bg Sofia

Sofia Central Market Hall

- Knyaginya Maria Luiza Boulevard 25 -
In 1906 the foundations of the market were laid on the site where the wooden building of the circus and theater called Bulgaria once stood. It was honored to be built according to the plan of the French architect Leon Bourgeois, but later this plan was radically changed by the Bulgarian architect . The market hall opened in 1911 and became an important commercial site in the city center.

Until the 1940s, there were 160 stands in the market hall with various products, working under strict order and sanitary control. In the basement of the building the only ice unit in Bulgaria was installed, which supplied the surrounding shops, pubs, and richer homes as well. Due to its location in the center of Sofia, the market hall quickly became a favorite meeting place for social contacts.
An old postcard from 1926 showing the building
During the in 1944, the market hall building was badly damaged by shockwaves, fires, and shrapnel. After the repairs made in the 1950s and 1970s, the interior was significantly changed in accordance with the new requirements for trade, and two of the entrances were closed to customers. At the end of the century, the building was reconstructed and restored again, preserving its original appearance.
The building after the bombings in 1944
The building of the Central Market Hall is an organic fusion of National Romanticism and Art Nouveau but also has strong Byzantine influences. The main entrance is crowned with a clock tower, which is supported by four columns and has a dome on top of it. The that can be seen underneath the arched , continue their way around the entire building. In the center, you can see a frontispiece, which is decorated with the coat of arms of Sofia and is surrounded by beautiful floral ornamentation. The whole spectacle was designed by the Bulgarian sculptor . The two protruded parts that flank the main entrance repeat themselves at multiple other places around the building. They are crowned with short decorative stone piers and are adorned with a .

Each side of the building contains either four or five circle top windows. In between these windows you can admire stripes of red bricks. The windows themselves are flanked by two round-shaped , which have some beautiful floral ornaments in their Romanesque .
The coat of arms of Sofia located above the main entrance