The National Art Gallery is a breathtaking monument to art in Bulgaria, containing over 30,000 Bulgarian artworks. Overlooking Battenberg Square, the comprehensive gallery has resided within the transformed estate of the Bulgarian royal palace since 1946. Walk through stunning galleries and see a wide range of national art from medieval times to the present day.
Before moving to its current regal home, the National Art Gallery first opened its doors in a purpose-built gallery designed by the country’s first female architect, Victoria Angelova. After the building was completely destroyed by a bombing in 1944 and the abolition of the monarchy, the newly established communist government gave the palace to the art institution.
Admire the gallery’s stunning 19th-century Second Empire architecture and decorated central stairway. Enter the monumental building and make your way through the gallery’s collection of thought-provoking exhibitions. The gallery’s extensive collection is rotated and displayed through themed exhibitions. You might see retrospectives of well-known Bulgarian artists or interactive exhibitions dedicated to visually impaired visitors.
Check out a huge array of medieval art spanning the 10th to the 14th centuries. This includes religious artifacts and Early Christian icons. More Bulgarian Christian art is on display in the section dedicated to the 18th and 19th centuries. There are also collections of contemporary and National Revival art on display in the gallery’s different branches.
Make your way to the National Art Gallery’s branch of historic Bulgarian art on display in the crypt of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. You can see the National Gallery of Foreign Art situated within the elegant neoclassical Royal Printing Office. Visit KVADRAT 500 to see a branch of the gallery’s 19th and 20th century art.
The National Art Gallery is located in central historic Sofia next to the City Garden. The gallery is open daily except for Monday. There is half-price admission for students and seniors. Many of the gallery’s different branches are within walking distance of each other, but have separate admission costs. The city’s central Serdika subway station is a few minutes’ walk away from the National Art Gallery.
