147 Years Since Sofia Was Chosen as Bulgaria’s Capital

A total of 147 years have passed since Sofia was officially designated as the capital of Bulgaria. This decision was taken on April 3 (March 22, old style) in 1879, when the Constituent Assembly, convened in the former capital Veliko Tarnovo, selected Sofia as the administrative center of the newly established Principality of Bulgaria.

The idea to make Sofia the capital was put forward by Prof. Marin Drinov, a prominent historian, scholar and public figure. At the time, the city was still relatively small. Data from 1878 shows that Sofia had a population of 11,694 people, along with modest infrastructure: two schools, seven churches, ten inns, 120 shops, 62 taverns, 19 bakeries and a total of 3,306 houses. Its territory covered just 2.84 square kilometers.

In his work “The Geographical Unity of the Bulgarian Lands,” Prof. Ivan Batakliev highlights the strategic importance of Sofia’s location. He notes that Bulgarian territories are arranged in a way that places the Sofia region at their core, giving it a natural role as a unifying center. Although the country’s geometric center lies further east, near Pazardzhik in Upper Thrace, Sofia holds a central position in terms of connectivity and cohesion.

Batakliev emphasizes that key transport routes pass through Sofia, not only within Bulgaria but across the Balkan Peninsula. Among them is the major diagonal road leading to Constantinople, as well as the principal north-south route following the valleys of the Iskar and Struma rivers. Because of this, the choice of Sofia as the capital was far from accidental. It emerged as the country’s main communications hub and cultural focal point, gradually establishing itself as the leading integrative center of Bulgarian lands. According to Batakliev, these characteristics justify viewing Sofia and its surrounding region as a distinct and significant part of Bulgaria’s territorial structure.

Sofia: Grows but Does Not Age