Rocks and buildings in the Sofia City center - a geological and historical city tour

Pages: 
pp. 13-21
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof, Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof, Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria
Abstract: 

The most used rock materials that served to build the modern appearance of Sofia’s central streets and buildings are presented. Different local genetic types of rocks were utilized for the construction of modern Sofia: igneous rocks (monzonites, gabbros, rhyolites); sedimentary rocks (varieties of limestone and sandstones); and metamorphics (mainly marbles). A small part of rock materials was imported, mainly for the interior design of the buildings, for instance in Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and others. The most used rock material for buildings and streets were the monzonites from the Vitosha Mountain, and this is the reason why Sofia City is noted as “the monzonite capital” of Bulgaria. The emblematic buildings, streets and squares in the city centre, with their rock building material, characteristics, and historical significance are briefly described.

Keywords: 

rock building material, Sofia, city tour

DOI: 
10.52321/GeolBalc.53.3.13

VOLUME 53 (3)/December 2024

University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria
|
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria; Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 24, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
|
Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 24, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
|
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria
|
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria
|
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria
|
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria

University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof, Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria
|
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof, Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria

University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria; Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 24, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
|
University of Mining and Geology, Studentski Grad, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria

Instituto de Geociencias CSIC-UCM, Severo Ochoa 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain
|
Área de Paleontología GEODESPAL, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas UCM, José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain
|
Departamento de Ciências da Terra, Centro de Geociências, Universidade de Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal
|
Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 269, 165 00 Praha 6, Czech Republic

Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, I-41125 Modena, Italy
|
Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, I-41125 Modena, Italy
|
Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, I-41125 Modena, Italy
|
Dipartimento di Matematica, Informatica e Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via Weiss 2, I-34128 Trieste, Italy
|
Dipartimento di Matematica, Informatica e Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via Weiss 2, I-34128 Trieste, Italy

Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 24, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

Institute of Geology, Subdivision of the Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IG UFRC RAS), 16/2 Karl Marx Str., 450000 Ufa, Russia

Geological Survey of Canada, 303–33rd Street N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A7, Canada
|
Satbayev University, Satbayev 22, Almaty, Kazakhstan
|
Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK

Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 24, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK, SO14 3ZH
|
Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
|
Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
|
Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
|
Albany Museum, Grahamstown, Province of the Eastern Cape, Republic of South Africa
|
Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
|
Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden