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ALEXANDER NEVSKY CATHEDRAL - The St. Alexander Nevsky cathedral is situated in the center of Sofia. It is located on the square which bears its name. The impressive building covers the area of 2600 square meters and its unique architecture determines the cathedral as one of the landmarks in Sofia which you must visit at all cost. The temple is a huge five-nave cross-domed basilica the architecture of which combines Bulgarian, Byzantine and Russian elements. Its building has begun in 1904 and ended in 1912. The temple was built in honour of the Bulgarian Liberty from Ottoman yoke in 1877-1878. The gilt domes of the cathedral are exceptionally beautiful. The belfry with the cross which is 53. 5 meters high and its 12 bells are very interesting. This is the biggest memorial cathedral on the Balkan Peninsula...................................1 km RILA MONASTERY - The Rilski monastery St. Ivan Rilski is one of the most impressive monuments of the Bulgarian architecture and art. It is the oldest inhabited cloister in our country. It has also been the biggest literary center in Bulgaria since the Ottoman yoke. The monastery was founded in the 10th century by the Bulgarian hermit Ivan Rilski who later was canonized as a saint. The monastery was erected on its present place in the 14th century as at the beginning only one defence tower was built. The succeeding most important part of the building of the monastery was the period 1816-1870 when with funds collected from the whole nation and with the hard work of many master-builders, wood-cutters, icon-painters, sculptors and artists, the biggest Bulgarian monastery, which is preserved in this appearance even today, was built. It is announced as an international monument by UNESCO. The monastery is located in Rila Mountain, 129 kilometers south-western from Sofia, and 4 kilometers from the town of Rila.......................................110 km *ST. SOFIA* CHURCH - It is supposed that the church of St. Sofia is one of the oldest Eastern Orthodox churches in our country. It is situated near the St. Alexander Nevski memorial cathedral . The basilica dates back to the 5th c. B. C. and is from the emperor Justinian*s reign. In the 14th century it gave the name of today*s Sofia. There were old Christian tombs with interesting mural paintings and mosaics under the church and round it................1 km NATIONAL ART GALLERY - Many are the buildings in Sofia which impress with their architecture and grandeur. One of them is the King*s palace which was built in 1873 and nowadays houses the National Art Gallery and the Ethnographic museum. During the Alexander Battenberg*s reign the building was entirely renovated in secesion style with neo- Rococo and Baroque elements...................................1 km NATIONAL THAETRE *IVAN VAZOV* - The Ivan Vazov National theatre is another landmark in our capital. The building dates back to 1907.......................................0,5 km SOFIA ZOO - If you like animals Sofia is the place where you can visit the biggest zoo on the Balkan Peninsula . It was built in 1888. The central entrance is towards Simeonovo shose it is the place where you will find one of the cheapest attractions in the country. The animal fund of the zoo divides into four groups: predators, monkeys and half-monkeys, herbivorous and birds. You will also find a terrarium and an aquarium. Over the years the number of the animals gradually grows and several years ago the zoo has undergone thorough repair. Today it is the favorite place for children and adults who want to enjoy the variety of animals from all over the world. The zoo has a special program for adoption so you can see if you are careful enough to breed some exotic animals......................................4 km THE BOYANA CHURCH - Several cultural and natural monuments which are protected by UNESCO are unique for Bulgaria. Such a cultural landmark is the Boyana church. In 1979 it was proclaimed as a monument of UNESCO. It is situated 8 kilometers from the Bulgarian capital. The frescoes which can be seen inside it are with marked Renaissance motifs and techniques. That*s why it is a monument of the Bulgarian mediaeval architecture and church painting. The building is made up of three parts. The first , which is the oldest, was built in the 11th century. The other two were erected accordingly in the 13th and the 14-15th century. The mural paintings portray 240 figures in 89 scenes. They date back the year of 1259. The unknown creator of the wall paintings is supposes to be an alumnus of the Tarnovo art school. The frescoes introduce new for the mediaeval ages aesthetics. They are characteristic with their originality and artistic power of an exceptional realism......................................8 km RUSSIAN CHURCH *ST. NIKOLAY*...............4,5 km NATIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY...................8 km
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