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Sofia Today

Territory - 1310 sq km
Height above the sea level - 550 m
Population - 1,520,000
Population density - 907 people per sq km
Average age of population 38.3 years

Housing

Number of units - 475,900
Utilised area - 30 sq km
Living area per person - 15.1 sq m
Centrally-heated housing units - 437,000
Length of the water supply net - 2657 km
Length of the drainage net - 822 km
Length of electricity net - 7823 km
Telephone lines - 408,000

Street net

Lenght - 2670 km
Area 28.126 sq km

Green zones

Number - 2810
Area in hectares - 5,441
Green zones per person - 48.7 sq km

Sofia is the centre of important international railway and automobile routes from Western Europe to Istanbul via Belgrade, from Greece and Macedonia to the CIS. There are daily bus connections to Ohrid, Strumitsa, Skopje, Nish, Istanbul, Athens, Thessaloniki. 21 tramlines, 11 trolley lines,about 200 bus lines and an underground perform the city transport services. Two-cabin and two-seat lifts connect Sofia with Vitosha national Park. The modern requirements of the city traffic make a general and gradual reconstruction of the street transport net as well as that of the motorways leading to Sofia and the construction of communication facilities a first priority.The settlements in Sofia are joined in one municipality-greater Sofia Municipality with an area of 119,400 hectares and population of 1,220,000. The Greater Municipality includes 61 settlements, of which 4 are towns – Sofia, Bankya, Buhovo, Novi Iskar. Inside the ringroad, the area of Sofia city is 19,815 hectares, 2,087 of which belong to the city transport and communications and 510 to the railways.The large residential satellite-quarters are connected with the central part of the city and the industrial zones through several main diagonal connections. 75-80 per cent of the passengers cross the central part of the city and that has been one of the most difficult problems to tackle.The population outside the ringroad is served by two systems – Bulgarian State Railways and the City Transport.There are no administrative limitations with regard to the use of private transport. Private transport, however, constitutes a rather small percentage – 5-6 per cent of all work related journeys. This is due to the high price of automobiles and fuel, therefore private transport cannot be an alternative to public transport at this stage.About 85 per cent of travelers use the public transport, which is consequently the reason for its considerable socio-economic importance.

The main shopping areas are on Vitosha Blvd., Graf Ignatiev St., Rakovski St. and all the streets leading off from them. The Central Department Store (TsUM),has recently re-opened as a shopping centre on three floors where you will find everything from souvenirs to household goods.

The area around Shipka Street, Oborishte and San Stefano has all sorts of small private shops, boutiques, furniture etc., where service is friendly even if choice is limited.

Market stalls around town, often lumped together under one roof, hide the occassional bargain if you look carefully (slight seconds from western fashion houses etc.)To find what you are looking for your best bet is still to wander around the central and back streets and see what you come across. If you find something you like buy it straight away. It might be gone by the time you get back.

The Central Halls (Halite) on Maria Luiza Blvd once again specialise as a Food Hall with over 100 different pavilion shops offering all kinds of fresh foods. On three levels; shops also offer household goods and fashion boutiques. There is also a food court and creche facilities.

Nearby, Pirotska Street has been transformed into a continental style pedestrian area with a variety of shops and street cafes.

This cobbled and tree lined street runs from Eagles Bridge "Orlov Most" up to Sitnyakovo and the Rumanian Embassy and is very much an artery for the surrounding residential area. There are plenty of boutiques, small cafes, food, cosmetic and household product shops along its stretch to make it worth a wander. Unfortunately the traffic along this street is totally frustrating with people parking on both sides of the street leaving little space for the two way traffic. However one can usually manage to find a parking space somewhere nearby albeit in one of the side streets.

ALEXANDER NEVSKI MEMORIAL CHURCH
Completed in 1912 in honour of the Russian casualties of the 1877-78 War of Liberation from Ottoman Rule. Gold-domed, it is the finest piece of architecture in the Balkans. Craftsmen and artists from 6 countries worked on the five-aisle church in the course of 30 years and created real masterpieces of icons, frescoes, murals and huge chandeliers. The interior decoration, made of Italian marble. Egyptian alabaster, Brazilian onyx, gold, mosaics embodies the spirit of the finest Eastern Orthodox traditions. A superb collection of icons - the best in Bulgaria - can also be seen in the Crypt

ROTUNDA OF ST. GEORGE
A C4 brick building in the courtyard behind the Sheraton Hotel, adorned with finely preserved early medieval frescoes. There are also remains of a C2 street and other Byzantine ruins.

ST. SOFIA CHURCH
The 4th-6th century basilica was built during the reign of Justinian. It has survived intact with 1600- year-old mosaic details and towards the end of the C14 gave the city its name. Beside the wall of the church is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Nearby is the grave of the national poet and writer Ivan Vazov, marked by an engraved boulder.

