National Ethnographic Museum in Sofia

Overview

The National Ethnographic Museum in Sofia is located in the former Prince's Palace, considered one of the oldest and most interesting buildings in the capital of Bulgaria. The ethnographic exposition shows the traditional way of life and culture of the Bulgarians.

In 1879 the building became the residence of Alexander Battenberg - the first Bulgarian prince after the Liberation of Bulgaria from Turkish rule. By his order in 1880-1882, the first reconstruction of the building was carried out by the architects Rumpelmeier, Kolar, and Meyerberg. On the eve of 1883, the first palace ball was held there. The palace underwent a new reconstruction in 1893-1895 according to the plan of the Austrian architect. Grunanger - expanded with the East Wing. The building contains elements of Renaissance, Viennese Baroque and resembles the French palaces of the eighteenth century.

At the end of the 1940s and the beginning of the 1950s, the building housed the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria from the early communist era and the Higher Communist Party School.

Today, two cultural institutions with rich and valuable collections operate in the former palace. These are the Palace branch of the National Gallery and the National Ethnographic Institute with a museum.