Discover The City
You are in a city where people are never bored. Immerse yourself in local art exhibitions, neighbourhood events, seasonal activities and numerous parks.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral – main symbol of Sofia
One of the symbols of Sofia and Bulgaria is this massive cathedral “Saint Alexander Nevsky” which was built between 1882 and 1912 , in Neo-Byzantine style. It is the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and one of Sofia’s primary tourist attractions.
The cathedral is a cross-domed basilica featuring an emphasized central dome. The spectacular external golden domes were covered in gold leaf, donated by Russia in 1960 and have recently been re-gilded. Its dome is 45m high with a bell tower reaching 53m. The temple has 12 bells with total weight of 23 tons. The interior features Italian marble in a lot of colours, Brazilian onyx and alabaster. The lighting in the Cathedral is elaborated in Munich. The church can accommodate about 5000. What is remarkable in the architecture is the central dome which has the Lord’s Prayer inscribed around it with gold letters. The name of the cathedral was changed to the St. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral between 1916 and 1920. However, its initial name was restored. The cathedral was proclaimed a monument of culture on 12 September 1924.
Vitoshka – The famous Sofia pedestrian street
Vitosha Boulevard (often called ‘Vitoshka’) is the major commercial and retail pedestrian street in Sofia’s city centre. It is a mixture of both entertainment and culture which makes it a preferable choice for locals and holidaymakers. The street is located between St. Nedelya Square and Southern Park. There is a large number of posh stores, restaurants, bars and pubs. The boulevard is featuring a lot of shops raging from souvenir stores to casual outlets and well-known retail brands. A lot of brands which are leaders in high-end fashion / Escada, Versace, Lacoste, Max Mara, Emporio Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Boss, D&G, etc./ have outlets situated on Vitoshka and its neighbourhood streets. The majority of the retail brands are concentrated mainly on the stretch between Patriarh Eftimii Blvd and St. Nedelyа Church, while the restaurants and the bars could be found anywhere on the street. According to a 2007 Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. study, Vitoshka is the world’s 22nd most expensive commercial street.
The boulevard is named after Vitosha mountain which is located just next to Bulgarian’s capital. The boulevard was an unmodified street during the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria and received the name ‘Vitosha Street’ after the Liberation, in 1883. At the very beginning, the street was built up with low one-storey houses, but later tuned into an impressive retail street in the Interwar period when huge public buildings were established, completely changing the street’s appearance.
In 2007 a major renovation of the boulevard has begun. The main idea was to restore the style of 1930s Sofia. A lot of new features were added which contributed to the pleasant experience of locals and tourists while passing by the street – historical benches, street lights, Art Nouveau round kiosks, green areas, open-air bars, fountains and clock towers which are displaying the time in many world capitals. Later, in 2015 another renovation was announced, which completed the entire pedestrian zone of the boulevard.
Central Hotel Sofia is constantly asking its guests about feedback and to share their experience while visiting Sofia and especially cultural sites like Vitosha Boulevard. Here are some comments from guests who have visited the spectacular shopping world called Vitoshka:
