Vitosha, Sofia
Encyclopedia
Vitosha is one of the 24 districts of Sofia
, situated in the southern parts of the City on the foot of the Vitosha
mountain. As of 2006 it has 42,953 inhabitants. The district includes 7 neighbourhoods: Boyana
; Simeonovo; Dragalevtsi
; Pavlovo
; Buxton; Manastirski Livadi and Knyazhevo
as well as two villages Vladaya
and Marchaevo
. It is among the richest and greenest districts in Sofia and Bulgaria
with many beautiful residences, houses, villas and residential complexes.
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, situated in the southern parts of the City on the foot of the Vitosha
Vitosha
Vitosha is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the tourists symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous...
mountain. As of 2006 it has 42,953 inhabitants. The district includes 7 neighbourhoods: Boyana
Boyana
Boyana is a neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, part of Vitosha municipality and situated 8 km south of the city centre, in the outskirts of Vitosha. Boyana is typically regarded as one of the best and most expensive neighborhoods of Sofia to live in...
; Simeonovo; Dragalevtsi
Dragalevtsi
Dragalevtsi is a quarter of Sofia, part of Vitosha municipality and situated in the southwestern part of the city, at the foot of the mountain of Vitosha...
; Pavlovo
Pavlovo, Sofia
Pavlovo is a southern neighbourhood of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Part of the Vitosha municipality, it borders Buxton Neighbourhod to the northeast, Tsar Boris III Boulevard to the northwest, the Sofia ringroad to the south and the Buxton Boulevard to the east...
; Buxton; Manastirski Livadi and Knyazhevo
Knyazhevo
Knyazhevo is a village in the municipality of Topolovgrad, in Haskovo Province, in southern Bulgaria....
as well as two villages Vladaya
Vladaya
Vladaya is a village situated on the northwestern parts of Vitosha mountain in western Bulgaria. - Geography and population :The village is situated in the valley between Vitosha mountain and Lyulin Mountain on the outskirts of Sofia city....
and Marchaevo
Marchaevo
Marchaevo is a village located in the Vitosha municipality in the southern parts of the capital Sofia. it has 1,308 inhabitants....
. It is among the richest and greenest districts in Sofia and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
with many beautiful residences, houses, villas and residential complexes.
Landmarks
- National Historical MuseumNational Historical Museum (Bulgaria)The National Historical Museum in Sofia is Bulgaria's largest museum. It was founded on 5 May 1973 and its first representative exposition was opened in 1984 to commemorate 1300 years of Bulgarian history...
which is among the most important EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an museums with rich collection dating from prehistorical ages to modern day. Among the most precious items are several splendid Thracian treasureThracian treasureThe Thracians were skillful craftsmen. They made beautifully ornate golden and silver objects such as various kinds of vessels, rhytons, facial masks, pectorals, jewelry, weapons, etc. They used to bury rich hoards of precious objects both to hide them in times of enemy invasions and unrest as...
s, fine church plates, ancient manuscripts and many others. It is part of the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria"100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria" is a Bulgarian national movement established in 1966 to promote tourism among Bulgaria's most significant cultural, historic, and natural landmarks....
. - Boyana ChurchBoyana ChurchThe Boyana Church is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, in the Boyana quarter...
dating back to the 9-10th century with magnificent 13th century frescoes. It is a UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
and part of the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria"100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria" is a Bulgarian national movement established in 1966 to promote tourism among Bulgaria's most significant cultural, historic, and natural landmarks....
. - Boyana Waterfall, a 15 m high waterfall.
- Dragalevtsi MonasteryDragalevtsi MonasteryDragalevtsi Monastery of the Holy Mother of God of Vitosha is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery on the lower slopes of Vitosha mountain on the outskirts of the capital Sofia in western Bulgaria...
, built under Ivan AlexanderIvan Alexander of BulgariaIvan Alexander , also known as John Alexander, ruled as Emperor of Bulgaria from 1331 to 1371, during the Second Bulgarian Empire. The date of his birth is unknown. He died on February 17, 1371. The long reign of Ivan Alexander is considered a transitional period in Bulgarian medieval history...
. - Knyazhevo mineral springs, with a temperature of 31°C