The Rotunda Church of St George

The Rotunda Church of St George

The Rotunda Church of St George
4.5
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Built in the 4th century, this is the oldest building in Sofia.
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  • Serdika • 3 min walk
  • Serdika II • 3 min walk
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  • Nick F
    Greece235 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is the oldest building in the city
    This is the oldest building in the city that has survived to this day. Built in the 4th century in the center of the residence of Emperor Constantine the Great, it is funny that it is still located in a huge “stone bag” whose walls make up the Office of the President of Bulgaria and various government institutions. The church is active, at least the schedule of services is written on the sign.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 1, 2023
  • Marek Bocanek
    Brno, Czech Republic402 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oldest rotunda from Roman era in the city
    One of the oldest rotundas in the city from the era of Constantine the Great, when Christianity started to be accepted in the Roman empire. Small (as such churches used to be from that period), but very nice with atmosphere. There's a never leaving homeless lady sitting at the entrance :)
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written July 16, 2024
  • T-SGlobetrotters
    Preston, United Kingdom3,807 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oldest church in the city
    This is Sofia’s oldest church dating back to the 4th century with frescoes from the 8th century onwards. Some are in reasonable condition, others less so but given its age and history, it is worth a quick visit. Free to enter. No photos allowed. The church is built on the Roman foundations of the city which can be viewed in an extended area outside the church.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 20, 2024
  • Leif B
    Pietarsaari, Finland3,091 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Rotunda
    This is the oldest surviving building in town. Built in the 4th century as a Roman Bath, you can still see the ruins of the bath behind the church. The Church of Saint George is a late Antique red brick rotunda. Later it became a church inside the walls of Serdika. It was a mosque during Ottoman rule in 16th century and later a Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 1, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,726 reviews
Excellent
780
Very good
705
Average
226
Poor
13
Terrible
3

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Brian P
Manama, Bahrain625 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
Being one of the oldest buildings in Sofia this church was on my 'to do' lists. The ruins are down a very slippery metal staircase and unfortunately the area is used by dog walkers.

The Church itself is a great building, you need to pay to take photos inside.
Written January 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tjaša s
Ljubljana, Slovenia160 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
The church is hidden among the buildings. You can enter it, but you can't take pictures. The church is small, nicely painted, has a few seats and live recitation. There is also a small shop in the church where you can buy souvenirs.
Written April 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

UKLouG
UK167 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
Accidentally went inside on a Sunday so I don't know if we were lucky but we were treated to some glorious singing during a service. Keeping a quiet, respectful silence, we were not made to feel out of place and it was a lovely experience that brought the ancient building to life.

It's in a strange location I think within the Presidential complex but you can see it if you're walking along the street. Free to enter and worth a visit.
Written October 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gray's Reviews
Timaru, New Zealand1,425 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
Didn't go in, but the appearance and surrounds make you want to go and explore further. It's in the central part of the city, with easy access on foot or by tram.
Worth a deviation off the main roads just to investigate.
Written January 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CATTSAR
Provincetown, MA22,598 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
This is a beautiful Early Christian rotunda made of impressive red brick. It is considered the oldest building in Sofia, erected in the 4th century by the Romans. The church is surrounded by ancient ruins adding to its allure and interest. The church sits on the site of an ancient pagan temple. During the 16th century it was converted to a mosque during the Ottoman Empire then back to a Christian church in the 19th century. There are multi layers of frescoes dating as far back as the 10th century. The dome is is graced with frescoes of 22 profits that stand 6.5 feet (2 m). This is a must while in Sofia. It is free to enter.
Written January 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sharls G
Traralgon, Australia345 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
This church is striking due to its placement in the city, which is a real surprise. Fortunately, the russians, instead of destroying the church, built around it so that the Bulgarian people could not enjoy it, so it remains standing today.
It was closed to visitors the day we went there.
Written March 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

T-SGlobetrotters
Preston, UK3,807 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Couples
This is Sofia’s oldest church dating back to the 4th century with frescoes from the 8th century onwards. Some are in reasonable condition, others less so but given its age and history, it is worth a quick visit. Free to enter. No photos allowed.
The church is built on the Roman foundations of the city which can be viewed in an extended area outside the church.
Written September 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DEPPY09
Athens, Greece332 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
Several meters lower than the modern streets of Sofia, among huge buildings, is the Rotonda of Saint George, made of impressive red brick, dating from the early 4th century to the time of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. It is considered the oldest building in Sofia and is surrounded by ancient ruins that add a lot to its charm. During the reign of Emperor Justinian (527-565), Rotonda was converted into a church. Its first murals date back to that time. The temple survived even the Ottoman rule when it was converted into a mosque. In 1915, it was cleansed from all that had been added to it, the minarets were destroyed, the inner plaster additions were cleaned and her medieval painting consisting of three layers was discovered. The inscriptions in the first and second layers are in Greek and in the third layer - in old Bulgarian. Discover her and you...
Automatically translated
Written September 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marco S
Foggia, Italy1,030 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Without a shadow of a doubt, the circular church of San Giorgio is one of the best preserved architectural monuments from Roman times as well as the oldest in the city. It was built in the early 4th century BC during the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great with the flourishing of the ancient city of Serdika (the old name of Sofia). The church is located in the courtyard of the government office, just a couple of meters from the ruins of the ancient Serdika fortress. The domed structure is built on a quadrangular base and was initially used for public purposes. Following the recognition of Christianity as a religion in the Roman Empire, the building became a baptistery for conversions to the Christian religion.
It was transformed into a church during the reign of Emperor Justinian I the Great (527 – 565) when it was dedicated to Saint George and the first frescoes were created. During the Ottoman domination the St. George rotunda was transformed into a mosque called Gyul Dzhamasi. Unfortunately the Christian frescoes on the walls were covered with white plaster and replaced with floral patterns. After the liberation of Bulgaria in 1878, the Rotunda was abandoned and, only after the death of Knyaz Alexander Battenberg who reigned from 1879 to 1886 was it transformed into a mausoleum. The restoration of the church began in 1915 and continued for a few years. Today in the Rotonda of San Giorgio religious services are celebrated daily, often accompanied by Byzantine melodies.
Google
Written November 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ViaggiaViaggiaViaggi
Noto1,621 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
The church is located inside a courtyard of a ministerial building. Seeing the level of the church and the nearby ruins makes you understand the stratigraphy of the city and its antiquity. The interior features a beautiful fresco in the dome. Free entry.
Google
Written January 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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The Rotunda Church of St George, Sofia

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