THE NATIONAL PALACE OF CULTURE
The biggest Congress Centre in the Balkans. It is located in the centre of the city and faces the Vitosha Mountain

THE CHURCH OF ST. NEDELYA
(Opposite the Sheraton Hotel)
Built in medieval times and known as the Church of the Blessed Sveti Kral. The current building was reconstructed after 1925 when it was almost completely destroyed by a bomb explosion

VASSIL LEVSKI MONUMENT
Vassil Levski was the principal architect of the campaign to free Bulgaria from the oppression of the Ottoman Empire. The monument marks the spot where he was hanged by the Turks in 1873.

SOFIA UNIVERSITY
The country's most prestigious university. It was built a decade after Sofia became Bulgaria's capital in 1879 with funds bequeathed by the brothers Evlogi and Christo Georgiev.

DRAGALEVTSI
A suburb in the woods at the foot of Mount Vitosha. About 3 km further on is DRAGALEVTSI MONASTERY, founded during the reign of King Ivan Alexander. Frescoes date back to the C15. The church, which is part of the original monastery, often sheltered the Apostle of Freedom Vassil Levski during the C19.

BOYANA
A suburb at the foot of Mount Vitosha, notable for the BOYANA CHURCH, built in the C11. Frescoes are claimed to be among the oldest and most interesting examples of East European Medieval art. Like Rila Monastery, the BOYANA CHURCH has been listed by UNESCO as a part of the world s cultural heritage.

MOUNT VITOSHA
It has become very much a part of Sofia owing to its accessibility by means of the cabin lifts at Knyazhevo and Simeonovo. Cherni Vrah, the highest point, gives wonderful views over the whole region. The winter ski-resort Aleko lies at 1868 m and the ski season lasts from early December until late spring. The beautiful scenery makes the whole area attractive throughout the year.

The last day of the congress - 16h May 2004, there will be organized a Sofia sightseeing trip during which some museums will be visited. Of course, if you would like you can visit them in your free time apart from the congress's programme. Here are some addresses of museums in Sofia :

Sofia's museums are almost exclusively Bulgaria-oriented and are aimed at chronicling the conflicting fortunes of this once great empire, the peoples that have passed through it from Thracians through Greeks, Romans and Turks, and the lives of the Bulgarians themselves in recent centuries. They can provide a fascinating insight into the Balkan Peninsula, and entrance fees are laughably low so there's no excuse not to visit them.

NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Boyana .Tel: 884 160
Working time: 09.30 - 18.30; No day off

The museum covers the whole period from prehistory to the present day. The ground floor houses relics from the earliest period up to the Middle Ages and includes gold and silver treasures (the Panagyurishte treasure), ceramics and archaeological remains. The first floor concentrates on ecclesiastical art, the 19th century Bulgarian National Revival including folk costumes, carpets and typically furnished rooms from that period.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
2, Saborna St. Tel:882 406
Working time: 10.00 - 12.00/ 14.00 - 18.00; Closed on Mondays.

Remains of Thracian, Greek and Roman settlements in the ivy-clad 15th century 'Buyuk(Big)Mosque'.

THE EARTH AND MAN MUSEUM
2, Cherni Vrah Blvd. Tel:656 639
Working time: 10.00 - 18.00; Closed on Sundays and Mondays

Founded in 1986. Over 20,000 exhibits are on display, divided into six sections: Giant Crystals, Minerals of the Earth, Industrial Minerals, Raw Material Sources of Bulgaria, Gems, New Materials. The museum also holds art exhibitions and classical music evenings, which are noted in our cultural supplement.

NATIONAL NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
, Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. Tel:885 215
Working time: 10.00 - 19.00; No day off.

The museum was founded in 1889 and opened to visitors in 1907. Nowadays the museum has three major sections: Geology, Zoology and Botany. Apart from several meteorites, the 'Earth and Space' exhibition features unique lunar samples and an impressive dinosaur skeleton. A special exhibition shows live pythons, crocodiles, and iguanas.

ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM
6A, Moskovska St. Tel:874 191
Working time: 10.30 - 17.30; Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The museum displays folk costumes, fabrics, jewelry,wood cuttings, hammered ironwork, etc. A small craft shop sells crafts, costumes and musical instruments from all over Bulgaria. In the former Royal Palace on Tsar Osvohoditel Blvd., along with the National Art Gallery.

THE ALEXANDER NEVSKY CRYPT
1, St. Alexander Nevsky, Sq. Tel:877 697
Working time: 10.30 - 12.30/14.00 - 18.30; Closed on Tuesdays

The crypt museum was founded in 1965 and contains items from the very beginnings of Bulgarian iconography (the end of the 9th century) until the end of the 19th century. All stages of the Bulgarian iconography school are represented in a collection of 1500 items.