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taboo5 | profile | all galleries >> Bulgaria >> Sofia, Bulgaria (May - June 2006) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Sofia, Bulgaria (May - June 2006)

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and the country’s largest city. Today, Sofia is a dynamic Eastern European metropolis, distinguished by its combination of European and Communist-style architecture, Red Army monuments, as well as by many beautiful orthodox, onion-domed churches and Ottoman mosques. It is one of Europe’s most compact and best walking cities. Like a city waking up after decades of slumber, Sofia is becoming a cosmopolitan, modern European capital. Sofia also has many museums, art galleries, theaters, fine restaurants and parks within the city boundaries, with the ski slopes and hiking trails of the mighty Mt. Vitosha nearby. Sofia is still one of the least known European cities. It is time that travelers take notice of a vibrant up-and-coming city with a youthful spirit and bright future.
Sofia, Bulgaria cover page.
Sofia, Bulgaria cover page.		 Map of Bulgaria with a star indicating Sofia's location.
Map of Bulgaria with a star indicating Sofia's location.		 Statue of St. Sofia at intersection of Blvd. Todor Aleksandrov and Maria Luiza Blvd.
Statue of St. Sofia at intersection of Blvd. Todor Aleksandrov and Maria Luiza Blvd.		 Statue of Saint Sofia.
Statue of Saint Sofia.
Close-up of the statue of Sofia.
Close-up of the statue of Sofia.		 Street scene on Maria Luiza Blvd.
Street scene on Maria Luiza Blvd.		 Trolley car in front of Sofia's oldest shopping mall (Tsenttralni Hali).
Trolley car in front of Sofia's oldest shopping mall ("Tsenttralni Hali").		 Close-up of trolley car.
Close-up of trolley car.
Sofia's oldest shopping mall (Tsenttralni Hali).
Sofia's oldest shopping mall ("Tsenttralni Hali").		 The mineral bathhouse.
The mineral bathhouse.		 Mineral bathhouse (now accomodates the Old Sofia Museum).
Mineral bathhouse (now accomodates the "Old Sofia" Museum).		 People getting spring water near the mineral bathhouse.
People getting spring water near the mineral bathhouse.
Greek statue (near the mineral bathhouse).
Greek statue (near the mineral bathhouse).		 Sofia wall sign.
Sofia wall sign.		 The late medieval Banya Bashi Djamia (mosque).
The late medieval "Banya Bashi" Djamia (mosque).		 St. Nedelya Church (built between 1856-1863) over the remains of the Roman town Serdica.
St. Nedelya Church (built between 1856-1863) over the remains of the Roman town Serdica.
Another photo of St. Nedelya Church.
Another photo of St. Nedelya Church.		 Distant shot of St. Nedelya Church.
Distant shot of St. Nedelya Church.		 View of the prominent Blvd. Knjagginia Marija Luiza. This was formerly Sofia's Red Square.
View of the prominent Blvd. Knjagginia Marija Luiza. This was formerly Sofia's "Red Square."		 NATO flags between the Presidency Bldg. and the Stalinist-style Old Party House building.
NATO flags between the Presidency Bldg. and the "Stalinist-style" Old Party House building.
Frontal view of Stalinist-style Old Party House building.
Frontal view of Stalinist-style Old Party House building.		 Side view of Old Party House building in Sofia.
Side view of Old Party House building in Sofia.		 Cars parked in front of the Old Party House building.
Cars parked in front of the Old Party House building.		 Another side view of the Old Party House building.
Another side view of the Old Party House building.
Nice walkway near Blvd. Knjagginia Marija Luiza.
Nice walkway near Blvd. Knjagginia Marija Luiza.		 Bulgarian coat of arms.
Bulgarian coat of arms.		 Remains of a late-antiquity public bldg. near the sunken Church of St. Georgi.
Remains of a late-antiquity public bldg. near the sunken Church of St. Georgi.		 A sexy vodka advertising campaign in Sofia
A sexy vodka advertising campaign in Sofia
Another sexy advertising campaign.
Another sexy advertising campaign.		 The Law Courts with the largest colonnade on a building in Sofia.
The Law Courts with the largest colonnade on a building in Sofia.		 Lion sculpture in front of the Law Courts.
Lion sculpture in front of the Law Courts.		 Close-up of the lion sculpture in front of the Law Courts.
Close-up of the lion sculpture in front of the Law Courts.
Nothing special, except I like the architecture.
Nothing special, except I like the architecture.		 Again, nothing special except I like the architecture.
Again, nothing special except I like the architecture.		 Great doorway with cariatides!
Great doorway with cariatides!		 Typical Sofia architecture.
Typical Sofia architecture.
The Hotel Lion at dusk (where I stayed).
