Synodal Palace, Sofia, Building and tourist attraction in Sofia, Bulgaria
The Synodal Palace in Sofia is an early 20th-century building in the city center that serves as the seat of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. It was designed by architects Petko Momchilov and Jordan Milanov in a national romantic style, featuring rounded arches, colorful ceramic tiles, and a facade of light stone with brick accents.
The palace was built between 1904 and 1910, shortly after Bulgarian independence, to give the church administration a permanent home. Above the main entrance, portraits of three bishops who fought for the independence of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church from Constantinople in the 19th century can be seen.
The palace carries ceramic decorations on its facade, made by craftsmen in a style that mixes Byzantine and Bulgarian national elements. In front of the building stands a monument to Hilarion Makariopolski, one of the figures behind Bulgarian church independence, which passersby notice every day.
The palace stands on Osvobozhdenie Square in central Sofia, close to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and is easy to reach on foot. Since the building is still in active use, visitors should move quietly and respectfully, especially if entering the courtyard or the chapel.
The palace courtyard was laid out in the style of Italian garden palaces and was once filled with sculptures that were destroyed during World War II. The paths and trees remain, but the empty bases still mark where the artworks once stood.
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