The Cathedral Saint Aleksandar Nevski is a stunning church both inside and out. The moment you enter, you'll be in awe of its beauty. It's unfortunate that photography is not allowed inside, but that shouldn't stop you from visiting this must-see attraction.
The architecture of the cathedral is absolutely gorgeous, and the best part is that entry is free. However, if you want to take photos, there is a small fee. The paintings on the walls and under the roof are interesting and add to the overall ambiance of the cathedral.
The location of this church is also great, as there is a historical church and museum named St. Sophia nearby. You can even see or buy very old equipment from Badgers for your collection in the area. Parking is available, but be aware that you'll need a specific app or local number to pay.
During my visit, I was left awe-inspired by the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The architecture is a true masterpiece, blending history, spirituality, and grandeur. The cathedral's domes glisten in the sunlight and create a mesmerizing reflection in the nearby pond. Its sheer scale is jaw-dropping, and it showcases the dedication and craftsmanship of the artisans who built it.
Inside, the cathedral offers a peaceful and serene atmosphere, perfect for introspection and reflection. I spent a significant amount of time simply admiring the architecture and soaking in the peaceful ambiance. Whether you're interested in history, architecture, or seeking spiritual solace, the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral provides an experience that will leave a lasting impression.
The cathedral's location is also advantageous, with plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding area. The knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides on site offer valuable insights into the cathedral's history and significance.
Overall, my visit to the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was an enriching experience that I will cherish forever. I highly recommend adding this architectural marvel to your list of must-visit places in the area. It's not just a cathedral; it's a living piece of history that emanates majesty and spirituality.
However, I should note that visiting on a Saturday, I was surprised to find it quiet. If you plan on taking photos, be prepared to buy a ticket at the entrance for 3 Bulgarian lev. It's best to keep your ticket visible to avoid constant questioning inside the cathedral.
While the cathedral's exterior is impressive, the interior may not live up to the grandeur typically associated with Orthodox cathedrals of this size and importance. It feels a bit empty in comparison.
Despite this, it is still a wonderful place to see in person. It's great to see ongoing renovations to preserve this historical landmark for future generations. Thankfully, it wasn't crowded during my visit. Just keep in mind that parking is only available in a nearby small park, and you must pay to take pictures inside the church. Also, note that euros are not accepted within the church itself.
The Cathedral Saint Aleksandar Nevski is a beautiful old cathedral with intricate carvings and breathtaking details. The huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the minute details in the alcoves are worth studying for a long time. However, it's disappointing that you have to pay to take pictures inside, and the constant policing by staff members detracts from the atmosphere.
For me, as a Muslim, visiting this cathedral was a spellbinding experience. It's one of the most beautiful cathedrals I've ever seen. Unfortunately, photography is strictly prohibited, even when we offered to pay. There was also construction work going on outside the church during my visit.
Luckily, there is a nearby metro station for easy access. In addition to the cathedral, the gardens outside are also marvelous, adding to the overall beauty of the site.
Address:
ploshtad "Sveti Aleksandar Nevski", Sofia
Phone:
+359 2 988 1704
20.08.23
Keith
This church is amazing inside and out! The WOW factor when entering it spectacular! Unfortunately no photos allowed!:(
20.08.23
tskumar
A must visit place. The architecture is gorgeous. Entry is free but you take photos, you have to pay a little. The paintings of the walls and under the roof is interesting. Parking places are available but to pay with a specific app or sending SMS fr.. Read more »om the local number.
17.08.23
Bahman
Nice place in this area you can see or buy Very old equipment from Badgers for yours Collection. In the left side of this church there is historical church and museum whit the name of st. Sophia I recommend to see this church also, I kept some photos.. Read more » and clipe of this place.
30.07.23
Elias
I had the incredible opportunity to visit the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral during my recent trip, and I must say, it left me awe-inspired. The cathedral's architecture is a true masterpiece that beautifully blends history, spirituality, and gr.. Read more »andeur.
As I approached the cathedral, its magnificent domes glistened in the sunlight, casting a spellbinding reflection in the nearby pond. The sheer scale of the cathedral is jaw-dropping, and it truly stands as a testament to the dedication and craftsmanship of the artisans who brought this vision to life.
The cathedral's ambiance is peaceful and serene, making it an ideal place for introspection and reflection. I spent a considerable amount of time simply absorbing the beauty of the architecture and the peaceful atmosphere. Whether you're a history enthusiast, an architecture lover, or someone seeking a moment of spiritual solace, the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral offers an experience that is bound to leave a lasting impression.
The cathedral's location is also advantageous, nestled within a charming part of the city with ample opportunities to explore the surrounding area. The guides on site were knowledgeable and enthusiastic, providing valuable insights into the cathedral's history and significance.
