Sofia History Museum

Sofia


The history of Sofia is presented on two floors of the magnificent former Turkish Mineral Baths, just behind the mosque. Exhibitions are divided thematically over eight chambers, with the most interesting rooms dedicated to the Bulgarian royal families of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the findings of recent archeological digs around town. There are plenty of signs in English.

The Mineral Baths – also known as the Turkish Baths – was completed in 1913. Its elegant striped facade and ceramic decorations recall the designs of the medieval churches in Nesebâr on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast.

Transportation

  • tram: 20
  • metro: Serdika

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Sofia attractions

1. Drinking Fountains

0.05 MILES

Bulgarians queue here throughout the day to fill plastic bottles from the taps of around a dozen fountains, situated in the open air just next to the…

2. Banya Bashi Mosque

0.05 MILES

Sofia’s only working mosque was built in 1576. It’s certainly an eye-catching edifice, and the red-brick minaret makes a convenient landmark. Visitors are…

3. Ancient Serdica Complex

0.12 MILES

This remarkable, partly covered excavation site, situated just above the Serdika metro station, displays the remains of the Roman city, Serdica, that once…

4. Sofia Monument

0.13 MILES

Erected in 2001 on the site where a gigantic statue of Lenin once stood, this 24m-high monument was created as a new civic symbol for the city. The bronze…

5. Sveta Petka Samardzhiiska Church

0.13 MILES

This tiny church, located in the centre of the Serdika metro complex, was built during the early years of Ottoman rule (late 14th century), which explains…

6. Party House

0.15 MILES

This domineering Stalinist monolith, built in 1953, was once the headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party. It is now used as government offices and…

7. Sofia Synagogue

0.15 MILES

Sofia’s Moorish-style synagogue was designed by Austrian architect Friedrich Gruenanger, and was consecrated in 1909. Built to accommodate up to 1170…

8. Sveti Georgi Rotunda

0.17 MILES

Built in the 4th century AD, this tiny red-brick church is Sofia's oldest preserved building. The murals inside were painted between the 10th and 14th…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "bulgaria/sofia/attractions/sofia-history-museum/a/poi-sig/424055/358779",
      "destination": "Sofia",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Bulgaria",
      "city": "Sofia",
      "position": "superzone"
    }