Sofia is the capital and largest city in Bulgaria. It is the 14th largest city in the European Union, with a population of 1,241,675 (2019). Sofia is located in the central part of Western Bulgaria, in the Sofia Valley, and is surrounded by mountains: Vitosha to the south, Lyulin to the west and Stara planina to the north. This makes it the fourth highest capital in Europe. It was built on the four terraces of the river Iskar and its tributaries: Perlovska and Vladaiska (Eleshnitsa). There are mineral springs in the central part of the city, as well as in the districts of Ovcha Kupel, Kniazhevo, Gorna Banya and Pancharevo. The climate of Sofia is moderately continental.
Sofia is the main administrative, industrial, transport, cultural and university center of the country, and 1/6 of Bulgaria’s industrial production is concentrated there. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, many universities, theaters, cinemas, as well as the National Gallery, archaeological, historical, natural history and other museums are also located here. Visible archaeological monuments from Roman times have been preserved in many places in the city center.
Sofia is named after the late antique early Christian cathedral church of the city “Saint Sophia” (Ancient Greek: Αγια Σοφία or Αγια-Σοφιά; Latin: Sancta Sophia; or “Holy Wisdom of God” (one of the names of the young Jesus Christ)).
However, the city’s holiday is on September 17, when the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Martyrs Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love. The date was set as Sofia’s Holiday by the decision of the Sofia Municipal Council of March 25, 1992. It is also celebrated on January 4, when in 1878 Russian troops liberated the city from Ottoman rule.
Sofia was declared the capital on April 3, 1879 by the Constituent National Assembly on the proposal of Prof. Marin Drinov, as an old Bulgarian city, distant from the Turkish border and centrally located in the Bulgarian lands according to the then understanding.
The motto of the capital is “Growing but not aging”.
