National Art Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria

Located on Battenberg Square in Sofia, the National Art Gallery occupies the historic Ottoman Chelebi mosque and konak, converted into the former royal palace of Bulgaria. The palace, built in two stages during the late 19th century, served as the residence for Bulgarian royalty. After World War II, the monarchy was abolished, and the palace was largely given to the National Art Gallery.

Established in 1934, the gallery moved to the palace in 1946. It houses a diverse collection, including Renaissance and contemporary art, medieval paintings, and over four thousand icons. The National Gallery for Foreign Art, an independent section, was established in 1985. Since 2015, the 19th and 20th century collections are exhibited together, creating the National Gallery Square 500.

References:

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User Reviews

Y Todorova (5 months ago)
Lovely expositions in an amazing setting. Every time I’ve been there, I loved it! It transports you into a different era back in the days and the artworks are always very well curated!

Courtney Randle (6 months ago)
A nice museum with lots of different art. The price for one person was 6BGN. They do ask for your ticket repeatedly throughout so just be aware before putting it away in ur bag. Enjoyed viewing. Convenient location - little shop next door and near bus stations

Christina Sundström (9 months ago)
So boring, I’m so sorry to say so! But there were only some nice paintings… it’s not much to see! I hope the modern art museum is more interesting! Ok, some paintings were nice, especially Georgi Mitov’s painting Nude was nice. I’m happy I just paid 2 Lev for the entrance…

Carole Raeburn (9 months ago)
If you’re visiting Sofia I recommend a trip to the Palace National Art Gallery. For a nominal fee of 3 Bulgarian lev (approx £1.50 GB) it’s well worth a visit. There was hardly anyone there when I went so it felt like a private viewing. The gallery itself is stunning with beautiful marble fire places and tiled flooring. The paintings and sculptures aren’t bad too!

Joe Macpherson (10 months ago)
Decent gallery showcasing local artists from the past and present. Entry was 1 euro on Thursdays. Bilingual information is available. It's a nice option on a hot day to escape the heat. Nice grounds outside. Would have liked more contemporary artists

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