bg Sofia

Atanas Burov House

- Moskovska Street 41 -
The construction project of the residential building, which lasted from 1932 until 1933, was assigned to the Bulgarian architect and was built in a place where once two buildings stood. The construction was commissioned by the Bulgarian banker, philanthropist, diplomat, and politician Atanas Dimitrov Burov, who was born on January 30, 1875, in . His father and his brother were also bankers and his mother Kinka Burova was a housewife. His father's mother, Stana Burova, is the sister of the prominent revivalist, and fighter for church independence, and Turnov metropolitan, .
Atanas Burov is seated surrounded by his mother Kinka, his brother Ivan and his father Dimitar
Atanas Burov studied in his hometown and at the April High School in , from where he was expelled because of a strike organized by the socialists. He took his matriculation exams as a private student with very good grades, allowing him to study and graduate in political and financial sciences at the Sorbonne University in . After returning from Paris, Atanas Burov started working in the family business and took the initiative to establish joint-stock companies, and participated in the development of railroad construction, mining, and other industries. During the , as a lieutenant, he led an attack and narrowly escaped fatality when a Turkish bullet lodged in his metal lighter in his top pocket. In 1913, he was appointed Minister of Trade, Industry, and Labor in the government of Stoyan Danev. After the coup of in 1923, he joined the Democratic Conspiracy, and together with , headed its moderate wing. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Confessions in the three governments of Andrey Lyapchev.
Atanas Burov and to his left Andrey Lyapchev
During the , he was against the alliance with Germany, and on September 2, 1944, he became a minister without portfolio in the government of , formed as a last attempt to prevent the Soviet Union's attack on Bulgaria. After the communist coup of , 1944, the People's Court sentenced him to one year of imprisonment. After being released, he joined the opposition in their fight against the establishment of communism but was exiled to the town of in 1948, then arrested and sentenced again in 1950, but this time he received a 20 years sentence. He died in the prison on May 15, 1954, at the age of 79.

In 1912, at a reception in the palace on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of Crown Prince , Atanas Burov met the 17-year-old Smaraida Salabasheva for the first time, who was the daughter of Colonel and Venka Karagiozova. A few months later they became engaged, and in 1913 they were married. In 1915, their son Stefan was born, and in 1917 their daughter Nedyalka.
Atanas Burov and his wife Smaraida Salabasheva and their two children Stefan and Nedyalka
A strip of is placed underneath the roof , which separates the mansard roof from the second floor of the Eclectic building. Above the second floor windows, you'll be able to see a straight , while above the first floor windows, a can be seen. The railing of the , which are supported by two each, feature the same design as the barred windows of the first floor, as well as the railing of the roof terrace that can be seen on the southwestern corner. This part of the building features some , which are all crowned with a Corinthian . The two that are placed on the southern facade depict a rider riding a prancing horse.
An old photo showing the building in the distance