Our trip was a long bus ride from Belgrade to Sofia in Bulgaria. Crossing the Bulgarian border, we had to stop, exit the bus and walk through for a passport check. At the checkpoint was a medical team of three, apparently there to spot check for corona virus. Although the checkpoint was not busy at all, they checked no one from our bus. Why, we wondered. Perhaps they would check only those who came recently from someplace hit by the disease (such as Italy or Spain). At this point, Bulgaria had no reported cases.
We arrived at the Sofia bus station in the evening, already dark, so we figured out how to take the “Metro” three stops up to the National Palace of Culture near our AirB&B. From the Metro, we emerged into a very large square or park. The National Palace of Culture (NDK), the largest, multifunctional conference and exhibition center in south-eastern Europe, dominates the square. Just a block off that square, we easily found our apartment. Since rain was in the forecast, we stayed inside the next day, awaiting the sun to shine again before taking in Sofia with a walking tour.
Walking Tour of Sofia: Our Air B&B Hostess, Elena, was also a tour guide, so we were lucky to have our own personal guide through the heart of Sofia. Elena met us at the apartment, and we began our walk with a coffee stop at the NDK so Elena could give us a short history of Belgrade and Sofia. From there, we walked up from the square to the pedestrian walkway.
- Pedestrian Walkway up Vitosha Blvd.: This is the busy main drag for tourists, filled with restaurants and shopping. In our days here, it was always busy – but not crowded.
- St. Nedelya Cathedral: This medieval church, a central landmark in Sofia, has suffered destruction through the ages and has been reconstructed many times. On 16 April 1925, a group from the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) exploded the church’s roof during a packed funeral service in hopes of killing Tsar Boris III, and others in the government who had persecuted the party. Although the Tsar was elsewhere, 200 people, mainly from the country’s political and military elite, were killed in the attack and another 500 were injured.
- Ancient Serdica: In Roman times, this city was named Serdica. Modern Sofia has done a great job preserving the ruins left of those times. In the pictures, you can see how these ruins are preserved and maintained openly even in the midst of a busy modern city. Excavation is still going on with new discoveries uncovered.
- Church of St. George: A 4th Century early Christian, red brick rotunda church is considered the oldest building in Sofia. Later, during the Ottoman rule in the 16th century, this small church became a mosque. In the middle of the 19th century, the Rotunda was abandoned by the Muslims. Not long after, the Bulgarians reclaimed its original purpose as an Orthodox Christian church.
- Statue of Sveta Sofia: A modern symbol erected in 2000, Sveta Sofia stands high above a central intersection in Sofia, over the ruins of ancient Serdica, in a spot once held by a statue of Lenin. Her symbols are her crown, a laurel wreath she holds out which is a symbol of peace, and an owl sitting on her left arm. The Greek goddess Sophia was a goddess of wisdom, so the owl is most appropriate.
- Saint Sofia Church: The oldest church in the Bulgarian capital, it dates back to the 4th century. This one was surely named after the Christian saint, and not for the Greek goddess of wisdom. In the 14th century, this was the church that gave the city its current name, Sofia.
- Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker: The official church of the Russian Embassy, this beautiful Russian Orthodox church was located next door to serve Sofia’s Russian community. Following the tradition for diplomatic churches, it was named for the patron saint of the Emperor who ruled Russia at the time, Tsar Nicholas II. Construction began in 1907 and the church was consecrated in 1914. It remained open even after the Russian Revolution and during the Communist period in Bulgaria (1944–1989), although priests and church-goers were carefully watched by the State Security police. Today’s visitors are invited to walk downstairs, write their wish on paper, say a prayer, and drop their wish in the box with a small donation. Then they can let “St. Nicholas the Miracle-Maker” see that their wishes come true.
- St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral: This huge Bulgarian Orthodox Cathedral, Sofia’s major landmark, was built in the Neo-Byzantine style between 1904 and 1912. Until the year 2000, it was said to be the largest Orthodox Cathedral of all, able to hold up to 5,000 people. Named for Saint Alexander Nevsky, a medieval Russian prince, the cathedral was dedicated in honor of the Russian soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, helping to liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule.
