The red-brick Saint George Rotunda in Sofia

Church & monasterySofia & Western Bulgaria

Saint George Rotunda in Sofia, the City's Oldest Standing Building

The Saint George Rotunda is a late antique red-brick church standing in a sunken courtyard between Hotel Balkan and the Presidency in central Sofia. Built in the early fourth century when Serdica was an imperial residence, it is regarded as the oldest preserved building in the city. Inside, layers of frescoes under its dome make it one of the most rewarding small stops in the capital.

Sunk a few metres below the streets of Sofia and hidden in a courtyard behind a hotel, a Roman brick rotunda has outlived Goths, Huns, a mosque and a prince's temporary tomb.

WhereCourtyard between Hotel Balkan and the Presidency, central Sofia, a few metres below street level

TypeLate antique rotunda church, part of an ancient archaeological complex

Best forHistory and art lovers, fresco admirers and short city-centre stops

Getting thereIn the very centre of Sofia, close to the ruins of ancient Serdica

The history of the Saint George Rotunda

The rotunda was built of red fired brick in the early fourth century CE, at a time when Serdica, today's Sofia, was a residence of the emperors Galerius and Constantine the Great. It formed part of a large complex of imperial buildings begun in the late third century, later improved under Constantine and again in the sixth century under Justinian. What the building was originally for is still debated. The archaeologist Bogdan Filov believed it was a bath, but the installations under the floor turned out to be for ventilation, and today it is mostly seen as a mausoleum, a martyrium or a ceremonial hall. It became a church in the sixth century.

The plan is a round, domed hall set on a square base, with four semicircular niches in the corners. The dome rests on a drum pierced by eight windows, rises 13.7 metres above the floor and is about 9.5 metres wide. The floor was raised on small brick pillars, a system that also ventilated the building against ground damp. The dome was destroyed twice, possibly through earthquakes, erosion or the barbarian invasions of the Visigoths and Huns. Experts compare the rotunda with the Rotunda of Galerius in Thessaloniki.

In the Middle Ages the church grew in importance. The relics of Saint John of Rila, patron saint of Bulgaria, were kept here; according to legend they cured the Byzantine emperor Manuel Comnenus. In 1183 Hungarian troops, allied with the Serbs, sacked the city and carried the relics off, and they returned to Bulgaria in 1187. In 1469 they rested here again, on display for six days, while being carried from Tarnovo to the Rila Monastery. The Serbian king Stefan Milutin was also buried here at first, before his relics were moved to the church now known as Sveta Nedelya.

Five layers of partly preserved frescoes have been found. The oldest is a small fragment with floral motifs; a Bulgarian layer with angels from the tenth century followed, then a Byzantine layer of the eleventh and twelfth centuries with a frieze of prophets under the dome, and a fourteenth-century layer with the portrait of a donor bishop. The last has Islamic ornament. In the sixteenth century, under Ottoman rule, the church became a mosque and the paintings were whitewashed. In the mid-nineteenth century the Muslims abandoned it, and Christians soon took it back.

After the Liberation the building was neglected. It briefly served as a temporary resting place for the remains of Alexander of Battenberg, the first prince of modern Bulgaria, before they were moved to a mausoleum of their own. In 1915 everything added in the mosque period was cleared away: the minaret was pulled down, the plaster was removed and the medieval paintings came to light. From 1945 the feast of Saint George of Sofia the Newest, a martyr whose grave lies outside the apse, was no longer marked here under the communist government. It was restored on 25 May 2016.

Curious facts about the Saint George Rotunda

It is considered the oldest preserved building in Sofia, standing a few metres below the level of the modern streets.
In the Ottoman period it served as a mosque. The paintings were covered with whitewash and replaced by floral motifs.
According to legend, the relics of Saint John of Rila kept here cured the Byzantine emperor Manuel Comnenus.
Alexander of Battenberg, the first prince of modern Bulgaria, was laid here temporarily before his own mausoleum was ready.
The 10th-century angel painted under the dome is described by the English Wikipedia as a unique, soulful example of the Bulgarian artistic school of that age.
The dome was destroyed twice, and the building has also been compared to the church of San Vitale in Ravenna.

Tours near Saint George Rotunda Church

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Half Day Tour around Sofia and the mountains with Thermal Spa

★ 5 (47 reviews) · 6 h

See details ›

ATV Off Road Tour Near Sofia Guided Quad Bike Experience

★ 5 (28 reviews) · 1.5 h

See details ›

Plovdiv, Asen's Fortress and Bachkovo Monastery small group tour with pickup

★ 5 (27 reviews) · 9 h

See details ›

Full-day Rila Monastery, Stob Pyramids and St Ivan Rilski Cave from Sofia

★ 5 (24 reviews) · 6 h

See details ›

Visiting the Saint George Rotunda: what to expect

The rotunda stands in the courtyard between Hotel Balkan and the Presidency, a few metres below the modern street level.
Behind the apse are ancient ruins: a section of a Roman street with preserved drainage, foundations of a large basilica and a smaller building with a hypocaust, where the floor-lifting tiles are still visible.
Inside, look up at the dome for the layers of medieval frescoes, including the prophets and the tenth-century angel.
It is a working Orthodox church, so dress and behave respectfully; check the current opening hours before you go.
On rare occasions the rotunda hosts solemn military ceremonies and concerts of Orthodox and classical music.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Saint George Rotunda Church is

Photos of Saint George Rotunda Church

Questions

What is the Saint George Rotunda in Sofia?

It is a late antique red-brick rotunda in central Sofia, built in the early fourth century and later used as a church. It is considered the oldest preserved building in the city.

Where is the Saint George Rotunda?

It stands in a courtyard between Hotel Balkan and the Presidency in the centre of Sofia, a few metres below the modern streets, among the remains of ancient Serdica.

How old is the Saint George Rotunda?

It dates from the early fourth century CE, when Serdica was an imperial residence. It became a church in the sixth century.

Why is the Saint George Rotunda famous for its frescoes?

Five layers of frescoes have been found, from early floral motifs to a tenth-century angel, a frieze of prophets and Islamic ornament. They were revealed after the Ottoman-era plaster was removed in the twentieth century.

Was the Saint George Rotunda ever a mosque?

Yes. In the sixteenth century, under Ottoman rule, it became a mosque, and the frescoes were covered over. It returned to Christian use in the nineteenth century.

What else is worth seeing near the Saint George Rotunda?

The surrounding complex has Roman street remains and the foundations of a basilica. Other sites of ancient Serdica, including the Amphitheatre of Serdica and the Saint Petka of the Saddlemakers Church, are close by.