Place of worship
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Built between 1882 and 1912 in memory of the soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish War, the neo-Byzantine cathedral is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the Balkans. Step inside for the dim, candlelit interior, then walk around the square: it is the natural starting point for a walk through the centre.
The crypt holds a collection of Orthodox icons belonging to the National Gallery.
Walks that pass here
Walk
Explore central Sofia on foot
Sofia's centre is compact, walkable and full of layers, from Roman streets to Ottoman baths and gold-domed cathedrals. Here's how to experience it in a day of walking.
- ~6 h 15 min in total
- ~4.6 km, ~1 h walking
Walk
After the liberation: a two-hour walk through the Sofia of 1878
A short first walk through four landmarks raised after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78: a doctors' memorial, the gold-domed cathedral, the Tsar Liberator and a mosque turned church.
- ~2 h in total
- ~1.5 km, ~20 min walking