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.

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Founded: 1934
Category: Museums in Bulgaria

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Sam (11 months ago)
I loved this place - a little saddened by the lack of upkeep (many rooms needed a paint job or just a good clean), but the Palace itself is stunning. 1-2 hours is more than enough.
Cristian Garcia (12 months ago)
The gallery was fairly empty when we came in. Great experience to learn from. As far as I know, one of the most famous paintings here is Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne which illustrates a story told by the classical authors Ovid and Catullus. The gallery is a true treasure trove of masterpieces and a testament to the enduring power of human creativity.
Derek (12 months ago)
Very nice gallery which was displaying the 16th century onwards religious art. The entrance fee of 8 Lev is more than worth it. One not to miss in Sofia.
Nemanja Ilić (12 months ago)
Perfect museum for everyone. You can see lots of paintings from old and new (modern) art. Ticket prices are very affordable. Inside is very beautiful and it is worth to check
Simon Wong (13 months ago)
There's an art galley and museum inside, it's a mix of classical and modern art , the art galley is quite small and probably would only use up 20 minutes of time. The lady selling the gallery tickets was rude and grumpy ?
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Rosenborg Castle

Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.

The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.

Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.