National Art Gallery

Over 50,000 items of Bulgarian art are housed at the National Art Gallery. It is situated on Battenberg Square in Sofia’s capital city, occupying the majority of the ancient and majestic architecture of Bulgaria’s old royal palace.

The gallery was founded in 1934 and relocated to the palace when the monarchy was abolished in 1946.

The royal residence, a prominent example of Second Empire architecture with chateauesque overtones, was built in two parts, the first between 1880 and 1882 under the reign of Knyaz (later Tsar) Alexander Battenberg and the second during the reign of Knyaz (later Tsar) Ferdinand.

In the meanwhile, the National Archaeological Museum was founded. It was the country’s first national institution to feature an art department. It gathered samples of modern Bulgarian art. In 1934, the department expanded into the State Art Gallery and was relocated to a separate building. Among the paintings on display were works by Bulgarian National Revival artists, international art, and works by first-generation Bulgarian painters from after the country’s liberation in 1878.

During the fall of the monarchy and the formation of a Communist government in Bulgaria following World War II, the National Art Gallery was handed the majority of the palace after its edifice was devastated by air strikes in 1943 and 1944. Fortunately, all of the paintings it had contained were saved, and these, together with the royal art collection already on display at the palace, comprised the stock of the National Art Gallery.

The medieval art department, which was established in 1965, is housed in the crypt of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The foreign art division became autonomous in 1985 and was relocated to the old Royal Printing Office, an elegant Neoclassical structure in Sofia, as the National Gallery for Foreign Art.

According to the gallery’s director, Boris Danailov, the National Art Gallery houses not only examples of contemporary and National Revival art, but also the country’s largest collection of medieval paintings, including over four thousand icons, a collection comparable in quality and number only to that of the Benaki Museum.

History of National Art Gallery

It is situated on Battenberg Square in Sofia’s capital city, occupying the majority of the old Ottoman Chelebi mosque and Ottoman konak, which were turned into the towering building of Bulgaria’s former royal palace.

The gallery was founded in 1934 and relocated to the palace when the monarchy was abolished in 1946. The National Art Gallery is located at an elevation of 556 meters.

The National Art Gallery had been planned for many years, and from 1934 and 1941, Bulgaria’s first female architect, Victoria Angelova, created her design to hold both a renaissance and modern art collection. The structure was completed and inaugurated in 1942, but it was entirely destroyed in a 1944 bombardment.

In the meanwhile, the National Archaeological Museum was founded. It was the country’s first national institution to have an art department, having been formed in 1892. It gathered samples of modern Bulgarian art. In 1934, the department expanded into the State Art Gallery and was relocated to a separate building. Among the paintings on display were works by Bulgarian National Revival artists, international art, and works by first-generation Bulgarian painters from after the country’s liberation in 1878.

The medieval art department, which was established in 1965, is housed in the crypt of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The foreign art division became autonomous in 1985 and was relocated to the old Royal Printing Office, an elegant Neoclassical structure in Sofia, as the National Gallery for Foreign Art.

According to the gallery’s director, Boris Danailov, the National Art Gallery houses not only examples of contemporary and National Revival art, but also the country’s largest collection of medieval paintings, including over four thousand icons, a collection comparable in quality and number only to that of the Benaki Museum.

Since May 2015, the National Art Gallery’s 19th and 20th century collections have been shown alongside the National Gallery for Foreign Art’s collections. The building of the National Gallery of Foreign Art on Alexander Nevsky Square was expanded for this purpose. National Gallery Square 500 is the name given to the resultant exhibition area.

Royal Palace

The royal palace, a prominent example of Second Empire architecture with chateauesque overtones, was built in two phases, the first between 1880 and 1882, under the reign of Knyaz Alexander Battenberg, when Austro-Hungarian architects led by Viktor Rumpelmayer worked on the project. It was dedicated on December 26, 1882, and served as the palace’s representational section, covering the administrative ground level, ballrooms above, and service third story. The palace’s east wing was built during the reign of Knyaz (later Tsar) Ferdinand by Viennese architect Friedrich Grünanger, who integrated features of Viennese Neo-Baroque. The royal family’s apartments were in the east wing, although there were also some service facilities (including a lift) there.

During the fall of the monarchy and the formation of a Communist government in Bulgaria following World War II, the National Art Gallery was handed the majority of the palace after its edifice was devastated by air strikes in 1943 and 1944. All of the paintings it had contained were saved, and they, together with the royal art collection already on display at the palace, comprised the stock of the National Art Gallery.

How to get to National Art Gallery

– Subway Red line : Serdika or Sofia University stop

– Bus lines 9, 94, 280, 306 : Sofia University stop

– Trolley bus line 9 : St. Alexander Nevski Square stop

– Trolley bus lines 1, 2, 4, 11 : Sofia University stop

– Tramway line 20 : National Opera stop