Sofia's hidden beauty

It was Sunday - one of those days when the city is so quiet that you can hear your footsteps! I was walking in the centre and, finally, decided to take my camera with me and shoot some more photos.

Sofia is such a controversial place. Sometimes it's so overcrowded, noisy, dirty... that you want to be anywhere else but there. And in other cases (unfortunately, only a few) it's a very quiet place and you can feel its atmosphere.

Believe me, Sofia might be a very beautiful city, only its beauty is hidden from the eyes of its inhabitants and visitors. You just have to look deeply and you'll find it's charm.


This posting is dedicated to buildings in Sofia - old, but beautiful; forgotten by restoration initiatives, but haven't lost their own individuality.




The photo on the left shows the building at the corner of Vitosha blvd. and Alabin str. It's a good example of how neglected old buildings in the centre are. It's in the very centre of the city, but noone cares how it looks like. Though there are some very luxurious shops in it. On its very corner at the level of the second floor there's an old camera. It's staying there since...a long time ago - probably I wasn't born yet. It's not working, of course.








Photo on the right: the building is situated at Todor Aleksandrov blvd, opposite to Bulbank, and its facade is "looking" at the recently rebuilt catholic cathedral. It's so neglected that even trees have started growing at the balcony!!! Well, it's not the only one of a kind in Sofia - what a surprise! :-( As if inhabitants have left, and nature has moved in...






Photo on the left: shows the back facade of a building at the corner of Hristo Botev blvd. and Pirotska str. This was the first time I've seen stained glasses on such type of building. Usually in Sofia you can see such mostly on at least a century old houses. And...again tree growing from the balcony...


Most of the inhabitants of buildings like this don't have enough money to have the buildings restored. At the moment the state and/or the municipality don't encourage and support them much to do it. Of course, no one wants to spend so much money on something which is just seen from the outside and is for the beauty of the city and not for personal profit. It's normal. But yet, the state/the municipality should help them and encourage them. After all, this is the face of the city, this is the true and original, and oldest part of the capital. It's pure history. Older than 50 years. It's something invaluable but it's turning into ruins or it's being turned into ruins and then replaced by new flashy buildings which destroy the whole atmosphere...