bg Sofia

Italian Embassy Building

- Shipka Street 2 -
The governmental building, which was built in 1883, was built by a design of the Austrian architect . It was built for the Austro-Hungarian Legation, who started its first diplomatic mission in Sofia that dates back to 1883. In 1908, the Austrian architect carried out a reconstruction of the building, adding a new north wing. On November 14, 1918, after the , part of the building of the Austro-Hungarian Legation was occupied by General Mabeli, head of the Italian military mission, and by Minister Plenipotentiary Baron , who was Commissioner of the Kingdom of Italy. After the subsequent negotiations between the two parties, on February 14, 1925, the two buildings were exchanged.
The legation reception hall
During this period when was Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Sofia, he closely followed and kept informed of the developments and difficulties of a religious nature for the engagement and then the marriage of Princess of Savoy and Tsar in October 1930. The difficulties were overcome thanks to the assistance of Monsignor , then the apostolic delegate in Sofia.
The office of the plenipotentiary minister
The mansard roof of the building that's built in the Neo-Baroque style, is covered by red roof tiles. On top of the curved extended part, you can admire the of Italy, which is surrounded by two and two decorative vases. If you look a bit further down, you'll be able to see a that contains many fragments that are adorned with . A is placed on top of the niche, as well as the two surrounding windows, which are surrounded by garlands and in one case even topped with a decorative shell. The other windows are flanked by that are crowned with an Ionic with above them a pair of that support the above them. In the central part, underneath the niche, there's a balcony, which is supported by two corbels and secured with a cast iron railing. Above some of the other windows that contain a , which is adorned with a and a garland wreath, you can see a pointed .

A is placed on top of the north side of the building. The four pilasters that stretch all the way from the first until the second floor are all crowned with an Ionic capital. There are also many straight pediments, as well as one pointed pediment, on this side of the building. You can also admire three oval shapes that are filled up with a garland, and even one, with another emblem of Italy.
An old photo from 1930 shows the building