bg Sofia

Austrian Embassy Building

- Shipka Street 4 -
The construction of the governmental building lasted from 1905 until 1910 and was built according to the design of the Italian architect Errico Bovio. The building was built for the Italian legation in Sofia, which was housed in the building until February 14, 1925. After the end of the in November 1918, the neighboring building of the Austro-Hungarian legation was seized by Italy. Subsequently, the Austrian government accepted the exchange with the neighboring building of the Italian legation.
An old photo showing the building around 1910
After the of Austria to the German Reich in March 1938, the building was converted into the residence of the German Minister Plenipotentiary. From September 1944, the Soviet commandant was housed in the building, and on May 5, 1947, the Allied Control Commission in Bulgaria returned the building to Austria. After a general renovation in the late 1980s and in 2003, the rehabilitation of the facade was executed.
Another old photo showing the building around 1910
The symmetrical building, which is built in the Neo-Renaissance style, features a strip of that's placed underneath the roof , which is adorned with foliage. The same counts for the that are placed within the frieze, which is also embellished with , , and a shield-shaped that contains the of Austria. Another shield-shaped cartouche is placed above the second floor windows, which are flanked by that are crowned with a Composite . A straight is placed above the first floor windows, which are also flanked by pilasters, but in this case, they are crowned with an Ionic capital. In the central part of the southern facade, you'll be able to see a balcony, which is secured with a stone balustrade that contains cuboid-shaped . The balcony is supported by a total of six within the midst of some of them a total of three . Underneath the cornice, which is placed between the first and the second floor, you can admire an motif. Each of the squares that can be seen on the first floor is embellished with a .
Another old photo showing the building around the 1970s