Visiting the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was an enriching experience that I will cherish for a lifetime. I highly recommend adding this architectural marvel to your must-visit list when in the area. It's not just a cathedral; it's a living piece of history that exudes an aura of majesty and spirituality.
28.07.23
Carole
I visited on a Saturday and was surprised to find it was really quiet. If you want to take photos you need to buy a ticket for 3 Bulgarian lev as you enter the cathedral. Best to keep your ticket visible so you’re not constantly asked if you ha.. Read more »ve one when you are inside taking photos.
23.07.23
jurica
The biggest Bulgarian cathedral. It looks very impressive from outside. Inside is little bit empty and not so glamorous as typical Orthodox cathedrals of that size and importance.
06.07.23
Stefo
Wonderful place. It is really nice seeing it in person. Glad to see they are doing some renovations to keep it there for future generations. It wasn't crowded at all which is a good thing. Do note two things parking is allowed only in the small .. Read more »par nearby and you have to pay in order to take pictures inside of the church.
Too bad you can't use euros in the church itself.
27.06.23
Chris
Beautiful old Cathedral with intricate carvings and breathtaking details. Huge chandeliers suspend over the place and the alcoves hold a great deal of minute details that you could study for a long time. The only drawback is that you have to pay t.. Read more »o take pictures inside and there are staff members policing this constantly which really takes away from the atmosphere inside.
01.05.23
Sahar
One of the most beautiful cathedral I've ever visited. Being a Muslim I was spell bound.
Pictures and videos are strictly not allowed, though just a part of church is open for visitors. We offered the 10 Lev to take pictures but still the perso.. Read more »n in charge didn't allow us. When we went last weekend some construction work was going on outside the church.
A nearby metro station is located for easy access.
22.04.23
eleni
The cathedral is huge and very beautiful on the outside. At the inside it has great pieces of marble and some nice icons but overall all the frescoes are black and need conservation. In areas where there was no light you could not see a thing because.. Read more » they are old and black from the candles. The gardens outside are marvellous.
12.01.23
Philippe
Beautiful church that deserves a national restoration effort and much better lighting (particularly nowadays that there are many lighting technologies that will not alter the pigments of painting or mosaics).
The sad bit of that your camera will see .. Read more »better than what your eyes can see inside the church. I have posted some pictures of what my phone sees and what we could see (using the dynamic for) if better lit and renovated. To take pictures you will need to buy a ticket costing 10 LV at the entrance of the church (otherwise some people inside will chase after you for that ticket).
There is also no signs giving you the history of the place... So you will need to arrange for a tour guide to learn the history of the place. There is no guide at the entrance of the church so that's something to arrange online.
10.08.22
Ally
Breathtaking cathedral!! This cathedral is the star of Sofia and I highly recommend going! You can park on the side and enter. Don’t stay longer than two hours or you have to pay for parking I believe? No photos or video are allowed inside but .. Read more »the cathedral is gorgeous and very grand! The staff was very kind! You must must must go here while in Sofia!!
25.07.22
Vincent
Beautiful cathedral that is the absolute highlight of visiting Sofia. Mesmerising and magnificent on the inside and outside. It closes at 7 pm but they don't let anyone in a bit before that so if you are visiting it I would recommend the morning.. Read more »!! The walk from city centre is only 20 minutes and is absolutely worth doing it as there are beautiful buildings and parks to see on the way there!!
09.07.22
Ashley
St. Alexander Nevsky is a beautiful cathedral and a must see while in Sofia! It serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and is one of the 50 largest Christian church buildings, by volume, in the world.. Read more ».
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia occupies an area of 3,170 square metres (34,100 sq ft) and can hold 5,000 people inside. It is among the 10 largest eastern Orthodox church buildings and is the largest cathedral in the Balkans. It is believed that up until the year 2000 it was the largest finished Orthodox cathedral.
Absolutely stunning ?
27.06.22
Ivan
Free entry and amazing interiors.
You do have to pay if you want to take photos and this is clearly stated before you enter. However I saw many visitors try to sneak photos only to be immediately confronted by staff who aggressively and rightfully de.. Read more »mand payment.
25.06.22
Ayşe
I really liked city of Plovdiv ( Filibe). Sofia was nice too but i could not see as much as historical sites what i expected. I can say i liked Plovdiv more than Sofia, it worth to go! Food was not good though. As a Turkish woman I did not like the f.. Read more »ood.
20.05.22
Up
The architecture of this church is just beyond beautiful. The exterior patina against the limestone is gorgeous when lit by the setting sun and the evening lights. The interior is filled with murals on the walls and ceilings along with all the usua.. Read more »l decor of a catholic church. It is absolutely beautiful inside and out but if you want to take photos on the inside you must make a donation and you cannot use a flash.
