Many of Sofia's Metro lines date back to the 3rd Century B.C. Justinian The Great would use it to voyage through his northern territories. It is said that even Jesus found some of his earliest converts during his morning daily commute on the Blue Line...
Seriously the Metro is recent, but while it was being constructed many ancient ruins were discovered underneath the city grounds. Rather than cover the ruins, the designers decided to incorporate the ancient walls and buildings into the metro construction. We saw parts of the old underground during the free Hostel Mostel city tour we took of Sofia the day after the pub crawl.
I had arrived alone, but was now touring the city with my Brazilian lady, a friend of hers and another American nicked-named 'Thor' due to his resemblance to the character from the movie which was currently out in theaters. I cannot for the life of me remember his real name, but this is one of the sad things about backpacking. Like Maria from the Lviv train, I meet a million people in my travels, and its impossible to hold on to all of them. Names fade while memories remain.
We began on the stairs of the central Court House and headed to Sveta Nedalia Square. Here you can find Sveta Nedalia Church, one of the largest Orthodox Churches I have seen so far. It dates back to the 10th century and has been frequently reconstructed due to many attacks. It was wood for a large part of its history until people realized that wood burns very easily.
The sun was brutal that day and our tour guide noticed. She diverted our group underground to the caverns to explain the subway history and keep us from burning up. When we emerged from the underground we were in front of a Muslim mosque. The Banya Bashi Mosque is Sofia's only functioning mosque. It's located over thermal springs and there is a charming story about it regarding the Muslim population and the Orthodox folks. Additionally, it contrasts pleasantly with the McDonald's located across the street.
Seriously the Metro is recent, but while it was being constructed many ancient ruins were discovered underneath the city grounds. Rather than cover the ruins, the designers decided to incorporate the ancient walls and buildings into the metro construction. We saw parts of the old underground during the free Hostel Mostel city tour we took of Sofia the day after the pub crawl.
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| Justinian the Great frequently commuted on the Red Line |
I had arrived alone, but was now touring the city with my Brazilian lady, a friend of hers and another American nicked-named 'Thor' due to his resemblance to the character from the movie which was currently out in theaters. I cannot for the life of me remember his real name, but this is one of the sad things about backpacking. Like Maria from the Lviv train, I meet a million people in my travels, and its impossible to hold on to all of them. Names fade while memories remain.
Here again is a point where if my notebook hadn't been stolen, I could've given you many minute, interesting details of the tour. For now I can simply recommend this Hostel Mostel tour and tell you that our wonderful tour guide (whose name I also don't remember) was spectacular and full of humor and information about a city which is not frequently touristed.
We began on the stairs of the central Court House and headed to Sveta Nedalia Square. Here you can find Sveta Nedalia Church, one of the largest Orthodox Churches I have seen so far. It dates back to the 10th century and has been frequently reconstructed due to many attacks. It was wood for a large part of its history until people realized that wood burns very easily.
Speaking of burning...
The sun was brutal that day and our tour guide noticed. She diverted our group underground to the caverns to explain the subway history and keep us from burning up. When we emerged from the underground we were in front of a Muslim mosque. The Banya Bashi Mosque is Sofia's only functioning mosque. It's located over thermal springs and there is a charming story about it regarding the Muslim population and the Orthodox folks. Additionally, it contrasts pleasantly with the McDonald's located across the street.
We were in the heart of Sofia, and it seemed every street was lined with verdant trees and large historic buildings. We wound our way through one of the large parks until we were in front of the Ivan Vazov National Theater. Our tour guide went on a long explanation of the importance of Ivan Vazov, Bulgaria's 'national poet' and one of the countries most important literary figures. In addition to literature, he also was a political figure and played an important role in the revolt against the Ottoman Empire. She finished his story by stating with a giggle that his death was probably not due to natural causes... Indeed, as a great poet he was popular with the ladies and at the ripe age of 71 was reported dead by his 20-something mistress, most likely due to an exhausting night with her. We should all be so lucky.
We were near the end of the tour. We walked up the wide Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard to Sofia's crown jewel, the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, our final stop on the trip. The massive cathedral glistened in the bright sun and I pulled out my camera in anticipation of the event. When I turned it on, it flashed a low battery sign then instantly went dead.
I am no professional travel writer. If you really want pictures, they're all over Google Images.
I'm quite used to anticlimaxes and never expect the best moments to happen during guided tours anyway. My travels are marked by wild, unforgettable stories and not by historically significant buildings and pretty scenery that's recommended in Lonely Planet. The country of Serbia still awaits and based on my past experiences there, it will eclipse anything I've done so far in my travels. I was ready to see if I could a set a new hitchhiking record: Nis, Serbia before sunset.
You have probably been at the http://freesofiatour.com/ ;) Hostel Mostel are great to recommend us! Thanks for the good words!
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