bg Sofia

Former Royal Palace

- Knyaz Aleksandar I Square 1 -
On the site of the current building, there was a guest house, which housed the Ottoman administration and court, which burned down in 1816 and was deserted for a long time. In 1873, a guest house was built for the administration of the Ottoman region, who stayed there until the end of the . After the , the building was reconstructed by the order of Prince of Battenberg. He assigned the job to the Austrian architect , who in participation with the Czech architect created the design for the reconstruction, which started in 1880 and was completed in 1882.

The second part, which was built in connection with the northeastern side of the already existing building, was built during the reign of Tsar of Bulgaria. The construction of the building started in 1894 and lasted until 1896, and was built according to the design of the Austrian architect . All of the sculptural works, plaster decorations, and ornaments, are the work of the Austrian sculptor . In 1897, the artists and contributed to the decoration of the Orthodox chapel.
The guest house in 1879
The newly built building housed a library, study rooms, games and entertainment rooms, a dining and reception room, a special covered entrance for carriages, and two conservatories. On the upper floors were the guest apartments, staff quarters, and offices, which could be reached by an elevator, as it was installed in this part of the building. On the first floor, there were the apartments of Prince Ferdinand, Princess , and Crown Prince , and on the second floor the ones of Prince and the princesses and .

In 1944, after the coup of , the abolition of the monarchy, and the establishment of a republican regime, this most representative building in the capital became the seat of the Council of Ministers. In 1953, the state granted the former palace to the National Art Gallery and the National Ethnographic Museum.
Group Portrait of the Royal Children Boris, Kiril, Nadezhda, and Eudoxia, created in 1904 by Nikola Mihailov
The roof of the building, which is built in the styles of Eclectic, Neo-Baroque, and Neo-Renaissance, contains a lot of dormers in all shapes and sizes. On top of the northeastern side, you can admire a pointed featuring a lavishly decorated bronze and underneath it a . On top of the pediment, you can see two laying statues, one of which is most likely the Greek god and the other most likely the Greek goddess . Underneath the pediment, you can see a couple of , which also counts for some parts of the roof , as well as some that are crowned with either a Doric or an Ionic . All of this is placed in a swan neck pediment that contains oak twigs and originates from two piers on which a decorative vase is placed. This spectacle repeats itself, but in a slightly different form on the south side of the building, of which the one above the main entrance is embellished with a beautifully and richly decorated .
An old postcard from 1930 showing the second part
The pilasters that are placed on the second floor are either crowned with a Corinthian, a Doric, or an Ionic capital. The that are used in the , as well as the balustrades of the balconies, which are supported by lavishly decorated , are all equally shaped. Above the second floor windows, you can see a straight or a pointed pediment, or a , which in some cases is decorated with a and in other cases a . Above and around some of these same windows, you can adorn some garland wreaths. The that can be seen on this same level, are decorated with the technique of .

The main entrance is covered by a huge , which is supported by six pillars that are decorated with foliage. The terrace above the loggia is secured with a lovely wrought iron railing that contains floral motifs and . The railings that secure the loggia, as well as the banisters of the stairs that lead to the loggia, contain balusters. On the southeastern part, you can admire a and an , which is supported by two corbels and topped with a balcony. The coat of arms that was placed on the oriel window in honor of Princess Marie Louise contains a lion and an angel, both holding up one shield with a crown on top of it, as well as a ribbon stating Верность и Постоянство (Loyalty and Constancy), which is placed underneath it. All around the building, you can see a lot of bay windows, as well as , some even more majestic than others.
An old photo showing the Red Salon in the palace