Muzeul istoric-arheologic al Bisericii Naționale

Overview

The National Church historical and archaeological museum in Sofia is one of the most significant museums in the capital and the country. The museum is located in the premises of the Theological Faculty of Sofia University, Sveta Nedelya Square, in the city center.

The museum was built and decorated in 1923 by Bulgarian and foreign architects and artists.

The incendiary bombs which fell during World War II,  caused great damage to the the museum, but it was later rebuilt. The building has been declared an architectural, construction and artistic cultural monument of national significance.

The museum shelters over 10,000 objects in four separate departments - Manuscripts and Old Printed Books, Iconographic, Art-Industrial and Historical-Archival. Many icons, wood carvings, historical documents, church utensils, old printed books, etc. can be seen. Visitors can see icons  painted by masters from the Tryavna, Samokov, Debar and Bansko schools, as well as unique manuscripts written by Neophyte Bozveli, Ilarion Makariopolski, Exarch Antim I, Exarch Joseph I and others.