ALEXANDER NEVSKY CATHEDRAL THE ST. ALEXANDERNEVSKI CATHEDRAL IS SITUATED IN THE CENTER OFSOFIA. IT IS LOCATED ON THE SQUARE WHICH BEARSITS NAME. THE IMPRESSIVE BUILDING COVERS THE AREAOF 2600 SQUARE METERS AND ITS UNIQUE ARCHITECTUREDETERMINES THE CATHEDRAL AS ONE OF THE LANDMARKSIN SOFIA WHICH YOU MUST VISIT AT ALL COST. THETEMPLE IS A HUGE FIVE NAVE CROSS DOMED BASILICATHE ARCHITECTURE OF WHICH COMBINES BULGARIAN,BYZANTINE AND RUSSIAN ELEMENTS. ITS BUILDING HASBEGUN IN 1904 AND ENDED IN 1912. THE TEMPLE WASBUILT IN HONOUR OF THE BULGARIAN LIBERTY FROMOTTOMAN YOKE IN 1877 1878. THE GILT DOMES OF THECATHEDRAL ARE EXCEPTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL. THE BELFRYWITH THE CROSS WHICH IS 53. 5 METERS HIGH AND ITS12 BELLS ARE VERY INTERESTING. THIS IS THEBIGGEST MEMORIAL CATHEDRAL ON THE BALKANPENINSULA..................................2,5 KMST. SOFIA CHURCH IT IS SUPPOSED THAT THECHURCH OF ST. SOFIA IS ONE OF THE OLDEST EASTERNORTHODOX CHURCHES IN OUR COUNTRY. IT IS SITUATEDNEAR THE ST. ALEXANDER NEVSKI MEMORIAL CATHEDRAL. THE BASILICA DATES BACK TO THE 5TH C. B. C. ANDIS FROM THE EMPEROR JUSTINIANS REIGN. IN THE14TH CENTURY IT GAVE THE NAME OF TODAYS SOFIA.THERE WERE OLD CHRISTIAN TOMBS WITH INTERESTINGMURAL PAINTINGS AND MOSAICS UNDER THE CHURCH ANDROUND IT.............2,5 KM NATIONAL ART GALLERY MANY ARE THE BUILDINGS IN SOFIA WHICH IMPRESSWITH THEIR ARCHITECTURE AND GRANDEUR. ONE OF THEMIS THE KINGS PALACE WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1873 ANDNOWADAYS HOUSES THE NATIONAL ART GALLERY AND THEETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM. DURING THE ALEXANDERBATTENBERGS REIGN THE BUILDING WAS ENTIRELYRENOVATED IN SECESION STYLE WITH NEO ROCOCO ANDBAROQUEELEMENTS..................................2 KMRILA MONASTERY THE RILSKI MONASTERY ST. IVANRILSKI IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE MONUMENTS OFTHE BULGARIAN ARCHITECTURE AND ART. IT IS THEOLDEST INHABITED CLOISTER IN OUR COUNTRY. IT HASALSO BEEN THE BIGGEST LITERARY CENTER IN BULGARIASINCE THE OTTOMAN YOKE. THE MONAS