Editing Sofia (section)

==Cityscape==
[[File:Cathedral Saint Alexander Nevsky (23997168458).jpg|thumb|left|A view over central Sofia, with the [[Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia|Alexander Nevsky Cathedral]] in the foreground and [[Vitosha]] in the distance]]

In Sofia there are 607,473 dwellings and 101,696 buildings. According to modern records, 39,551 dwellings were constructed until 1949, 119,943 between 1950 and 1969, 287,191 between 1970 and 1989, 57,916 in the 90s and 102,623 between 2000 and 2011. Until 1949, 13,114 buildings were constructed and between 10,000 and 20,000 in each following decade.<ref name=book/> Sofia's architecture combines a wide range of architectural styles, some of which are aesthetically incompatible. These vary from Christian Roman architecture and medieval Bulgarian fortresses to Neoclassicism and prefabricated Socialist-era apartment blocks, as well as newer glass buildings and international architecture. A number of ancient Roman, Byzantine and medieval Bulgarian buildings are preserved in the centre of the city. These include the 4th century [[Church of St. George, Sofia|Rotunda of St. George]], the walls of the Serdica fortress and the partially preserved [[Amphitheatre of Serdica]].

After the Liberation War, knyaz [[Alexander, Prince of Bulgaria|Alexander Battenberg]] invited architects from [[Austria-Hungary]] to shape the new capital's architectural appearance.<ref name="Fig. Arts">{{cite book |last=Collective |title=Encyclopedia of Figurative Arts in Bulgaria, volume 1 |publisher=[[Bulgarian Academy of Sciences]] |year=1980 |location=Sofia |pages=209–210}}</ref>

Among the architects invited to work in Bulgaria were [[Friedrich Grünanger]], Adolf Václav Kolář, and [[Viktor Rumpelmayer]], who designed the most important public buildings needed by the newly re-established Bulgarian government, as well as numerous houses for the country's elite.<ref name="Fig. Arts"/> Later, many foreign-educated Bulgarian architects also contributed. The architecture of Sofia's centre is thus a combination of [[Baroque Revival architecture|Neo-Baroque]], Neo-[[Rococo]], [[Renaissance Revival architecture|Neo-Renaissance]] and [[Neoclassicism]], with the [[Vienna Secession]] also later playing an important part, but it is most typically Central European.

After World War II and the establishment of a [[Communist state|Communist government]] in Bulgaria in 1944, the architectural style was substantially altered. [[Stalinist architecture|Stalinist Gothic]] public buildings emerged in the centre, notably the spacious government complex around [[Largo, Sofia|The Largo]], Vasil Levski Stadium, the Cyril and Methodius National Library and others. As the city grew outwards, the then-new neighbourhoods were dominated by many concrete [[tower block]]s, prefabricated panel apartment buildings and examples of [[Brutalist architecture]].

After the abolition of [[Communism]] in 1989, Sofia witnessed the construction of whole business districts and neighbourhoods, as well as modern skyscraper-like glass-fronted office buildings, but also top-class residential neighbourhoods. The {{convert|126|m|ft|adj=on}} [[Capital Fort]] Business Centre is the first skyscraper in Bulgaria, with its 36 floors. However, the end of the old administration and centrally planned system also paved the way for chaotic and unrestrained construction, which continues today.

[[File:StSophiaChurch-Sofia-10.jpg|Interior of the ancient [[Saint Sofia Church, Sofia|Saint Sofia Church]]|thumb]]
[[File:Sofia '17 (24614289157) ver 2.jpg|[[Neoclassical architecture]], Polygraphia office center|thumb]]

===Green areas===
[[File:Borisova gradina autumn.jpg|thumb|left|[[Borisova gradina]]]]
The city has an extensive [[green belt]]. Some of the neighbourhoods constructed after 2000 are densely built up and lack green spaces. There are four principal parks – [[Borisova gradina]] in the city centre and the ''Southern'', ''Western'' and ''Northern'' parks. Several smaller parks, among which the [[Vazrazhdane Park]], [[Zaimov Park]], [[City Garden (Sofia)|City Garden]] and the [[Doctors' Garden]], are located in central Sofia. The [[Vitosha]] Nature Park (the oldest [[national park]] in the [[Balkans]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://journey.bg/bulgaria/bulgaria.php?&gtype=21 |title=National parks in the world |publisher=journey.bg |access-date=24 May 2008 |language=bg |archive-date=23 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523163142/http://journey.bg/bulgaria/bulgaria.php?&gtype=21 |url-status=live }}</ref> includes most of [[Vitosha]] mountain and covers an area of {{convert|266|km²|0|abbr=out}},<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vitoshamount.hit.bg/ |title=Vitosha Mountain |publisher=vitoshamount.hit.bg |access-date=29 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20040620025050/http://www.vitoshamount.hit.bg/ |archive-date=20 June 2004 }}</ref> with roughly half of it lying within the municipality of Sofia. Vitosha mountain is a popular hiking destination due to its proximity and ease of access via car and public transport. Two functioning cable cars provide year long access from the outskirts of the city. The mountain offers favourable skiing conditions during the winter. During the 1970s and the 1980s multiple ski slopes of varying difficulty were made available. Skiing equipment can be rented and skiing lessons are available. However, due to the bad communication between the private offshore company that runs the resort and Sofia municipality, most of the ski areas have been left to decay in the last 10 years, so that only one chairlift and one slope work.