# Timeline of Sofia

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.

## Prior to 14th century

* 2nd C. CE – Serdica founded by Trajan.
* 268 CE – Serdica raided by Goths.
* 343 CE – Council of Serdica convenes (approximate date).
* 4th C.
** Church of St. George
** Amphitheatre of Serdica built (approximate date).
** Saint Sophia Church, Sofia originates.
* 447 – Town burned by Huns.
* 809 -
** Town becomes part of Bulgarian Empire.
** Town renamed "Sredetz."
* 987 - Successful resistance to the attacks of the emperor Basil II.
* 11th C. – Boyana Church built near town (approximate date).
* 1194
** Town becomes part of Byzantium.
** Town renamed "Triaditsa" (approximate date).

## 14th–18th centuries

* 13th C. – Church of St. Nicholas built.
* 1329 – Town renamed "Sofia".
* 1382 – Ottomans take Sofia.
* 1443 – Town occupied briefly by Hungarian forces under John Hunyadi.
* 1493 – Kremikovtsi Monastery reestablished near Sofia.
* 1494 – Buyuk Mosque [bg] built.
* 1528 – Black Mosque built.
* 1576 – Banya Bashi Mosque built.
* 1610 – Catholic See of Sophia established.

## 19th century

* 1818 – Earthquake.
* 1829 – Town occupied by Russian forces.
* 1858 – Earthquake.
* 1863 – St Nedelya Church rebuilt.
* 1878 – Town liberated by Russian forces.
* 1879
** Capital of Bulgaria relocated to Sofia from Veliko Tarnovo.
** Area of city: 3 square kilometers.
* 1881 – Population: 20,501.
* 1882 – Royal palace built.
* 1884 – Boris' Garden (park) laid out.
* 1886 – National Assembly building constructed.
* 1888
** Sofia University founded.
** Sofia Central Station and Sofia Zoo open.
** Dimitar Petkov becomes mayor.
* 1890 – 31 May: "Destructive thunderstorm."
* 1891 – Eagles' Bridge and Lions' Bridge built.
* 1893
** Bulgarian Literary Society relocates to Sofia.
** Population: 46,593.
* 1897 – Battenberg Mausoleum erected.
* 1898 – Central Hunters' Society headquartered in Sofia.

## 20th century

* 1903
** Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers' Party (Narrow Socialists) headquartered in Sofia.
** Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church inaugurated.
* 1904 – National Theatre founded.
* 1905 – National Archaeological Museum opens.
* 1907
** Central Military Club built.
** Population: 82,187.
** The Monument to the Tsar Liberator was inaugurated on Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard in Sofia
* 1908
** Bulgarian Opera Society established.
** City becomes capital of the Kingdom of Bulgaria.
* 1909 – Sofia Synagogue built.
* 1910 – Population: 102,812.
* 1911
** Central Sofia Market Hall opens.
** Union of Bulgarian Chitalishta headquartered in Sofia.
* 1912 – Alexander Nevsky Cathedral built.
* 1913 – L'écho de Bulgarie newspaper begins publication.
* 1914
** Levski Sofia (sports club) founded.
** Russian Church consecrated.
** Vrana Palace built near Sofia.
* 1919 – Simplon Orient Express (Paris–Sofia) begins operating.
* 1922 – National Opera established.
* 1925
** 16 April: St Nedelya Church assault.
** Thracian student society founded.
* 1926 – Vladimir Vazov becomes mayor.
* 1927 – Kino Vlaikova (cinema) established (approximate date).
* 1929 – Ivan Vazov National Theatre rebuilt.
* 1930 – Church of St Paraskeva built.
* 1934
** City becomes seat of Sofia Oblast.
** Population: 287,095; department 1,152,053.
** French Institute built on Slaveykov Square.
* 1939
** Bulgarian National Bank built.
** Area of city: 42 square kilometers.
* 1940 – Sofia Court House built on Vitosha Boulevard.
* 1943 – Bombing of Sofia in World War II by Allied forces.
* 1944 – Bombing of Sofia in World War II by Allied forces.
* 1946 – City becomes capital of the People's Republic of Bulgaria.
* 1949 – Sofia Power Plant commissioned.
* 1951 – Vecherni Novini newspaper begins publication.
* 1953 – Vasil Levski National Stadium and National Opera and Ballet building open.
* 1955 – Communist Party Centre built.
* 1956 – Park Hotel Moskva built.
* 1959 – Borisova Gradina TV Tower erected.
* 1962 – Boyana Film studio established.
* 1963 – Georgi Asparuhov Stadium opens.
* 1964 – Population: 739,200 urban agglomeration.
* 1965 – Theatre 199 founded.
* 1968 – City hosts World Festival of Youth and Students.
* 1974 – Sofia Central Station rebuilt.
* 1976 – Hemus Hotel built.
* 1977 – Princess Hotel Sofia built.
* 1978 – CITUB Administrative Building built.
* 1979 – Hotel Rodina and Vitosha New Otani (hotel) built.
* 1981 – National Palace of Culture opens.
* 1984 – Population: 1,097,791 (estimate).
* 1991
** New Bulgarian University and Higher Islamic Institute established.
** Aleksandar Yanchulev becomes mayor.
** Odeon Cinema active.
* 1993 – June: Union of Democratic Forces demonstration.
* 1995 – Stefan Sofiyanski becomes mayor.
* 1997
** January: 1997 Bulgarian protest [bg].
** Sofia Film Festival begins.
* 1998 – Sofia Metro begins operating.

## 21st century

* 2001
** November: Protest.
** Iceberg Sofia hockey team formed.
* 2003
** Radio Nova begins broadcasting.
** City plan "Sofia 2020" adopted.
* 2004 – Central Bus Station Sofia opens.
* 2005
** Boyko Borisov becomes mayor.
** Suhodol, Sofia [bg] landfill protest.
* 2006
** Mall of Sofia in business.
** Kino Cineplex opens.
** Cathedral of St Joseph rebuilt.
* 2007
** Olympia Sofia women's football club established.
** Bulgaria becomes part of the European Union.
* 2008
** Sofia Pride begins.
** 3 July: 2008 Chelopechene explosions.
* 2009
** Sofia Middle East & North Africa Film Festival begins.
** Yordanka Fandakova becomes mayor.
** Benchmark Tower built.
* 2011
** September: Anti-Roma demonstration.
** Armeets Arena and Sofia Arsenal Museum of Contemporary Art opens.
** Sopharma Business Center towers built.
* 2012
** Line 2 of Sofia Metro began operation.
** Population: 1,241,396.
* 2013
** February: Protest against the Borisov cabinet.
** June: Protest against the Oresharski cabinet.
* 2015 – Capital Fort became the tallest building in Sofia with its 126 meters (413 ft).
* 2017 – Millennium Center was completed.
* 2020 – Sofia Metro Line 3 is set to open.