Sofia was founded 3,000 years ago, by an ancient Thracian tribe, the ‘Serdi’, and known as
Serdica until the beginning of the ninth century. Dramatically ringed by the Balkan Mountains to the north and the Vitosha Mountains to the south, the capital stands on an
open plain 550m (1,804ft) above sea level in
western Bulgaria.
The town center is dominated by
neo-classical Stalinist architecture and is surrounded by a sprawling periphery of bleak, Socialist-era block housing - a formidable greeting for the first-time visitor. However, a peek through the
side streets and century-old commercial quarter reveals the true magic of Sofia - a
very European city of
tree-lined boulevards and balconied buildings by 19th-century Russian and Viennese architects. Standing among a cluster of ancient and neo-Byzantine
Orthodox churches, and one functioning mosque, which is virtually all that remains of 500 years of Ottoman domination.
However, it is in
street life that the character of the city is to be found. Locals meet for coffee at
open-air cafés,
vast bazaars offer an array of pickles and farm produce,
gypsies sell flowers on street corners, while shoppers queue to board the city’s rattling
trams and
folk musicians serenade the metro users.
From the earliest times, Sofia’s main attraction has been its
thermal springs, which are still in public use today as a water source. Its
strategic location on military and trade routes made it an important administrative center in Roman times, reaching its grandeur as an early center of Christianity during the reign of Constantine in the fourth century.
Two significant Byzantine churches remain. In 1382, the
Turks conquered the city but when they were ousted, in 1878, Sofia became the
capital and its grand boulevards were constructed, cutting through the grid-plan quarters that had grown up around the oriental nucleus. Ottoman-imposed mosques were torn down, as the Orthodox Church was reinstated.
During WWII, Bulgaria became part of the Axis and Sofia was
heavily bombed in British and American raids - 3,000 buildings were destroyed and 9,000 damaged, which accounts for its newness today. When the war ended in 1944, Russian soldiers took the capital and Bulgaria became part of the
Eastern Bloc.
Under Communism, Sofia underwent a period of
rapid industrialization - new factories and high-rise apartment blocks grew up to form extended suburbs and the city’s population escalated as
thousands migrated from rural areas. The regime officially came to an end in 1989, although it remains the most obvious legacy in contemporary urban culture and architecture. Despite these impositions, Sofia retains and is reclaiming its sense of European elegance and identity.
Politically and economically, however, Bulgaria continued to suffer from the vacuum
left by Communism. The 1990s saw chaotic
political instability, soaring
unemployment,
hyperinflation and rampant
corruption. During privatization measures, former Communist party members and their families managed to hold onto power and economic influence and still dominate the city’s government and trade.
Bulgaria, however, is beginning to attract an
increasing number of tourists (who head mainly for the seaside resorts of the Black Sea and ski resorts such as Bansko), and it is hoped that this new influx of cash will help the country shape up. Bulgaria’s
accession to the
EU in January 2007 has no doubt further boosted its appeal as a tourist destination, and will help its economic growth in years to come.
Today’s visitors to Sofia will find little of the austere Eastern Bloc society of the past. More likely they will be pleasantly surprised by the
lively streets, appearance of
increasing affluence, new boutiques and clean,
well-organized streets. With unemployment and inflation rates plummeting, the EU’s newest member is gaining credibility and
regaining economic stability, pleasing its
educated population. The city’s motto, ‘
Ever growing, never old,’ is as true today as it ever was.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Sofia Content
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Bulgaria Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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