Ancient Serdika Ruins

Right in the center of Sofia, beneath the modern streets and metro station, lie the remarkably preserved ruins of the Roman city of Serdica. Emperor Constantine the Great famously said "Serdica is my Rome." The ruins include ancient streets, buildings, baths, and early Christian churches, all visible through glass floors and open-air displays.

The Ancient Cultural and Communication Complex “Serdica” brings together spaces with different functions, divided into two zones.

The “Largo” zone, located beneath Independence Square, integrates the exposed archaeological structures into a venue for cultural events. Here, visitors can see the remains of one of the two main streets of ancient Serdica—the decumanus maximus, which connected the eastern and western gates of the city. South of it lies a large residential building occupying an entire insula (ancient city block). Within it are small commercial premises where passing residents and travelers once purchased food and other goods. Near the residential building, a lapidarium has been arranged, displaying monuments from the collection of the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, some of which were discovered in the area of Independence Square and its surroundings.

The “Largo” zone includes three halls with different purposes: a hall for conferences, public lectures, and discussions; an exhibition hall featuring a freely accessible information point; and a hall for temporary exhibitions and projects. In the domed space of the complex, a variety of cultural and social events are held, including exhibitions, classical and modern concerts, film productions, performances, and more. Among the more notable events hosted here are the European Researchers’ Night, the annual European music festival Cantus Firmus, and the opening of the international Webit.Festival 2019. The “Largo” zone is freely accessible every day from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

The second part of the complex encompasses the exposed archaeological remains beneath Knyaginya Maria Luiza Boulevard. The excavations were carried out between 2010 and 2012 in connection with the reconstruction of Sofia’s central urban area and the construction of the second metro line. The complex presents several insulae along the main streets of the Roman city, where part of the urban elite once resided. Across an area of 6,000 square meters, sections of six streets, two early Christian basilicas, thermae (public baths), and five buildings with residential and commercial or production functions are on display.

Most of the buildings are of considerable size, equipped with their own heating systems and baths, and are distinguished by rich interior decoration, illustrating the prosperity of Serdica’s urban elite during its peak (4th–6th century). A notable highlight of the complex is the Felix mosaic, fully preserved in one of the buildings. Of great importance to the city’s history are the remains of one of the earliest Christian churches in the region—the Episcopal Basilica of Protogenes, where the Council of Serdica (343 AD) likely took place, as well as the residence of Archbishop Leontius from the late 6th century. Throughout the complex, visitors can also see parts of earlier buildings dating back to the 2nd–3rd centuries, representative artifacts uncovered during archaeological research, and intriguing details of everyday life in ancient Serdica.