Church of St. Alexander Nevsky

Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in the city center of Sofia was built over a period of up to 30 years from 1882 to 1912 with the original purpose of commemorating the soldiers of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Bulgaria who died heroically in the war. Bulgarian liberation war in 1877-1878. The name of the church is named after Tsar Alexander II, also known as Tsar Liberator, a national hero and great celebrity of Russia. He liberated Bulgaria from Ottoman rule after 5 centuries of occupation. Later in 1240, the Tsar repelled the invasion of the Swedes on the banks of the Neva River, creating a great feat, so he was awarded the title "NEVSKY" which means "hero on the Neva River". Later, he was considered a saint and was also the patron of the church that bears his name.

The church was built by Russian architect Alexander Pomerantsev in the typical Romanesque style of 19th century Russia and represents the modern symmetrical style. This is considered one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world with an impressive size of 73.5m long, 52.2m wide, 53.02m high with an area of 3,170 square meters and a capacity of up to 5,000 people.

To be able to gild the outside of the large 45m high dome of St. Alexander Nevsky, people had to use 8.35kg of gold that was laminated. The bell tower of the 50.52m high church is where the bell rings so far that even 30km from the capital Sofia can still be heard. What makes this special is that all 12 bells are cast in Moscow, their total weight is up to 23 tons.

The main sanctuary of the church is a combination of the quintessence of art in the architecture of many countries around the world. The lighting system and decorative marble at the cathedral are fabricated in Munich. Five naves have ceilings connected by domes, of which the main dome is 45m high. Interwoven with that is natural light shining through the glass windows dotted with snow jelly and shimmering chandeliers. When visitors step into the cathedral, through the aisle made of black Italian marble, the next moment is the moment when they encounter the magnificent space here.

The sophisticated mosaics brought from Venice and more than 300 intricately painted murals by artists from Russia, Italy, France, Germany, and Bulgaria are the highlights contributing to the nostalgic space. , splendor for the church of St. Alexander Nevsky. Most of the paintings depict scenes from the lives of Bulgarian and Russian saints.

The three altars inside the harem are the holiest places of worship of St. Alexander Nevsky. The altar of Tsar Alexander Nevsky is placed in the middle, next to the altar of King Boris I in the south and north respectively, where the altars of saints Kiril and Metody are located. At the same time, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is also home to Europe's largest collection of religious icons collected from various sources, most of which are from monasteries across Bulgaria. The most here date from the mid-15th century.

The right time to visit the church is especially in the afternoon, when the sun shines inside the cathedral, making this place magical, especially when the last rays of the day gradually fall.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is located close to the city's metro and bus stops, so you won't have much trouble getting there. Besides, the church is also located near other famous attractions such as Cyril National Library, National Gallery of Art,... From here, visitors can visit these places in a way. easily.

Website : www.cathedral.bg

Phone : +35929881704

Hours of Operation :

07:00 - 19:00 weekdays