Bulgaria - Capital & Fortress
Cathedrals, fortresses, commies, & ska punk.
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Adam and I have a strange affinity for former USSR and Eastern bloc countries. We visit as many as we can to immerse ourselves in their complicated histories and experience their changing cultures. Modern Sofia, Bulgaria almost pulsates with possibility. An amalgam of soaring orthodox cathedrals, hipster cafes, touristy restaurants, and underground clubs, it embraces the lure of commercial success and rocks to bands like ska punk masters, Cool Den. But the impact of the communist era lingers in attitudes and economic worry. An extremely insightful and must-visit exhibit in Sofia is The Red Flat. Telling the stories of real people through the conceit of a fictional 1970s family apartment, it depicts everyday life in communist Bulgaria through the memories and personal items of the people who lived through it.
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral commands a full city block, its gold domes reaching toward the heavens. The largest cathedral in the Balkans symbolizes Sofia itself and serves as the prevailing image of the capital city. Constructed between 1882 and 1912 it commemorates liberation from the Ottoman Empire. In the basement, Byzantine art hangs under low ceilings between narrow stone arches. A few paintings border on comic-book style. One makes my friend Marianne chuckle. The Christ child reminds her of the famous UK child-show puppet, Pob.
Public sculpture abounds in Sofia — in fountains, on buildings, and rooted to the earth. The most famous is the 26-foot tall Sveta Sofia (Saint Sofia), which replaced a Lenin statue in a prominent central square after the fall of communism. Sculpted by Georgi Tchapkanov, she caused a stir and remains controversial today due to her cleavage and erect nipples. During our spring 2023 visit, the Bulgarian National Museum of Art exhibited a selection of Tchapkanov’s work to celebrate his 80th birthday. Depicting elongated and dislocated human and animal bodies, I found each piece subversive and fascinating.
Moody, misty, morning light in Veliko Tarnovo enhances the almost mythical vibe of this medieval Bulgarian town. High up on the hilltop, a fortress dominates the view. At its peak sits a deconsecrated cathedral. Once sacred during the Byzantine Era, it crumbled and communists rebuilt it into a tower of good and evil. From fallen angels to liars and cheats, it showcases darkly allluring murals of human foibles and frailty.
