Europe 2019 - Day 37 (Part 5)

12 June 2019, Wednesday

From places of worship I now move on to monuments. First, a monument of a lion in commemoration to the servicemen from the first Sofia infantry regiment and from the 6th Tarnovo infantry regiment who were killed in battle. The monument was put up between 1934-1980.

Next, the Soviet Army Monument. It portrays a soldier from the Soviet Army as a freedom fighter, surrounded by a Bulgarian woman, holding her baby, and a Bulgarian man. The monument was built in 1954 on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the liberation by the Soviet Army, and is meant to take on the complex military history of Bulgaria during WW II.

Then another lion monument - this one just outside the St Sophia Basilica. This monument is dedicated to all known and unknown warriors who died in battles for Bulgaria. There is a sarcophagus under the lion with their remains. There is a place nearby the monument where fire burns eternally, symbolising the unshakeable relationship of today’s generations with the past. 

Next, a monument of Tsar Alexander II on a horse, holding the Manifesto declaring the Russian-Turkish war in his hand. It was erected in honour of Russian Emperor Alexander II and his army, out of which more than 200,000 soldiers gave their lives during the Russian-Turkish War of Liberation (1877-1878). 

Lastly, the Battenburg Square which is the largest square of Sofia. It is named after Alexander Joseph of Battenberg  (Alexander I of Bulgaria), the first prince of modern Bulgaria. Here there is the Alexander Battenberg tomb.

Moving on to interesting buildings and structures which I’ve not yet mentioned before. First, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre. This building was built in neoclassical architecture. Construction began in 1904 and completed in 1907. As I mentioned before, Ivan Vazov is known here as the patriach of Bulgarian literature. It is the biggest theatre in Bulgaria and one of the architectural symbols of Sofia.

Then the Sofia University which was founded in 1888 as a high school. In 1904 it was declared a university. Today the university is the largest and most prestigious research centre in the country.

Next, the building of the National Assembly which is the Parliament of Bulgaria, built after the Liberation in 1884 in the Renaissance style. There are 2 National Assembly buildings here; one is in actual use and the other is under renovation and will be used once fit to be reopened. The one under renovation is situated in a square with communist styled buildings; in fact it used to be the headquarters of the communist party, and a nearby building used to be the central department store during communist time and is now a shopping mall.

Then the Statue of Sofia. Before that, there used to be a statue of Lenin here, which is now in the Museum of Socialist Art. The making of the Statue of Sofia was assigned on the occasion of the new millennium. It figures a young woman with a crown in the form of a fortress, holding a laurel wreath in her right hand. She is thought of as the patron symbol of the city and a guardian of the country. But really she has nothing to do with Bulgaria - the name “Sofia” is meant to be the “Wisdom of God” which is a concept, not a person. 

Then the Presidential Palace where the President of the Republic of Bulgaria works, but apparently his role is more of an advisor, more like the Queen of England rather than the President of the USA. We saw the changing of the guards which happens every hour. Then the Statue of Samuel, an important Bulgarian Tsar. Lastly, the Courts of Justice with 2 lions guarding the front of the building. They sure love lions here.