16.04.22
Krasimir
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a cross-domed basilica featuring an emphasized central dome. The cathedral's gold-plated dome is 45 m high (148 ft) (46.3 m (152 ft) with the cross), with the bell tower reachi.. Read more »ng 53 metres (174 ft)] The roof span of the central nave is 28 metres (92 ft) The temple has 12 bells with total weight of 23 tons, the heaviest weighing 12 tons and the lightest 10 kilograms (22 lb).The interior is decorated with Italian marble in various colours, Brazilian onyx, alabaster, and other luxurious materials. The central dome has the Lord's Prayer inscribed around it, with thin gold letters.
14.03.22
Brian
Of course it's a must-visit in Sofia. A hugely impressive, imposing building, with gorgeous gold domes and filled with amazing art. The inside has a haunting quality to it, darkened over the years by so many thousands of candles smoking it up. T.. Read more »he Christian art museum in the crypt is also worth a look, decent value and filled with orthodox treasures
27.02.22
Sandy
Stunning cathedral from the inside and outside. It is placed in the middle of the city center that is rich in numerous historic, religious, artistic and cultural sights. This temple is the symbol of Sofia with its spectacular external golden domes. I.. Read more »t is a must see place in Sofia and you're gonna enjoy the walking tour around.
13.12.21
Irina
The outside is stunning. The golden domes shine even when it is cloudy. Inside is dark, not all candles are lit even though most are electric. The dome is impressive but black so you can't see many of the icons. I still recommend going in and se.. Read more »eing the marble thrones. The entrance is free. Paying 10 lev for photos is not worth it with the current condition of the inside.
09.12.21
Joshua
Very beautiful cathedral. One of the most remarkable from the exterior. A genuine marvel. Inside it is dark, I found a priest smoking, he yelled at me about taking a picture. I thought how ironic, if something is to desecrate a house of worship, cert.. Read more »ainly smoking would be worse than a picture. Inside, it's a bit more open, dark, and depressing. Worth a visit if you're close! Walls are probably stained with smoke.
11.10.21
Vasileios
Beautiful cathedral, very well maintained is a must if you are around the area or just visit Sofia. You need to pay extra 3€ if you want to take photo's. Across the church on the park there is a great area selling beautiful icon's and .. Read more »pictures using interesting technics
09.09.21
Seda
It’s definitely a very good piece of architecture, but the interior lighting is extremely poor. Therefore it’s extremely hard to see the fresks inside. To be fair, it’s quite dark, and there’s almost no natural light. I don&rs.. Read more »quo;t really see why they charge you when you get a picture. I think it’s safe to take a pic or two, without flash of course. I believe charging money within religious temples is unbecoming. Also for such a well-known landmark in Sofia there was no information in English for tourists. There was one outside but it was a very bad condition, couldn’t read anything. Overall I’d recommend to see it and maybe take a pic outside of the building.
02.09.21
Ivaylo
No words to describe this place...
So much history and unique architecture.
I'll not even mention the positive energy that you can feel once you go through the door.
26.07.21
Ashish
A must see , its a beautiful cathedral inside and out. Photos are not allowed inside without buying a ticket first. Go in the morning so you could be there during prayer times , its an amazing experience.
19.07.21
Christian
Impressive cathedral but the staff inside aren’t very friendly. Need some customer service training. Apart from that, architecturally it’s impressive
25.06.21
David
A huge, beautiful and almighty place. You should visit it, be it only for the outdoor setting. The inside is breathtaking, and it seems that you can take pictures. It really is beautiful.
10.06.21
J
Impressive place, steeped in history.. But somebody needs to sort the lighting out on the inside.. There so much to see, but you just can't see it.
10.06.21
Henry
Stunning architecture with all sorts in interesting details from all sides. Make sure to check out the mosaics on top of the doors and the beautiful frescoes in the ceilings. It’s also free to enter but a bit dark inside.
03.06.21
Christoph
Among other things, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is also considered a landmark of Sofia and is the largest Orthodox church in Bulgaria. It is visible almost from every point in Sofia, as it has distinctive golden dome roofs. It is located directly .. Read more »behind the Parliament. The crypt is also worth seeing. There is a permanent exhibition on the history of the icons of the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria. A MUST when visiting Sofia.
03.05.21
Leon
Awesome Cathedral. More impressive inside. The walls and ceilings are one big fresco. The architectural design is amazing.
01.05.21
Zhanna
Huge and impressive place. Inside it looks as much good as outside. Before going there I would recommend reading the story of this place. Worth visiting! Keep in mind that the price for shooting inside is 10 levs?
