Sights · 30 of the best in Sofia
St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Nikolai Karaneschev · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
With its gilded domes rising over the centre, St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is the symbol of Sofia and one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the Balkans.
A memorial
The cathedral was built between 1882 and 1912, designed by the Russian architect Alexander Pomerantsev, as a memorial to the soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, which led to Bulgaria’s liberation.
Gold and frescoes
Its neo-Byzantine domes are gilded, and the interior is covered with frescoes and mosaics by Bulgarian and foreign artists, with marble, onyx and alabaster from across Europe.
The cathedral’s domes are covered in gold leaf.
The crypt
Beneath the cathedral, the crypt houses the National Gallery’s Museum of Christian Art, with a superb collection of icons.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © acediscovery · CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsOur advice: visit in the late afternoon, when the light warms the domes, and stay for the evening service if there is one. Come back after dark to see the domes lit up.
Why it's on our list
- A memorial cathedral
- Gold and frescoes
- The crypt
- Visiting
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest metro stations
- Sofia University St. Kliment OhridskiM1M4450 m6 min walk
- Orlov mostM3650 m8 min walk
- Serdika IIM1M2M4950 m12 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Vasil Levski Blvd.250 m3 min walk
- Taxi rank, Knyaz Alexander Dondukov Blvd.400 m5 min walk
Key sights
- Church of St Sofia150 mWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 3 min
- Russian Church of St Nicholas300 mWalk 4 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Ivan Vazov National Theatre550 mWalk 7 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 5 min
- National Archaeological Museum700 mWalk 8 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Central Mineral Baths800 mWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Church of St Nedelya950 mWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Banya Bashi Mosque950 mWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Sofia Synagogue1.1 kmWalk 14 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 6 min
- National Palace of Culture (NDK)1.7 kmWalk 21 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Borisova Gradina2.4 kmWalk 30 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 10 min
Getting around
- Central Bus Station1.8 kmWalk 22 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Sofia Central Station2.1 kmWalk 26 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Sofia Airport (SOF)6.7 kmCycle 27 minCar or taxi 23 min