Bulgaria Inside

Alexander Nevski cathedral can be seen as one of the most beautiful and impressive symbols of Sofia. It is situated in the center of the city, on the square carrying the same name, very close to the National Assembly building. The cathedral is also the main church of the Bulgarian Orthodox Patriarch.

Neo-Byzantine construction style was followed, strongly expressed in the cathedral’s golden domes. The area of the temple is 3170 sq m and the height of the biggest bell tower is 50 m. This makes Alexander Nevski second biggest orthodox cathedral on the Balkans after St. Sava Srabski in Belgrade.

Construction of the church started in 1882 following the designs of architect academician Ivan Bogomilov. After his early death, design was assigned to the Russian architect Pomerantzev, who totally changed the structure of the building.

Work on the building ended in 1912. Many Bulgarian, Russian and other foreign artists worked on the decoration. All construction and decoration materials used had significant cost and were rare. Most were imported from various parts of the world. The cost of the project neared 5.5 million leva and all the money came from donations.

One of the oldest churches in Sofia, St. Sofia, is situated close to Alexander Nevski. The church treasures a lock of the hair of Bulgarian revolutionary Vassil Levski. The Russian church St. Nikolai, constructed on the donations of Russian emigrants to Bulgaria is also near.

Accommodation Sites
- Kempinski Hotel Zografski
- Hilton Sofia