“St. Petka Samardzhiyska” Church – Sofia City

The church “St. Petka Samardzhiyska” is situated in the center of Sofia city – in the underpass between Sofia Hotel Balkan and the Central Department Store, near the entrance of the Serdika metro station.
The temple is dedicated to the Martyr Petka Ikoniyska. It was built on the remains of a Roman cult building and dates back to the 11th century. The wall paintings, which can nowadays be seen in the interior, were painted at the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century.
During the Ottoman Dominion, the temple “St. Petka Samardzhiyska” used to be maintained by the guild of the packsaddle makers in Sofia. This is where its name comes from (samar, which is packsaddle in English).
There is a hypothesis, that the revolutionary Vasil Levski (1837 – 1873) was re-buried in the temple. This hypothesis has not yet been confirmed but to the present day, many people believe that the remains of the great Bulgarian are laid there.
The temple is operational. Its memorial day is celebrated on 28 October – the day of St. Petka.
The church was declared a cultural monument by issue No 73 of News Journal in 1955.

Tourist Information Center – Sofia

Monday – Friday: 9:30 – 18:00

Sofia City, the underpass of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”

Tel.: +359 2 4918344
Tel.: +359 2 4918345
E-mail: tourist@info-sofia.bg

Tourist Information Center – Largo

Monday – Friday: 9:00 – 18:00

Metrostation Serdica 2

Tel.: +359 2 49 49 315
E-mail: largo@info-sofia.bg

Info Point Chitalnyata (The reading room)

Monday – Sunday: 10:00 – 20:00

In the city garden

Tel.: +359 885 921 620
E-mail: chitalnyata@gmail.com

Website: https://www.visitsofia.bg/en/

2, Maria Luisa blvd, Sofia City

Tel: +359 2 9807 899