Bulgaria (Page 1: Sofia and the Southwest)

Sofia - the Aleksandar Nevsky Church, constructed 1882-1924 to honor the 200,000 Russian casualties in the 1877-8 war of independence against the Turks.

Sofia - icons for sale in front of the Aleksandar Nevsky Church.  Most are hand painted.

Sofia - homemade lace is another popular item.

Sofia - the Bulgarian National Assembly building.

Sofia - the Party House, former HQ of the Bulgarian Communist Party, who were finally evicted in 1992.

Sofia - Rotunda of Sveti Georgi, Sofia's oldest church dating in part from the 4C AD.  It is surrounded by the modern Sheraton Hotel.

Sofia - the Vazov National Theater, built in Neoclassical style in the late 19C.

Sofia - a typical street in the city's center.

Sofia - the Church of Sveta Nedelya, constructed after the liberation from Ottoman rule in the19C.

Sofia - the Banya Bashi Mosque, built in 1576.

Sofia - two views (above) of the Soviet Army Memorial, built in honor of the Soviet "liberation" of Bulgaria from Nazi rule.

Mount Vitosha - in a regional park in the mountains just south of Sofia, this is a popular escape for many city dwellers.

Rila - central courtyard of Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Although it looks much older, the current complex dates largely from the 19C.

Rila - domes of the central monastery church, built to honor St John of Rila, a 9C hermit and ascetic who founded the monastery bearing his name.

Rila - detail of frescoes which show man's descent into hell.

Rila - one of the halls which surround the church.

Rila - more of the frescoes.

Melnik - this small town a few kilometers from the Greek border was formerly Greek until the Second Balkan War of 1913.

Melnik - detail of some houses, most of which date only from the early years of the 20C.

Melnik - note the typical Bulgarian architecture of these houses with their gabled roofs.

Map courtesy of maps.com.