Sofia was the Roman city of Serdica, a favourite of Constantine the Great, and when the city dug its metro it found that city almost intact beneath the main square. Rather than cover it, Sofia turned it into the Ancient Serdica Cultural and Communicative Complex, which spreads over about sixteen thousand square metres around the Largo, the grand Stalinist ensemble of the former Party House, the Council of Ministers and the Presidency. You can walk among excavated Roman streets, the foundations of houses and religious buildings, water and sewage systems and inner courtyards, see more remains behind glass inside the metro concourse, and visit the Ancient Serdica exhibition of artefacts and multimedia displays. The complex is run by the Sofia History Museum and has a free information point.
How to see it: start at the Serdika metro station, where parts of the Roman city sit under glass and open-air in the passages, then walk up to the exhibition zone under Maria Luisa Boulevard and the information point and exhibition hall under the domes on Nezavisimost Square. Most of the open-air remains can be seen for free while passing through.
What else is here: within a few minutes you can see the medieval Church of St Petka of the Saddlers, half-sunk below street level, the Banya Bashi Mosque, the Central Mineral Baths and the Sofia Synagogue, which together show why Sofia calls itself a city of tolerance. The Rotunda of St George is in a courtyard just behind the Presidency.
Making the most of it: go early in the morning or in the evening, when the ruins are lit and the crowds have thinned, and combine it with the National Archaeological Museum to see what was found here.
What to expect
The experience
A walk among Roman streets and buildings in and around the Serdika metro station and the Largo.
Best time
Early morning or evening, when the remains are lit.
How long
About an hour.
Tips
Pick up information at the free point under the Largo, then continue to the mosque, baths and synagogue.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Seeing the Roman city under modern Sofia, for free.
- Families
- Easy, open and free; children enjoy spotting ruins in the metro.
- Couples
- An evening walk through lit ruins between dinner and drinks.
- Pair with
- The National Archaeological Museum, the Rotunda of St George and the Regional History Museum.
- Time needed
- An hour.
Good questions
Is Ancient Serdica free?+
The open-air remains and the information point are free; check the exhibition for any entry charge.
Where exactly is it?+
Around the Serdika metro station, under the Largo and Maria Luisa Boulevard in the centre.
What was Serdica?+
The Roman city on the site of Sofia, an important centre of the late Roman Empire.
Is there anything for children?+
The complex runs workshops and an education centre for children aged five to twelve.
Who runs the complex?+
The Sofia History Museum, which also runs the Central Mineral Baths museum.
