St. Sofia travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

St. Sofia is the oldest Eastern Orthodox Church in Sofia and after major restoration and renovation works, reopened to the public less than ten years ago, it once again plays as important role in the day-to-day rituals of Sofianites. Sveta Sofia is in fact the church that gave its name to the present day capital back in the 15th century.

The simple red brick church dates back to the 5th-6th century, when it was the site of Serdica’s necropolis. There are two glass panels in the floor through which you can see some remains. Under Ottoman rule it was turned into a mosque, but when an earthquake in 1818 topped the minaret and a second some 40 years later killed the Imam’s two sons, it was abandoned and restored as a church after liberation.