow Wilson

Fragment from the Zeus-Sarapis Temple

Tram

Children’s Bookstore

Beekeeper Outfit

Red Building

Pirotska Pedestrianized Street

Monument to the Revolutionaries of Macedonia and Thrace

Poetry – Serdika Metro Station

Miscellaneous Sofia Sights

More Street Art:

We saw more Street Art on our Sofia City Center walks.

Arsenal-Erase – Serdika Tulip

Bozko – Strange Bug

Turmoil – Turmoil in Sofia

JanOne – Innovation for Life

Yosh – Sofia

Chupa Chups graffiti mural

Nash – Grafitti Battle Mural

Mouse – Watermelon

Gana – Women’s Market

Bilos – Kiss for Life

Arsek-Erase – 2021

Turmoil – From Vandalism to Art

Mouse – Graffopost vol. 6

Francisco Bosoletti –
Poet Nikola Vaptsarov

Other Miscellaneous Street Art in Sofia

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral:

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia. Built in Neo-Byzantine style, it serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and it is one of the 50 largest Christian church buildings by volume in the world.

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Mosaic of Saint Alexander Nevsky

Interior of the cathedral

Two Marble Thrones – Bigger One for the Czar,
Smaller One for the Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Photo: soniahalliday.com

Iconstatis – Notice how Jesus is a toddler, not a baby

Pulpit

Relics of St. Alexander Nevsky

Mosaic mural of Tsar Ferdinand and Queen Eleanor – Photo: mosaictoursofia.info

Dome

Side Chapel

Icons of Saints

National Art Gallery:

The National Art Gallery is Bulgaria’s national gallery, and houses over 50,000 pieces of Bulgarian art.

During our visit, they had a special exhibition featuring the photographs of actress Jessica Lange.

Jessica Lange Photography Exhibition

Selection of other art in the National Gallery

National Archaeological Museum:

The National Archaeological Museum occupies the building of the largest and oldest former Ottoman mosque in the city, originally known as Koca Mahmut Paşa Camii.

National Archaeological Museum

Acroterion – 2nd Century

Apollo

Thracian “Valchitran Treasure”

Golden Mask of Teres I, 4th-5th century BC

Copy of Madara Horseman

Statue of Fortuna

Head from a statue of Apollo

Altar dedicated to Zeus

Mosaic from Saint Sofia Church

Gold Coins

Icons

Treasures of Seuthes III

Gold Jewelry

Gold Medallion

Gold Wreath – 4th Century BC

Silver-gilted Rhyton – 4th Century BC

Gold Bracelet

Gold Pendants

Illyrian Type Helmet – 6th Century BC

Other select objects from the museum

Cathedral of Saint Nedelya:

Saint Nedelya Cathedral is an Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral of the Sofia bishopric of the Bulgarian Patriarchate.

Saint Nedelya Cathedral

Interior of Saint Nedelya Cathedral

Church of Saint George:

The Church of Saint George is a Late Antique red brick rotunda in Sofia, Bulgaria. Built in the early 4th century as Roman baths, it became a church inside the walls of Serdica, capital of ancient Dacia Mediterranea during the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire.

Church of Saint George

Vestibule

Interior – Photo: visitsofia.bg

Frescoes in the dome – Photo: Wikimedia – Bjoertvedt

Boyana Church:

The Church “St. Nicholas and St. Pantsleon” in Boyana district, Sofia, or Boyana Church for short, is famous for its remarkable medieval frescoes. It is a UNESCO Heritage site.

Boyana Church

No photography is allowed in the church. The frescoes below come from the following Internet link:

Transfiguration of the Lord

Virgin Mary enthroned with baby Jesus

St. Nicholas casting the demons out of the tree

St. Gregory the Theologian and St. Basil the Great

Left – Crucifixion of Christ, Right – Descent of Christ into Hell

The rescue of Dimitar, scene from the life of St. Nicholas

Ascension

Christ Pantokrator (Omnipotent)

The Last Supper

St. Nicholas – The miracle in the sea

St. Nicholas visiting Constantine in a dream

Selection of Boyana Church Frescoes

RILA MONASTERY:

The Monastery of Saint John of Rila, also known as Rila Monastery, is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria.

Aerial View of Rila Monastery – Phoro: rilskimanastir.org

Entrance to the Monastery:

The entrance to the monastery is covered with beautiful paintings.

Entrance to the Monastery

Vestibule of the Entrance

Courtyard:

The courtyard contains the Hrelyo Tower, the Monk’s Quarters, the Grave of Neofit Rilski, the Church of Rila Monastery with dazzling frescoes on its Portico, and a Museum. There are no photos allowed inside the Church or in the Museum.

Monastery Courtyard

Hrelyo Tower

Monk’s Quarters

Grave of Neofit Rilski (1793-1881)

Church

Church Portico

Frescoes on the Church Portico

Interior of the Church – Photo: holeinthedonut.com

Monastery Museum

The Monastery Museum’s highlight is Rafail’s Cross, made from a whole piece of wood (81 х 43 cm). It was whittled down by the monk Rafail using fine burins and magnifying lenses to recreate 104 scenes and 650 figures. The work lasted 12+ years before it was completed in 1802, when the monk lost his sight.