SOFIA WILL HOST JUNIOR EUROVISION 2015
Sofia is one the Easter Europe’s main megalopolises. With a history of several thousands years, ruin-rich Sofia is one of the world’s oldest cities. Surrounded by an amazing parkland, Sofia is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria. It was declared as the capital of Bulgaria in 1879. Sofia is the 14th largest city in the European Union with population of around 1.3 million people. Many of the major universities, cultural institutions and commercial companies of Bulgaria are concentrated in Sofia. Wide boulevards, streets full of florals, charming boutiques and truly energetic nightlife make Sofia very popular amongst the Easter Europe’s touristic cities.
LOCATION
Sofia is situated in the western part of the Republic of Bulgaria, right at the foot of Vitosha Mountain. The mountain is seen in most panoramas of the town, making Sofia’s postcards representing it with a spectacular view. Bulgaria occupies a strategic position at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula, neighbouring with Romania, Serbia, Macedonia and Greece. It has very warm summers and very cold winters. The Black Sea in Sofia, which is at the eastern border of country, owns both summer and winter resorts for tourists at any time of the year!
CULTURE AND PLACES
The city’s name comes from the Greek word ‘Sofia’ which means wisdom. Sofia is indeed a very wisely constructed city, with a lot of cultural impact. Just like Armenia, Bulgaria is full of cathedrals and churches that are national symbol of Bulgaria. The largest Orthodox Cathedral in the Balkans — the gold-domed Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral is located nearby Parliament building, along several embassies. The largest Balkan museum of History is located in Sofia — the National History museum, which contains over 600 thousand exhibits. There is also an underground transport in Sofia which makes traveling around the city easier and faster. The oldest Opera House in Balkans which has been reconstructed several times can be also found in Sofia. And of course, the Armeec Arena with a capacity of 18 thousand people that hosts most sport events of Sofia will be the home of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015!