The Hotel Lion at dusk (where I stayed).		 Another dusk shot of the Hotel Lion.
Another dusk shot of the Hotel Lion.		 Statue of Alexander Stamboliyski (Prime Minister 1919-1923) outside of the sofia Opera Theater.
Statue of Alexander Stamboliyski (Prime Minister 1919-1923) outside of the sofia Opera Theater.		 Sign of what is showing at the Sofia Opera Theater.
Sign of what is showing at the Sofia Opera Theater.
The Sofia Opera Theater.
The Sofia Opera Theater.		 St. Alexander Nevski was erected in honor of the Russian soldiers who died liberating Bulgaria.
St. Alexander Nevski was erected in honor of the Russian soldiers who died liberating Bulgaria.		 A closer view of the cathedral.
A closer view of the cathedral.		 Lion sculpture next to the Monument of the Unkown Soldier.
Lion sculpture next to the Monument of the Unkown Soldier.
Eternal flame of the Monument of the Unkown Soldier. The Basilica of St. Sofia is behind it.
Eternal flame of the Monument of the Unkown Soldier. The Basilica of St. Sofia is behind it.		 Interior view of the alter of the Basilica of St. Sofia (4th century AD).
Interior view of the alter of the Basilica of St. Sofia (4th century AD).		 Close-up of the alter of the Basilica of St. Sofia.
Close-up of the alter of the Basilica of St. Sofia.		 Side view of Alexander Nevski Cathedral.
Side view of Alexander Nevski Cathedral.
Cars, bikers and cobblestone streets in front of the cathedral.
Cars, bikers and cobblestone streets in front of the cathedral.		 An even closer side view of Alexander Nevski Cathedral.
An even closer side view of Alexander Nevski Cathedral.		 Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Building (erected in 1896).
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Building (erected in 1896).		 Another view of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Building.
Another view of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Building.
Close-up of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Building with Alexander Nevski Cathedral in the background.
Close-up of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Building with Alexander Nevski Cathedral in the background.		 The Monument of the Tsar Liberator in honor of the great reformer, Russian Emperor Alexander II.
The Monument of the Tsar Liberator in honor of the great reformer, Russian Emperor Alexander II.		 A closer shot of Emperor Alexander II.
A closer shot of Emperor Alexander II.		 The prominent building (I'm not sure what) near the statue of Alexander II.
The prominent building (I'm not sure what) near the statue of Alexander II.
The National Assembly near the sculpture of Emperor Alexander II.
The National Assembly near the sculpture of Emperor Alexander II.		 Another view of the National Assembly.
Another view of the National Assembly.		 Nice architecture! There were a lot of embassies on this street.
Nice architecture! There were a lot of embassies on this street.		 Monument to the Bulgarian politician, revolutionary and statesman, Stefan Stambolov (1854-1895).
Monument to the Bulgarian politician, revolutionary and statesman, Stefan Stambolov (1854-1895).
The Russian St. Nikolay Church (erected in between 1912-1914).
The Russian St. Nikolay Church (erected in between 1912-1914).		 Another view of St. Nikolay Church. Czar Nicholus II presented the bells.
Another view of St. Nikolay Church. Czar Nicholus II presented the bells.		 The Military Club in Sofia.
The Military Club in Sofia.		 The Prince's Palace which today serves as National Gallery of Fine Arts.
The Prince's Palace which today serves as National Gallery of Fine Arts.
Flower bed in the public park.
Flower bed in the public park.		 Closer view of flower bed in the public park (they needed water badly)!
Closer view of flower bed in the public park (they needed water badly)!		 A work of plastic art by sculptor Georgi Chapanov in front of the National Academy of Theater.
A work of plastic art by sculptor Georgi Chapanov in front of the National Academy of Theater.		 View of the Ivan Vazov National Academy of Theater.
View of the "Ivan Vazov" National Academy of Theater.
Ancient columns in front of the Museum of Archeology in Sofia.
Ancient columns in front of the Museum of Archeology in Sofia.		 Nedelya Square (nedelya means day off). Note the sexy vodka advertising campaign poster!
Nedelya Square ("nedelya" means "day off"). Note the sexy vodka advertising campaign poster!		 Building off of Nedelya Square with fragments of medieval architecture houses the Theological Dept. of Sofia University.
Building off of Nedelya Square with fragments of medieval architecture houses the Theological Dept. of Sofia University.		 Even another view of Nedelya Square.
Even another view of Nedelya Square.
Venders selling their wares in Nedelya Square.
Venders selling their wares in Nedelya Square.

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Guest 10-Mar-2007 06:05
I love and I hope to visit Bulgaria and want the establishment of relations with the people. And I like girls there. No one asked why
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