What to see in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Part II

The “Borisova Gradina” Park (“Boris’ Garden” Park)


The "Borisova Gradina" Park

If you have two or three days to visit Sofia , do not miss to go for a walk (maybe by bike) in “Borisova Gradina”, a historic and famous city park, built in 1884 by order of Tsar Boris III.  As Bulgarians love life on the streets and parks, you will find it quite lively  at any time of the year. Among the places of interest of the park and the surroundings are the Eagles Bridge, the “Vasil Levski” National Stadium, the open-air auditorium, the large children's recreation area, the Soviet monument, the Lake Ariana, the Bulgarian Army Stadium, the Television Tower, etc.


St Nedelya Church


"St Nedelya" Church

The Bulgarian Orthodox Cathedral of Sveta Nedelya  is a medieval church from the 10th century that has suffered destruction through the ages for different reasons, including an earthquake and has been reconstructed many times. In fact, although the imposing and robust current building dates from 1863, a bomb attack in 1925 that failed in its attempt to assassinate Tsar Boris III, but took the lives of 128 people, forced an almost complete reconstruction by 1950. The remains of the Serbian king Stefan Milutin are preserved in its interior.


"Banya Bashi" Mosque

The mosque and the Central Market opposite it

Among the multitude of Orthodox churches that clutter Sofia there is also room for a mosque,  that of Banya Bashi. And it is not any mosque. Banya Bashi was built in 1566 by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, author, among others, of the famous Suleiman Mosque in Istanbul. Built on a hot springs area, the Banya Bashi Mosque stands out for its huge 15m diameter dome and its minaret.

In the surroundings you can find more archaeological remains of the ancient Serdika. The Mosque remains a place of worship for the Muslim community.


The Central Market


The Central Market Interior

In front of the Banya Bashi Mosque is the Central Market of Sofia which opened its doors in 1911. The building was made in neo-Renaissance style, although in the decoration there are neo-Byzantine and neo-Baroque elements. In the interior, you can find local products, as well as shops, jewelers, bakeries and coffee shops all at a good price or just take a walk through its 3 floors and watch the daily hustle and bustle.


 The Central Mineral Baths


The Central Mineral Baths

Another of the tourist attractions that you can visit in Sofia is the Central Baths. They were built in 1906 near the former Turkish bath  and were used as the city's public baths until 1986. Th building was designed in the Vienna Secession style, but integrating typically Bulgarian, Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox ornamental elements. During the bombing of Sofia in World War II, one of the wings was damaged but restored after that.

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