The National Military History Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria, has existed under various names and subordinate to various institutions since 1914. It consists of 5,000 m2 of indoor and 40,000 m2 outdoor (of which 500 m2 covered) exhibition area. Its current structure and name date from 1968.
The museum exhibitions are organized based on topics, chronology, and collections. Of the one million valuables in our collections, 28 000 exhibits are on display. In the thematic chronological galleries, recounting the development of the Bulgarian Army, the emphasis is on the participation of the armed forces in the wars for national unification. The collection halls present weapons, decorations, and uniforms – the museum’s oldest and richest collections.
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.