Sofia: You can take communism out of the country but not out of the land. Beyond the blocks of shabby Soviet-era apartments ringing the cities, (but still in use and evidently in decent shape) there are reminder symbols blasted into the sides of buildings, and occasional monuments on highways. On the outskirts of Sofia, the Museum of National History – the former Communist “Palace” for visiting dignitaries – is worth the visit just for the site, as are the artifacts within. Check out the massive murals, chandelier and wood ceilings below.
It’s a great example of late classic Soviet style. Massive – intended to dwarf the visitor and remind you of who’s who. (Kind of like a cathedral). Built in 1973, it hosted the big cheeses through Gorbachev, and was the scene of the resignation of the Secretary General of the Bulgarian Communist Party in November 1989. It is the largest museum in the country, and contains a vast array of artifacts from the Neolithic to Thracian period (my new favorite) through Medieval history, the dreaded Ottomans, the revival period and folk art/ethnography.
Sofia itself has been around since the 8th century BCE – (check out the plaque) and is located in the shadow of Mt. Vitosha – impressive at 7500 feet and providing the year-round green lungs and playground to the city – hiking in summer and skiing in winter. Even in early June there are flecks of snow at the top of the mountain. The city is mostly flat with an excellent transport system (those trams come every few minutes); brand new subway, very rough cobblestoned streets in many places, tons of hard-edged graffiti, elegant turn of the century buildings – some restored; most looking pretty shabby. We stay in the brand new Juno Hotel a block away from the pedestrian-only Vitosha Boulevard. It’s a bit jarring to stay in a place that is so modern the light fixtures are basically dots on the wall, when across the street once-elegant buildings are disfigured with graffiti and lack of upkeep. Very East Berlin circa 2000 and I’ll bet they’ll be spiffed up within a few years. (But by whom?)
We do a long introductory walk with Philip (his hometown) to get familiar and are happy to find that its a very walkable city with parks, museums, upstart boutiques, farmer’s markets, art fairs, gorgeous churches (they’re like jewel boxes) old and new everywhere – from extensive ancient ruins both exposed and protected in underground walkways, to Turkish baths and small mosques repurposed as art galleries and museums.
Above top left: The Banya Bashi Mosque – designed by the famous Ottoman architect Sinan under Suleiman the Magnificent and completed in 1566. Within a few blocks are the major Jewish Synagogue (See my post on Bulgarian Jews) as well as the main Catholic Cathedral and an Orthodox Cathedral. Together they represent an (uneasy?) coexistence that still mostly works. Top right: A protest against the imminent decision to move from the Lev (Bulgarian currency) to the Euro starting in 2026. The concern is that only the upper income will benefit and everyone else will experience disproportionate inflation. Bottom: In one of the extensive underground passes that run alongside the many levels of classical ruins we see these cute takes on the New Yorker – The Sofianer.
Throughout the country there are natural hot springs and mineral springs, and people tote huge plastic containers in wagons to fill up at these public fountains. Many, many older people we note – several on walkers. And did I mention the cobblestoned streets?
The enormous Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (below), built in the neo-Byzantine style between 1882-1912 to commemorate the loss of 200,000 Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria’s independence from the Turks in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78. Russia in general is a divisive subject today: pro-Ukraine or pro-Russian? Were we better off under communism or under an (oligarchic – my observation) capitalism?
On a long sunset meander I come across a book fair set up in Bulgaria square (below), at the end of the pedestrian Vitosha Boulevard (the usual mix of high-end fashion and low-end junk) flanked by sidewalk cafes and restaurants. In the background is the former National Palace of Culture, now the largest convention center in the Balkans.
Many of the artifacts removed from the Thracian tombs are on display in the National Archeology Museum, in a former Ottoman mosque. (I wonder how the local muslims feel about this?)
The building is beautiful with high arched ceilings and lots of light, and there happens to be a special exhibit on Thracian gold which is about to close. I continue to be blown away by the creativity and delicacy of these objects from 2,300 years ago. Just wow.
We’ve seen many icons but this below, from the 1500s, with the hammered gold overlay, struck me as particularly beautiful. (Byzantine room, National Archeology Museum.)
In the Boyana Suburb, in the shadow of Mt. Vitosha, there is another UNESCO must-see church (The Boyana Church)with frescoes from the 12th, 13th and 16th centuries. Absolutely no photos of the interior allowed, but if you happen to get to Sofia, don’t miss it. A century before Giotto introduced humanism into paintings, these 13th century frescoes depict actual human faces beneath the halos and crowns. Only 8 people allowed in at once. The church garden is filed with lush plantings and towering sequoias, a little paradise in the early summer heat.
Soviet leftovers: You could do an interesting scavenger hunt for soviet buildings, public monuments, signs, memorials. The Stalinist “wedding cake” complex, formerly the Communist Party headquarters, once topped by a red star allegedly made out of rubies; and hulking buildings for functions that barely exist in the 21st century – the Central Post Office, the Telegram and Telegraph building (seriously), the former Press Office.
After two weeks we’ve gone from freezing rain to blazing heat, covered 2,500 years of history that has cast a long shadow, enjoyed relative solitude to contemplate astonishing artifacts and been reminded of the power of the human spirit to create and endure through war, disaster, and occupation; through plagues both human and divine. We wish the best for Bulgaria ; mindful of its unique status as a country among the righteous, in its quest to find stability and prosperity in this brave new world.
Next up: where we stayed, what we ate, how we got here, what to read, and who we hung out with.