Battenberg Mausoleum, Sofia, Bulgaria

The Memorial Tomb of Alexander I of Battenberg in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is the mausoleum and final resting place of Prince Alexander I of Bulgaria (1857–1893), the first Head of State of modern Bulgaria.

Commissioned to the Swiss architect Hermann Mayer, designed in the eclectic style (with prominent elements of Neo-Baroque and Neoclassicism) and opened in 1897, the mausoleum measures 11 metres in height and 80 square metres in area. The interior was painted by the noted Bulgarian artist Haralampi Tachev.

When Alexander died in exile in Graz, Austria in 1893, he was initially buried there. However, in accordance with his wish, his remains were transferred to the Bulgarian capital. He was given a state funeral attended by the new prince, Ferdinand of Bulgaria, Alexander's widow Johanna Loisinger, and a great number of Bulgarians. Following a service in the St Nedelya Church his body was moved to the Church of St George and subsequently to the newly constructed mausoleum in the centre of the city.

The mausoleum was closed between 1947 and 1991, during the period of Communist rule in Bulgaria, but was subsequently reopened for the public. Today it also exhibits some of Alexander's private possessions and papers, donated by his wife in 1937.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Christopher Day (9 months ago)
A small but significant piece of post-Ottoman history. Well worth a look if you are passing.

Andrew Kinghorn (11 months ago)
Grumpy, rude old man guarding it. I'm sorry I forgot to take my hat off but I could have done without the dirty looks after I complied. Just remind people politely.

Filip Đorđević (15 months ago)
Interesting place, not very popular among foreign visitors. Free entrance.

Emil Gavrailov (2 years ago)
We were shocked it was opened but they did not have their bathroom opened and their security guard could not go to the bathroom all day! Shame on you!!!!!!!

Emil Stoyanov (8 years ago)
The memorial tomb of Alexander I of Batten berg is situated in a very small garden in couple of benches. The garden is closed most of the time and is rarely open but is very beautiful.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright maloevane

Historic Site of the week

Jacques Cartier Manor House

The Jacques Cartier Manor House is the only existing property wich belonged to Cartier, the discoverer of Canada, in 1534. It’s a rare example of a great 16th century explorer’s home. Jacques Cartier opened up the North American continent to the French via the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The manor house has been restored and furnished to illustrate both the everyday life and the travels of its famous owner. From the kitchen with its red clay floor, to the explorer’s bedroom, this museum has lost none of its period charm.

Battenberg Mausoleum

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historical Gems of Costa Verde

Historic Site of the week

Jacques Cartier Manor House