St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Bulgarian: Храм-паметник “Свети Александър Невски”, Hram-pametnik “Sveti Aleksandar Nevski”) is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral located in Sofia, the country’s capital.

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is without a doubt Sofia’s most renowned structure. The city’s emblem is not only a cathedral, but also a monument: it was created to honor Russian troops who died in the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), which resulted to Bulgaria’s independence from the Ottoman Empire. Between 1882 and 1912, the cathedral was under construction for 30 years.

Built in Neo-Byzantine architecture, it serves as the Patriarch of Bulgaria’s cathedral church and is thought to be one of the world’s 50 biggest Christian church structures by volume. It is a major tourist destination and one of Sofia’s icons. St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia has a floor size of 3,170 square meters (34,100 square feet) with a capacity of 5,000 people. It is said to be one of the ten biggest Eastern Orthodox Church structures in the world. It is also the biggest cathedral in the Balkans. It is said that until the year 2000, it was the biggest completed Orthodox cathedral.

Between 1916 through 1920, the cathedral’s name was temporarily changed to Sts. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral (due to Bulgaria and Russia being in opposing coalitions during WWI), but the original name was restored. On 12 September 1924, the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was declared a cultural monument.

History of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral construction began in 1882 (after being planned since 19 February 1879), when the foundation stone was set, although the majority of it was completed between 1904 and 1912. Saint Alexander Nevsky was a prince of Russia. The cathedral was built in memory of Russian troops who perished during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, which resulted in the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman domination.

Alexander Pomerantsev designed the cathedral with the assistance of Alexander Smirnov and Alexander Yakovlev, since Pomerantsev significantly altered Ivan Bogomolov’s original 1884-1885 design. The final design was completed in 1898, and the building was constructed and decorated by a team of Bulgarian, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, and other European artists, architects, and workers, including the aforementioned architects, as well as Petko Momchilov, Yordan Milanov, Haralampi Tachev, Ivan Mrkvika, Vasily D. Bolotnov, Nikolay A. Bruni, A.A. Kiselyov, and Anton Mitov.

The marble components and lighting fixtures were designed in Munich, the metal components for the gates were made in Berlin, the gates themselves were constructed at Karl Bamberg’s workshop in Vienna, and the mosaics were imported from Venice.

The temple was sanctified for the first time in 1924. Because there are three thrones in the temple, the lighting seat is held on three successive days: September 12, 13, and 14.

Architecture of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a basilica with a cross-domed design with a prominent center dome. The gold-plated dome of the cathedral stands 45 metres (148 feet) tall (46.3 metres (152 feet) with the cross), while the bell tower is 53 metres tall (174 ft).  The center nave’s roof span is 28 metres (92 ft) . The temple has 12 bells weighing a total of 25 tons, the biggest of which weighs 12 tons and the lowest of which weighs 10 kilos (22 lb). The inside is finished in a variety of shades of Italian marble, Brazilian onyx, alabaster, and other opulent materials. The Lord’s Prayer is etched around the central dome in delicate gold lettering.

The first design was created by Russian architect Bogomolov, but the final version was created by architect A. Pomerantsev. The subsequent project is distinct from the preceding one not just in terms of scale, but also in terms of architectural idea. Pomerantsev artistically modifies Byzantine art concepts without strict replication. Although the internal area is cohesive, it gives the impression of being separated into four storeys. The facade’s details, as well as several arches and friezes, are adorned with lace-like stone sculpture. Except for the wooden entry doors, all are decorated with braids and Old Bulgarian themes. On the outside, there are 11 doors, three of which are connected to form the main entrance and lead to the narthex. The building has a total cubic space capacity of around 86 000 cubic meters and a floor area of approximately 3170 square meters.

The temple St. Alexander Nevsky can compete with the world’s most renowned structures of this sort in terms of size and ornamentation, architecture and monumentality. From the exterior, the temple measures 72 meters in length and 55 meters in breadth. It stands 50.52 meters tall, with the roof bridge 28 meters above the main vaulted entry, which has three entrances and a bell tower with a dome. It is supported by three columns, each of which has a broad hole through which the 12 bells may be seen. Their combined weight is around 25 tons. The biggest weighs 11,758 kg, has a tongue weight of 374 kg, a diameter of 2,70 m, and a height of 2,80 m, while the second weighs 6002 kg and the smallest is 10 kg. In pleasant and warm weather, the sound of the large bell may be heard about 30 kilometers from Sofia. The biggest bells include embossed pictures and icons of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Alexander Nevski, St. Sofia, and St. Cyril and Methodius, as well as commemorative inscriptions in Old Bulgarian knots. A mosaic icon of St. Alexander Nevski, created by Bulgarian painter Anton Mitov, is shown on the bell tower’s western façade.

The royal throne is 13.5 square meters in size, with a green marble floor that is built in three stages. Lions are carved on both sides of the staircase. A mosaic portrait by A. Mitov is set in the arch above the three thrones. They feature King Ferdinand and Queen Eleonora clothed in ceremonial robes and carrying a temple pattern. The solei is elevated above the temple floor and is divided from it by a low, ornate white marble fence adorned with Christian iconography.

The Archangelic throne is situated on a square of green marble between the main iconostasis and the royal throne. The throne is capped with a four-sided white alabaster pyramidal canopy.

Working Hours of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is open daily from 7:00 to 19:00 and entry is free.

Weekly Worship Services:

Weekdays: Morning: 08:00, Evening: 17:00 (Fridays: 17:30)
Saturdays: 18:00
Sundays: 09:30

The Alexander Nevsky Crypt Icon Museum has an extraordinary collection of icons, most likely the biggest in Europe.
The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 and admission is 3 EUR (6 BGN).

Location of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is located in the heart of Sofia, between the Church of St Sofia and the Bulgarian Parliament. From Serdika metro station, it is a ten-minute walk (850 m). The cathedral is about 250 meters from the nearest metro station, Univ. St. Kliment Ohridski.

Paid parking spaces are available nearby, but use caution while leaving your vehicle. Due to the cathedral’s proximity to multiple government and other significant buildings, there are several limitations, some of which are only inscribed in Bulgarian.

The cathedral is centrally positioned in Sveti Aleksandar Nevski Square, a wide, open space. It’s simple to observe it from every perspective and to pick the ideal locations for beautiful pictures.

Nearby Attractions

The cathedral is close to St. Sofia Church, which has the same name as the city of Sofia. Other notable landmarks in close proximity to the cathedral include the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the National Gallery of Foreign Art, the National Art Academy, the Bulgarian Parliament, a park honoring Ivan Vazov with a monument and gravestone, the Sofia Opera and Ballet, and a park with a small flea market where one can purchase handmade textiles, icons, and antiques.