This cathedral is the pride of Bulgarian capital and a hallmark of Sofia, next to the lion statue nearby. Surprisingly, the national cathedral of Bulgarians is dedicated to a Russian king, canonized after his remains were unburied intact. Alexander Nevsky is considered one of the key figures in Russian history, but churches dedicated to him can be found in several Slavic cities as Belgrade, Talin and Tbilisi.
Patriarchal cathedral Alexander Nevsky in Sofia is a replica of the iconic Hagia Sofia in Constantinople (Istanbul) the Byzantine cathedral that was for over a thousand years the largest Christian building. Close to Alexander Nevsky there is a church called Saint Sofia, but with a different architecture. The cathedral of Bulgaria, that span over 3.000 square meters, can accommodate about 5.000 believers.
The cathedral has several domes plated in gold with 12 monumental bells, marble floors and alabaster decorations made in several European cities. A piece of Alexander Nevsky’s relics, donated by the Orthodox Church of Russia, are found in a cassette inside the cathedral. Another replica of Hagia Sophia is Saint Sava in Belgrade.