Borisova Gradina Park

Overview

Borisova Gradina is the largest park in Sofia, occupying an area of 3,02 square kilometers.

The garden was planned to be located on the outskirts of the capital. Over the years, as the city grew, the garden has been approaching the city center. The park is landscaped in the closest part to the city center, the rest is just a forest. 

It was originally called Razsadnika (The Nursery Garden), later called Pipinier. Until 1885 the park was also known as the Constantinople Garden. After the birth of the heir to the throne Boris Tarnovski, it was renamed Knyaz-Borisova Gradina (The Prince Boris Garden). During the totalitarian regime (1944-1989) the name was changed to Freedom Park. After the collapse of state socialism, the park was renamed Boris III.

Until the Liberation, there was an Ottoman military training ground on the place of the park. In 1879, by municipal order, a significant part of it was allocated for a Turkish cemetery. In 1882, by a unanimous decision of the Municipal Council, the establishment of the park was approved.

In 1882, the then-mayor of Sofia brought Swiss gardener Daniel Neff from Bucharest with the intention to create a garden for the capital of Bulgaria.

Neff developed the first plan of the garden in the spring of 1882, set up the nursery, and started construction in 1884.

Alsatian Joseph Frei was appointed manager of all gardens and parks of Sofia in 1906. He reorganized Borisova gradina according to his own plan further developing the one of Neff. In carrying out this plan Frei planted the two main alleys in the lower part of the garden, the linden and chestnut one, and opened the wide central and two side alleys in the upper part, from the children’s playground to the Fish Lake.

Lake Ariana was created at the beginning of the 20th century. Boats sailed for the first time in Sofia. In the winters, locals took the opportunity to ice skating.

Under the totalitarian regime in the Borisova Gradina were built children's playgrounds, summer stages, and theater, reading room, tennis courts, monuments, horse riding centre.