SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library, National library and archive in Oborishte District, Sofia, Bulgaria.
The SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library is Bulgaria's national library and archive, located in the Oborishte District of central Sofia. The building contains reading rooms, exhibition areas, and a historical archive where millions of documents are stored and consulted.
The library was founded in 1878, shortly after Bulgaria gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, with the aim of gathering and preserving the country's written heritage. The building was heavily damaged during World War II and was rebuilt in the postwar years.
The library takes its name from the two saints credited with creating the Slavic alphabet, and references to their legacy appear throughout the building in reliefs and inscriptions. Temporary exhibitions inside display old manuscripts and printed books that show how central the written word has been to Bulgarian identity.
The library sits in central Sofia and is easy to reach by public transport, with several stops nearby. Bags must be left at the entrance, and cameras are not allowed inside the reading rooms.
The Bulgarian Historical Archive held within the library contains more than a million personal documents from people involved in the independence movement between the 18th and early 20th century. Many of these papers came directly from revolutionaries and have never been published.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
