National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria

Overview

The magnificent building in neo-Renaissance style has been the seat of the Bulgarian parliament since 1884.

The building was designed by Konstantin Jovanovic, a prominent Austrian-trained architect that built the Parliament in Serbia. The interior of this building has been refurbished a number of times to ensure the comfort and functionality of today's politicians. The exterior, however, remains basically the same as in its early days. 

At the time it was erected, the National Assembly building – one of the first public buildings in the newly-proclaimed Bulgarian capital – was actually located in what was then the town’s outskirts, but is now on one of the busiest central boulevards of Sofia. Over its southern entrance is the national motto: “Unity is Strength”, and above that is the national coat of arms.

In order to raise money to construct the building, donations from the Bulgarian people were collected. The names of all of the benefactors were included in a special act that ends with the words: “The building erected shall serve to perpetuate freedom and equality in Bulgaria, to the glory of the Bulgarian people.”  This message was sealed into the foundations of the building.

The building of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria is illustrated on the BGN 20 banknote.