“Lozenets” is a neighborhood in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria. Located immediately south of the city center and occupying the northern, most densely built-up part of the “Lozenets” district, it is predominantly residential in nature.
Geography
“Lozenets” quarter occupies the northern part of the “Lozenets” administrative district. It is located immediately to the south-southeast of the city center and the “Sredets” area, from which it is separated by “Evlogi i Hristo Georgievi” boulevard and the Perlovska river passing along it.
To the west, the neighborhood borders the South Park, separating it from the “Ivan Vazov” and “Strelbishte” neighborhoods. Several built-up areas are cut into the park – the shopping center “City Center Sofia”, the “Spartak” swimming complex, the “South Park” district, the embassy of the United States, “Lozenets” University Hospital. In terms of urban planning, they are connected to the “Lozenets” district, but fall within the administrative boundaries of the neighboring “Triaditsa” district, passing along “Arsenalski” boulevard and “Koziak” street.
To the east, “Lozenets” borders Borisova gradina, on the other side of which are the neighborhoods “Yavorov”, “Iztok” and “Izgrev”. Part of the park, southwest of “Dragan Tsankov” Boulevard and northwest of “Peio K. Yavorov” Boulevard falls within the boundaries of the “Lozenets” district. To the south, the border of the neighborhood is “Nikola Vaptsarov” boulevard, separating it from the “Hladilnika” district, also part of the “Lozenets” district.
The neighborhood has a characteristic relief with two separate parts – Dolen Lozenets and Goren Lozenets. The northern part is located on the southern terrace of the Pearl River and has an altitude of 550 – 565 m, and the southern part is 600 – 620 m high. Between them is a steep strip with steeply sloping streets and terraced grounds.
History
On the western border of the neighborhood are the remains of an ancient mausoleum, part of a late Roman Christian complex. Veselin Vachkova identified it as the “Holy Trinity” monastery mentioned in the 17th century by Petar Bogdan, in which, according to him, the Council of Serdikia was held and which gave the city the name Triaditsa.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, today’s Lozenets district was an outlying area located immediately south of the borders of the city of Sofia. In the 16th century, the so-called Old Wall, probably an anointment used in ceremonies at the departure of Muslims for Hajj, was present. Near it were located Muslim cemeteries, preserved until the end of the 19th century.
In Ottoman sources, the area is called Korubağlar (“vineyards in forests”) or Kurubağlar (“dry vineyards”). In the middle of the 17th century, the famous travelogues of Evliya Celebi described Kurubaglar as a nice area near the city, occupied by vineyards and orchards (he specifically mentions cherry trees).
In 1889, a large for its time ceramic factory of the Rabotnik company was built in the northwestern part of the hill. As of 2007, there were still pine forests to the west of the “Boris Garden” and the Hunting Park, including the Water Tower (water tower) and the Seminary “St. Ivan Rilski”.
During the bombing of Sofia in 1944, the “Lozenets” district was seriously affected. 45 buildings were destroyed, 19 people were killed, and another 76 were injured.
The municipality gave plots of land to victims of the wars, refugees from Vardar Macedonia, Tsaribrodsko, printers, teachers, and employees, immigrants from Ikhtimansko. In 1921, the neighborhoods “Dolni Lozenets” and “Gorni Lozenets” were officially formed. The Journalism Quarter emerged in the east in the mid-1920s. Near “Journalist” square are the houses of Elin Pelin, Valeri Petrov, Mihail Andreev. The first house was built by Mincho Dilyanov, a lawyer, writer, public figure, and national representative. Near the Samokovski bridge are the monument of Hristo Smirnenski and the so-called “Roman Wall” – an Islamic prayer point associated with rituals on departure for Hajj. There were Turkish cemeteries around it. After 1950, the “Old Wall” market was located there.
In Gorni Lozenets (south of “Sveti Naum” Blvd., before “Traicho Kostov”) there are Slaveykovite oaks (centenary), the “Krasta” area with the “St. Mine’.
In the very center of Lozenets, above “St. Naum”, is the government residence “Lozenets”. At 4 Dragan Tsankov Blvd. is the old TV tower of Sofia, now the building of the Bulgarian National Radio.
The Orthodox parish church in the neighborhood is “Transfiguration of the Lord” – at 2 “Ralitsa” Street, and in 2018 the “Exaltation of the Holy Cross” church was completed, which is located in the “Cross” area, in the garden at the intersection on Cherni vrah and James Boucher boulevards. The Sofia Theological Seminary has its own church – “St. John of Rila”.
Town planning
In Dolni Lozenets, there are still mostly old housing cooperatives with 3-4 floors and 2-floor houses. In Gorni Lozenets, since the 1970s, high-rise residential blocks have also been built.
The neighborhood is considered to be the residence of wealthy people. There are about 20 cafes and many shops. As of 2010, a significant part of the streets were paved.
Education
On the territory of the district, there are:
– University of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy – Hr. Smyrna” 1;
– Faculties of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski’:
– Faculty of Biology – 8 Dragan Tsankov Blvd
– Faculty of Physics – 5 James Boucher Blvd
– Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics – 5 James Boucher Blvd
– Faculty of Chemistry – 1 James Boucher Blvd
– Faculty of Medicine – 1 Koziak St.
There are many elite public and private secondary schools and kindergartens in the neighborhood.
Healthcare and Administration:
– DKC 13, “D. Hadzhikotsev” 20
– Lozenets University Hospital, 1 Koziak St
– Saint Lazar Private AG Clinic, Simeonovsko Shosse Street
– Ajabadem City Clinic Tokuda Hospital
– NHIF, 1 Krichim St
– The administrative building of the Lozenets municipality is at 2 Vasil Levski Blvd., and the 4th police station is at 57 Krum Popov St.
Leisure and sports:
– The Sofia Zoo
– Kempinski Zografski Hotel
– Hemus Hotel
– Lozenets Hotel
– Hilton Hotel
– The area “Krasta”
– The water tower
– Spartak Swimming and Sports Center
– National Museum “Land and People”
– The Dimitar Dimov House Museum
– The community centers “Probuda”, “G. S. Rakovski” and “Pencho Slaveikov”
– Park Center Sofia
Transportation:
The connection with the transport infrastructure of the capital is good, with several public transport lines passing through the area:
– Trams: 10, 12, 18
– Buses: 67, 88, 94, 102, 109, 120
– Trolleybus: 7
– Metro line M2