- The Ivan Vasov National Theater: The façade of this theater is exquisite. Founded in 1904, it’s Bulgaria’s National Theater as well as the oldest and most authoritative theatre in the country. Unfortunately, we had no opportunity to see its interior.
We reserved a full day excursion outside of Sofia to see the Rila Monastery and the Boyana Church. I’ve included quite a few photos below.
Day Tour of the Rila Monastery & the Boyana Church: There were seven of us, plus Kostanza, our Guide/Driver. One older couple from Spain did not speak English at all. Pedro, a young doctor also from Spain, was often translating for them. There was also a younger couple from Germany.
- The Boyana Church, a small, medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church on the outskirts of Sofia. Built in three stages, the earliest in the late 10th century, it is remarkable for the excellent frescoes still preserved within. As of 1979, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Below are many photos of the Rila Monastery and some of the frescoes on the exterior of the church. They were so beautiful! We weren’t able to take photos inside the church.
- The Rila Monastery [Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila]: Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is the largest and most well-known Eastern Orthodox monastery in the country. Named for its founder, the hermit Ivan of Rila (876-946 AD) it’s a long drive south of Sofia and up into the mountains, but it was well-worth the trip. It was burned down in 1833 but then rebuilt between 1834 and 1862 in the Bulgarian National Revivalist style, a much more rich and colorful architecture than that in western monasteries. Fascinating frescoes decorate the exterior walls of the church, and the interior is lavishly decorated as well. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions and an important cultural and historical site. There are still monks here, but they also have rooms for others, pilgrims who seek some quiet and contemplation in a religious context. This too is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While we were inside the church, pilgrim priests arrived. Because they were pilgrims, the covered coffin with relics of St Ivan was uncovered, allowing the priests to go up to the coffin on the alter to offer a prayer. Our guide was very moved by this. The Priests then sang a beautiful song.
The Red Flat: Everyday Life in Communist Bulgaria: This unique experience gave us a concrete taste of what life was like under communist rule in the 1980’s Bulgaria. Unlike Yugoslavia, Bulgaria was a communist satellite of the USSR, and much more governed by the Soviets. The Red Flat is simply a visit to a typical second-story apartment in downtown Sofia. As visitors we were invited to examine and touch anything we wanted to, while listening on a headset to 46 brief stories about the (hypothetical) family that lived here. We sampled communist “soft drinks,” (no Coke, since that was a western, capitalist product), and tasted the Bulgarian chocolate candies – a kind of Commie Kit-Kat. This was a fascinating “museum” of sorts where we learned about the lack of freedom and privations involved but also about how the standard of living for many people had actually improved.
The Com.bar: Rakia Tasting at the Museum of Communism: This experience appealed to us because we’ve become quite curious about the communist times, and because Sara can no longer resist any opportunity to explore local varieties of alcohol – in Bulgaria, it’s Rakia. Rakia is like a fruit brandy, meant to be sipped. The Com.bar is just a small bar, but the owner is an avid collector of artifacts from the communist era, artifacts which are displayed throughout the bar.
As it happened, nine folks were originally scheduled for this experience, but this was 3/13, our last night in Sofia, when Bulgaria began measures to manage the Coronavirus. Word was out that restaurants, bars, and public events were to be cancelled starting tomorrow. Others who had planned to come from Scandinavia had their flights cancelled. Niya contacted us ahead of time to see if we still wanted to attend, and we did, so we ended up having our hostess and the Com.bar all to ourselves.
We really liked Niya who welcomed us, explained the bar, and brought us quickly up to speed on the proper way to drink “rakia” and its many varieties. She grew up during the last decade of communist Bulgaria, so she shared her experiences and told us about the collection in the “Museum.” She led us downstairs to see more, and she invited us to try on communist military uniforms. Our visit with Niya was thoroughly enjoyable. What a great experience! She also recommended an excellent restaurant for traditional Bulgarian food. This turned out to be our last restaurant meal in Europe for the time being. We left the bar feeling like we had made a new friend. We have kept in touch with Niya since leaving Sofia. We hope to see her again.
