The monumental St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is the most famous and most visited monument in Bulgaria.
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At the same time, the cathedral is the seat of the Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and, apart from its touristic significance, it is mainly of ecclesiastical importance.
A Neo-Byzantine pearl with beautiful frescoes
The cathedral stuns with its size alone. It is over 73 metres long and 53 metres wide and high. Moreover, it stands in the middle of a large square, which only adds to its monumentality.
The church can seat over 5,000 people and is therefore one of the largest Orthodox shrines in the world.
The exterior appearance is characterised by its typical Neo-Byzantine style domes.
The monumental interior is divided into 5 naves richly decorated with frescoes, gold and marble.
In honor of the Russian soldiers
The cathedral was built between 1882-1912 in honour of the Russian soldiers who died during the liberation of Bulgaria from Turkish rule.
It was the Russian Tsar Alexander III who contributed significantly to Bulgaria's independence. That is why the church was named in honour of the patron saint of the Tsar's family - St. Alexander Nevsky.
Admission and opening hours
The cathedral is open to the public every day from 7:00-19:00.
There is no admission fee, you can visit the interior for free.
However, if you wish to take photos inside, you must pay a fee 10 bgn (cash only).
Official website: cathedral.bg/visit-us.
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