Timeline of Sofia

Prior to 14th century

2nd century CE - Serdica founded by Trajan.

268 - Serdica raided by Goths.

343 CE - Council of Serdica convenes (approximate date).

4th century - Church of St. George and Amphitheatre of Serdica built (approximate date).

447 - Town burned by Huns.

6th century CE - Saint Sofia Church built.

809

Town becomes part of Bulgarian Empire.

Town renamed "Sredetz."

11th century - Boyana Church built near town (approximate date).

1194

Town becomes part of Byzantium.

Town renamed "Triaditsa" (approximate date).

14th-18th centuries

13th century - Church of St. Nicholas built.

1329 - Town renamed "Sofia."

1382 - Ottomans take Sofia.

1443 - Town occupied by Hungarian forces.

1493 - Kremikovtsi Monastery reestablished near Sofia.

1494 - Buyuk Mosque built.

1528 - Black Mosque built.

1576 - Banya Bashi Mosque built.

1610 - Catholic See of Sophia established.

19th century

1818 - Earthquake.

1829 - Town occupied by Russian forces.

1858 - Earthquake.

1863 - St Nedelya Church rebuilt.

1872 - City Garden established.

1874 - Istanbul-Sofia railway begins operating.

1878 - Town occupied by Russian forces.

1879

Capital of Bulgaria relocated to Sofia from Veliko Tarnovo.

Area of city: 3 square kilometers.

1881 - Population: 20,501.

1882 - Royal palace built.

1884 - Boris' Garden (park) laid out.

1886 - National Assembly building constructed.

1888

Sofia University founded.

Sofia Central Station and Sofia Zoo open.

Dimitar Petkov becomes mayor.

1890 - 31 May: "Destructive thunderstorm."

1891 - Eagles' Bridge and Lions' Bridge built.

1893

Bulgarian Literary Society relocates to Sofia.

Population: 46,593.

1897 - Battenberg Mausoleum erected.

1898 - Central Hunters' Society headquartered in Sofia.

20th century

1903

Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers' Party (Narrow Socialists) headquartered in Sofia.

Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church inaugurated.

1904 - National Theatre founded.

1905 - National Archaeological Museum opens.

1907

Central Military Club built.

Population: 82,187.

The Monument to the Tsar Liberator was inaugurated on Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard in Sofia

1908

Bulgarian Opera Society established.

City becomes capital of the Kingdom of Bulgaria.

1909 - Sofia Synagogue built.

1910 - Population: 102,812.

1911

Central Sofia Market Hall opens.

Union of Bulgarian Chitalishta headquartered in Sofia.

1912 - Alexander Nevsky Cathedral built.

1913 - L'écho de Bulgarie newspaper begins publication.

1914

Levski Sofia (sports club) founded.

Russian Church consecrated.

Vrana Palace built near Sofia.

1919 - Simplon Orient Express (Paris-Sofia) begins operating.

1922 - National Opera established.

1925

16 April: St Nedelya Church assault.

Thracian student society founded.

1926 - Vladimir Vazov becomes mayor.

1927 - Kino Vlaikova (cinema) established (approximate date).

1929 - Ivan Vazov National Theatre rebuilt.

1930 - Church of St Paraskeva built.

1934

City becomes seat of Sofia Oblast.

Population: 287,095; department 1,152,053.

French Institute built on Slaveykov Square.

1939

Bulgarian National Bank built.

Area of city: 42 square kilometers.

1940 - Sofia Court House built on Vitosha Boulevard.

1943 - Bombing of Sofia in World War II by Allied forces.

1944 - Bombing of Sofia in World War II by Allied forces.

1946 - City becomes capital of the People's Republic of Bulgaria.

1949 - Sofia Power Plant commissioned.

1951 - Vecherni Novini newspaper begins publication.

1953 - Vasil Levski National Stadium and National Opera and Ballet building open.

1955 - Communist Party Centre built.

1956 - Park Hotel Moskva built.

1959 - Borisova Gradina TV Tower erected.

1962 - Boyana Film studio established.

1963 - Georgi Asparuhov Stadium opens.

1965 - Theatre 199 founded.

1968 - City hosts World Festival of Youth and Students.

1974 - Sofia Central Station rebuilt.

1976 - Hemus Hotel built.

1977 - Princess Hotel Sofia built.

1978 - CITUB Administrative Building built.

1979 - Hotel Rodina and Vitosha New Otani (hotel) built.

1981 - National Palace of Culture opens.

1991

New Bulgarian University and Higher Islamic Institute established.

Aleksandar Yanchulev becomes mayor.

Odeon Cinema active.

1993 - June: Union of Democratic Forces demonstration.

1995 - Stefan Sofiyanski becomes mayor.

1997

January: 1997 Bulgarian protest.

Sofia Film Festival begins.

1998 - Sofia Metro begins operating.

21st century

2001

November: Protest.

Iceberg Sofia hockey team formed.

2003

Radio Nova begins broadcasting.

City plan "Sofia 2020" adopted.

2004 - Central Bus Station Sofia opens.

2005

Boyko Borisov becomes mayor.

Suhodol, Sofia landfill protest.

2006

Mall of Sofia in business.

Kino Cineplex opens.

Cathedral of St Joseph rebuilt.

2007

Olympia Sofia women's football club established.

Bulgaria becomes part of the European Union.

2008

Sofia Pride begins.

3 July: 2008 Chelopechene explosions.

2009

Sofia Middle East & North Africa Film Festival begins.

Yordanka Fandakova becomes mayor.

Benchmark Tower built.

2011

September: Anti-Roma demonstration.

Armeets Arena and Sofia Arsenal Museum of Contemporary Art opens.

Sopharma Business Center towers built.

2012

Knyaginya Maria Luiza Metro Station opens.

Population: 1,241,396.

2013

February: Protest against the Borisov cabinet.

June: Protest against the Oresharski cabinet.