12.01.21
Darin
St. Alexander Nevski is one of the iconic buildings in our capital Sofia. The church has a lot of history and if you want to know more about this unique building just check the Wikipedia. I recommend to everyone who loves to travel and explore to vis.. Read more »it this beautiful church with golden roof.
26.12.20
Donika
One of the biggest cathedrals in Sofia. The exterior is lavishly decorated with domes made of gold. The interior shows frescoes and icons of saints. Just go to the centre of the cathedral, underneath the big chandelier and look up... you will see God.. Read more » on the ceiling!
06.12.20
Mariana
The Bulgarian iconic landmark! This cathedral stood trough the ages as symbol and home for christanity.
Fantastic place and highly recommend for all visitors and citizens of Sofia
09.11.20
Kharmencita
ALEXANDER NEVSKY CATHEDRAL OF SOFIA = Is so far one of the most beautiful well-known Architectural Landmarks of Bulgaria in which one must never miss in his travel bucket list! I was able to take some impressive pictures of it from the outside but .. Read more » unfortunately, we were not able to see the inner part of it. However,this impressive turquoise and gold colored copulas or dome-shaped Cathedral is not only magical to see on daytime but also during night time. Guests and visitors from the bistros and restaurants surrounding its premises have the privileges to
wonder this man-made beauty.
30.10.20
Lora
Sofia's landmark. Extremely beautiful from outside and inside. A must-visit and free of charge (unlike most of the cathedrals in Italy or even Austria). If you are orthodox you might consider buying 2 candles - 1 for those you love and are ali.. Read more »ve (praying for their health and well-being) and 1 for the dead people in your life and you pray for peace of their spirits. Do not use a camera inside (or use, but be careful not to be caught) since it is forbidden unless in relation to a baptism or a wedding (private event) or a media presence. There is a museum and a small icon gallery part of the cathedral. Observe silence while on the grounds of the cathedral. Beware of the usual traffic of beggars waiting for you outside the cathedral (most of those ARE NOT in need and are usually taking advantage of the pity of people coming in or out of prayer in the cathedral).
24.09.20
承``Lillyth
This place is magical. The architecture is incredibly beautiful and the church has so much history, it should definitely be on top of your lists for visits if you're a tourist. It also is a great spot to visit for holidays such as New Year'.. Read more »s and Easter.
22.09.20
André
It's a must, it's gorgeous and magnificent. The inside is rather dark, but you can't feel indifferent to this place.
21.09.20
Yonathan
It's a big and beautiful cathedral in the heart of Sofia. Inside is so nice. You should definitely go there and have a look.
07.09.20
Thinuba
Beautiful cathedral with so much history!!
03.09.20
Silviya
Beautifully designed place in the centre of Sofia city. Just magnificent!
30.08.20
Ngo
The St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Bulgarian: Храм-паметник "Свети Александър Невски", Hram-pametnik "Sveti Aleksandar Nevski") is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Built in Neo-Byzantine style, it.. Read more » serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and it is believed to be one of the 50 largest Christian church buildings by volume in the world. It is one of Sofia's symbols and primary tourist attractions. The St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia occupies an area of 3,170 square metres (34,100 sq ft) and can hold 5,000 people inside. It is believed to be among the 10 largest Eastern Orthodox church buildings. It is the third largest Orthodox Cathedral located in Southeast Europe, being surpassed only by two new and not yet fully completed Cathedrals - the Romanian People's Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest, and the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade. It is believed that until year 2000 it was the largest finished Orthodox Cathedral. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a cross-domed basilica featuring an emphasized central dome. The cathedral's gold-plated dome is 45 m high (148 ft) (46.3 m (152 ft) with the cross), with the bell tower reaching 53 metres (174 ft). The roof span of the central nave is 28 metres (92 ft) The temple has 12 bells with total weight of 23 tons, the heaviest weighing 12 tons and the lightest 10 kilograms (22 lb). The interior is decorated with Italian marble in various colours, Brazilian onyx, alabaster, and other luxurious materials. The central dome has the Lord's Prayer inscribed around it, with thin gold letters. The cathedral is adjacent to St. Sofia Church, the church for which the city of Sofia is named. Other notable landmarks in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral are 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 his monument and gravestone, the Sofia Opera and Ballet, and a park where one can buy handmade textiles, icons, and antiques in a small flea market.
22.08.20
Anya
Magnificent symbol of Sofia-main Cathedral. Looks wonderful from outside, although it’s too dark inside unfortunately...
11.04.20
Eng.
Wonderful place for tourist to visit this place to experience the real architecture and is Jewel of the Sofia, Bulgaria. The church is very beautiful externally and inside with adequate luminosity. It’s Internal quite different from other ortho.. Read more »dox churches. A recommended place to visit in Sofia, Bulgaria