This resource was submitted by Shamrock Consultancy Services.Pictures are from Wikimedia Commons.

From the earliest times, Sofia’s main attraction has been its hot thermal springs, which are still in public use today, as a water source and as a public central heating system.Its strategic location on military and trade routes made it an important administrative centre in Roman times, reaching its grandeur as an early centre of Christianity during the reign of Constantine in the fourth century. Two significant Byzantine churches remain. In 1382, the Turks conquered the city but when they were ousted, in 1878, Sofia became the capital and its grand boulevards were constructed, cutting through the grid-plan quarters that had grown up around the oriental nucleus. Ottoman-imposed mosques were torn down, as the Orthodox Church was reinstated.

Wikimedia Commons: The Bird Cage and Pelican Pond of Sofia Zoo

During World War II, Bulgaria liased with Germany as its ally and Sofia was heavily bombed in British and American raids – 3,000 buildings were destroyed and 9,000 damaged, which accounts for its newness today. When the war ended in 1944, Russian soldiers took the capital and Bulgaria became part of the Eastern Bloc and was one of the most regulated countries in de Communist block. Under Communism, Sofia underwent a period of rapid industrialisation – new factories and high-rise apartment blocks grew up to form extended suburbs and the city’s population escalated as thousands migrated from rural areas. The regime officially came to an end in 1989, although remains the most obvious legacy in contemporary urban culture and architecture. Despite these impositions, Sofia retains and is reclaiming its sense of European elegance and identity.

Politically and economically, however, Bulgaria continues to suffer from the vacuum left by Communism. The 1990s saw chaotic political instability, soaring unemployment, hyperinflation and rampant corruption. During privatisation measures, former Communist party members and their families managed to hold onto power and economic influence and still dominate the city’s government and trade. Bulgaria, however, is beginning to attract an increasing number of tourists (who head mainly for the seaside resorts of the Black Sea and ski resorts such as Bansko), and it is hoped that this new influx of cash will help the country shape up. Bulgaria’s accession to the EU in January 2007 will no doubt further boosts its appeal as a tourist destination, and help its economic growth.

Bulgarian Parliament, Sofia, Bulgaria. Author: Nenko Lazarov

Today,the capital is as western as any other capital in Europe and attracts many investors looking to buy property at a fraction of the price of what we pay in the UK or Ireland.Many western companies are opening up offices and factories due to the cheap labour cost and the high level of education.