Alexandar Nevski Cathedral, Sofia

Alexandar Nevski Cathedral, Sofia

The Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia that is the second largest church on the Balkan Peninsula, occupying a whopping 3170 m2.

The Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia that is the second largest church on the Balkan Peninsula, occupying a whopping 3170 m². It is dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky, in honor of the 200,000 Russian, Ukrainian, Belarussian and Bulgarian soldiers who died during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-'78 which liberated Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. The Cathedral was built from 1882 to 1912, and is the seat of the Patriarch of Bulgaria.

Designed by Alexander Pomerantsev in Neo-Byzantine style, it stands out for its 45 metre high gold-plated main dome that glitters in sunlight. There are several other copper domes, half-domes and cylindrical vaults around. The facade is lined with white Vratsa stone, and the west façade features a mosaic icon of St. Alexander Nevski at a height of 30 metres. The main wooden portal is covered with cross-shaped rosettes, and flanked by 2 memorial plaques of Carrara marble inscribed with "For the perpetuation of brotherly love and deep gratitude to the great Russian people for the liberation of Bulgaria in 1878". The gold-domed bell tower rises to a height of 53 metres, and has 12 bells weighing 23 tons in all, with the heaviest weighing 12 tons.

The lavish interiors in multicolored Italian and Moroccan marbles, Brazilian onyx, and alabaster are divided into 3 parts - a narthex with 2 chapels, 5 naves, and the main altar with 3 thrones. The central altar features a splendid canopy with 4 main columns, and 32 domed columns and capitals made of red and green Brazilian onyx and alabaster. The Archangel's throne, royal throne and pulpit are also made of inlaid marble. The cathedral has 82 icons of oil paintings on canvas, and the central iconostasis of multicolored marbles merges with the columns of the altar canopy. A highlight of the cathedral is the relic of St Alexander Nevsky’s rib, which is displayed to the left of the altar. The central dome features a striking fresco by Miazoedov, and has the prayer 'Our Father' in Slavic inscribed around it in gold letters. Admire the frescoes, marble carvings and mosaics which fill up the interiors.

The underground crypt is a branch of the National Art Gallery and houses a museum containing the largest collection of Orthodox icons in Europe, numbering over 200.