Saint George Basilica Church, 4th-century rotunda church in central Sofia, Bulgaria
Saint George Basilica Church is a rotunda structure built from red brick with a central dome rising from a square foundation. The building features multiple niches positioned at the corners, creating a compact yet distinctive form.
The building began as a Roman bathhouse during the era when the city was known as Serdica. In the early 4th century it was converted into a Christian church, a function it has maintained since then.
The interior walls display frescoes from different periods, including Roman-Byzantine floral patterns and depictions of angels from later centuries. These layers tell the story of what this building meant to people across generations.
The church sits several meters below current street level in a courtyard tucked between Hotel Balkan and the Presidential Palace. Visitors should be prepared to descend stairs to reach the interior space.
Archaeological work beneath the apse uncovered remnants of a Roman street with drainage systems and the foundations of a large basilica. These discoveries reveal how many layers of city history lie hidden beneath visitors feet.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
