Tuesday, March 4, 2008

The Theatre


The National Theater "Ivan Vazov" is something like a second emblem of Sofia. It was built in the period from 1905 till 1906 for the Duchy of Bulgaria by Ferdinand Fellner & Hermann Helmer. Opened 16 Jan 1907 with Dobri Christov's "Festive Ouverture", Ivan Vazov's scenic prologue "The Fame of Art" and Act V of Vasil Drumev's drama "Ivanko".

The 'Ivan Vazov' Theatre comprises of 1021 seats. The stage house was destroyed by a fire on 10 February, 1923 ( the auditorium was also damaged because the iron curtain did not work properly). In the period 1923-1928 a newly constructed stage house and a slightly altered auditorium was built by Martin Duelfer.

From 1972 till 1976 the stage house and exterior of the theatre were renovated to the original plans by Ivan Tomov and Lilija Toteva ( the auditorium was altered again, with only slight references to the 1906 original). The theatre was named in honour of the Bulgarian author, Ivan Mincov Vazov (1850-1921).

The National Theatre in the city park is a model of Baroque architecture. Along the facade of this majestic building, six columns with beautiful capitals support a large triangular pediment, decorated with mythological high reliefs. To the sides two towers rise up, topped by sculptures of the Goddess Nike.The red, white and gold neo-classical National Theatre 'Ivan Vazov' in Sofia is surrounded by loads of alleys, and is situated amid a pool and fountains and filled with sidewalk cafes.

(http://en.journey.bg/bulgaria/bulgaria.php?guide=800)

Monday, March 3, 2008

House of Gendovich



The seven-storey house of Baron Gendovich, one of the first high-rise buildings in the city, was completed in 1914

(Wikipedia)

Eagle`s Bridge


After entering Sofia from the East side by Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd (you use that boulevard also when you arrive at the airport), Eagle’s Bridge is the first crossing you have to stop at.
There are beautiful bronze bas-reliefs at the bottom end of the columns, on the top of which the proud birds are situated.
This place is the beginning of the perfect center. You will be thoroughly inspected by 4 bronze eagles with threateningly outspread wings at the four ends of the bridge when passing by it.
Exactly those statues give the name of the bridge – Eagle’s Bridge. Those are its symbols and ‘keepers’.

The bridge is built in 1891. It is a symbol of freedom because at that place for the first time in 1888 the prisoners from Diarbekir are welcomed (in that Turkish town figures from the Bulgarian National Freedom Movement of the 19th century have been sent in exile).
The architect of Eagle’s Bridge is Vatzlav Prosek. Beneath the juncture are the waters of Perlovska River. They pass through the whole city.

Ali Grigorova
(http://www.sofiabulgariatravel.com/eagles-bridge-sofia.html)