Central Market Hall

The Central Sofia Market Hall is a covered market located in the heart of Sofia on Maria Louise Boulevard, commonly known as Halite or Tsentralni Hali. It first opened its doors in 1911 and is now one of the city’s most important shopping destinations.

The building is Neo-Renaissance in style, with Neo-Byzantine and Neo-Baroque characteristics. The depiction of Sofia’s coat of arms above the main entrance and the iconic little clock tower with three dials on top of the structure are notable aspects of the façade. The structure originally had four entrances, but only three are still in use today.

Until the late 1940s, the Sofia municipality was in charge of the Centarl Sofia Market Hall. Rents and product quality were carefully monitored at the time. The Market Hall was closed for rebuilding in 1988, with funds given by an Israeli business called The Star of David. That is why the fountain in the center of the ground level has such a unique form.

On the ground level, there are food kiosks offering bread and pastries, olives, nuts and chocolates, rose oil goods, souveiers, and so on. The stores on the top floor feature apparel, accessories, and jewelry. A bulgarian fast-food restaurant, offices, and historical remains are located one level below the ground floor.

In front of the Central Market Hall, there is a parking lot.

History and Architecture of Central Sofia Market Hall

The construction of the structure, which spans 3,200 m2, started in 1909 after architect Naum Torbov’s design was chosen in 1907, and it took two years to finish.

Until the late 1940s, the Sofia municipality allowed around 170 stores and booths to operate in the Central Sofia Market Hall. Rents and product quality were rigorously controlled. The inside of the market hall structure was drastically changed after the 1950s, and the market was closed in 1988 in order to be restored, refurbished, and reopened for Easter in 2000, after the Israeli business Ashtrom purchased 75% of it and spent $7 million in it.

Today, the Central Sofia Market Hall employs over 1,000 people, has three levels, and includes food stalls and shops, apparel, accessories, and jewelry stores, fast food stalls, and so on.

The building’s style, which is considered Torbov’s greatest work, is Neo-Renaissance, with aspects of Neo-Byzantine architecture and Neo-Baroque. The façade is notable for the artist Haralampi Tachev’s relief of Sofia’s coat of arms over the main entrance. The structure is topped by the iconic small clock tower with three dials. The structure was initially designed with four entrances, albeit not all of them are still in use today.