Information about Sofia Capital

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Bulgarians say Sofia is a city that grows but never ages. Bulgaria’s modern capital testifies to the country’s eternal bond between past and present.

Monuments to its rich Thracian, Roman, Bulgar and Ottoman history rub shoulders with modern-day buildings of cosmopolitan city life. Over 250 historic landmarks and architectural monuments blend in with the city’s modern skyline.

The capital and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria has a population of 1,376,742 (15 February 2006 calculations). It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of the mountain massif Vitosha, and is the administrative, cultural, and industrial centre of the country.

Sofia's development as a significant settlement owes much to its central position in the Balkans. It is situated in western Bulgaria, at the northern foot of the Vitosha Mountain, in the Sofia Valley that is surrounded by mountains on all sides. Three mountain passes lead to the city, which have been key roads since antiquity, connecting the Adriatic Sea and Central Europe with the Black and Aegean Seas.

A number of low rivers cross the city, including Vladayska and Perlovska. The Iskar River in its upper course flows near eastern Sofia. The city is known for its numerous mineral and thermal springs. Artificial lakes and dams were built in the last century.

Sofia is located about 150 km northwest of Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second largest city, 390 km west of Burgas, 470 km west of Varna, Bulgaria's major port-cities on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast.

Over 3000 years ago a Thracian tribe built the original settlement which would later become Sofia. It was later taken by the Romans and named Serdica. Due to its important strategic position on the road linking Constantinople with Central Europe, it was constantly under attack, especially by the Huns, who sacked the city in the 5th century. Once rebuilt, it became one of the Byzantine Empire’s most important strongholds in the Balkans.

Migrating Slavs settled here in the 7th century, and the capture of the town by the Bulgar Khan Krum in 809 AD sealed its Slavic fate. It was then named Sredets. The town flourished under Bulgarian rule. Sometime in the 14th century the town became known as Sofia, the name probably taken from the Church of Sveta Sofia (Holy Wisdom), still standing today. The taking of the town by the Turks in 1382 led to 5 centuries of Turkish rule, when the town thrived as a market centre. Unfortunately, little remains of this part of Bulgaria’s history, except for a few mosques. Economic decline set in during the 19th century, and Sofia was little more than provincial centre at the time of the Liberation in 1878 when Russian forces defeated the Turks. This paved the way for the foundation of an independent Bulgarian state. Because of its geographical position, Sofia was chosen as Bulgaria’s capital, and quickly developed its economy and trade.

Sofia is one of the oldest capital cities in Europe, blending its past and present in a remarkable architectural style. Historic landmarks include the 10th-century Boyana Church (one of the UNESCO World Heritage protected sites), the Alexander Nevski Cathedral (one of the world's largest Orthodox churches), and the early Byzantine Church of St Sophia.
More modern architecture is represented by the Bulgarian National Opera and Ballet, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, the Rakovski Str theatre district, Slaveykov Square's outdoor book market, and the NDK, which is the Southeastern Europe's largest cultural and congressional centre.

There are 16 universities in the city, among them Sofia University, founded in 1888. Sofia is the see of an Eastern Orthodox and of a Roman Catholic diocese.

Sofia is the major centre of Bulgaria's economic life. The manufacturing sector of the economy, represented by over 800 large manufacturing plants, includes metal products (75% of the total output in the country), textiles, rubber and leather goods, printing (50% of output) and electronics (15% of output). Sofia is also the country's financial hub, home to the Bulgarian National Bank, the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, as well as some of the country's largest commercial banks (such as Bulbank, DSK Bank and the United Bulgarian Bank). Construction, trade and transport are other important sectors of the local economy. Increasingly Sofia is attracting attention as an outsourcing location for Western European and American multinationals. Sofia is also the headquarters for major Bulgarian and international companies operating in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe.

With the fall of communism in Bulgaria in 1989 major international companies previously not present on the Bulgarian market moved in, the majority of them to Sofia. The real estate market in Sofia has skyrocketed in recent years, for the past year or so with about 100% in just 1 year (2005-2006). The construction industry has exploded with new construction sites popping up everywhere. Unemployment is rather low at about 7% compared to the Bulgarian average of 12-17% but also to European levels where it is at about 10%.

With its well-developed infrastructure and strategic location, Sofia is an important centre for international railway and automobile routes. All major types of transport (except water transport) are represented in the city, which is home to 8 railway stations, the Centre for Flight Control and the Sofia Airport. Three Trans-European Transport Corridors cross the city: 4, 8 and 10.

Public transport is well-developed, reliable and important to the city's economy; it is provided by means of underground trains (the Sofia Metro), buses, trams and trolley-buses. There are over 15,000 licensed taxi cabs operating in the city. The subway system became operational in the late 1990s but had limited extend.

by Wikipedia

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