The most magnificent and monumental symbol of the city of Sofia. The largest active Orthodox church in Bulgaria and the second largest on the Balkan Peninsula. It was built in memory of the Russian soldiers who died for the liberation of Bulgaria during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). It is dedicated to the Russian hero and saint Al. Nevsky, patron of the emperor and patron of the Russian military.
Part of the miraculous relics of the saint, donated in 1998 by the Russian Orthodox Church, are displayed for worship in front of the central altar. The temple was built in neo-Byzantine style between 1904 and 1912 according to the project of the Russian architect Prof. Al. Pomerantsev. For its construction, the enormous sum of 5.5 million gold leva, collected through public donations and with state support, was spent.
The temple is a five-nave cross-domed basilica with an accented central cube. It occupies an area of 3170 m2. and accommodates about 5,000 people. It is 75 meters long, 55 meters wide, and the central dome is 46 meters high. The bell tower is 53 m high. The total weight of the 12 bells, cast and brought from Moscow, is 23 tons. The gilded layer of the domes is 700 square meters. Specialists from six different nationalities took part in the construction of the temple – Russians, Bulgarians, Germans, Austrians, Czechs and Italians. They put into it the most valuable that cultural Europe could offer at that time. The magnificence of the temple interior is striking.
Precious onyxes and alabasters and colorful Brazilian, Moroccan, Italian and German marbles contribute to its decoration. The temple has 82 oil icons and 273 tempera images made by the best Russian and Bulgarian artists of their time. The total area of the monumental painting is about 17,000 square meters. In 1924, the temple was declared a monument of culture, and in 1953 – a Patriarchal Cathedral. In its Crypt, some of the most valuable and beautiful icons from the Bulgarian Middle Ages and the Renaissance are exhibited. The temple-monument “St. Alexander Nevsky” is located in the center of Sofia, on the square of the same name.
Work time:
7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. without a day off.
Worship services during the week: Morning – 8:00 a.m.
Vespers – 5:00 p.m.
Friday – Prayer canon to the copy of the miraculous icon “Worthy Eat” – 5:30 p.m.
Saturdays of the feasts of the Lord, the Virgin and Saints, the vigils are from 6:00 p.m.
Sunday – beginning of the liturgy at 9:30 a.m.
Contacts:
Address: city of Sofia, square “Al. Nevsky”
Tel: +359 2 9881704
