# Bankya

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bankya
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bankya.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankya
> Source revision: 1320924069
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Not to be confused with [Bankya, Pernik Province](/source/Bankya%2C_Pernik_Province) or [Bankia](/source/Bankia).

Town in Sofia City, Bulgaria

Bankya Банкя Town Bankya center Interactive map of Bankya Bankya Location of Bankya Coordinates: 42°42′N 23°8′E / 42.700°N 23.133°E / 42.700; 23.133 Country Bulgaria Province (Oblast) Sofia City Government • Mayor Rangel Markov Area • Total 33 km2 (13 sq mi) Elevation 695 m (2,280 ft) Population (2021) • Total 10,244 • Density 310/km2 (800/sq mi) Time zone UTC+2 (EET) • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST) Postal Code 1320 Area code 02997

**Bankya** ([Bulgarian](/source/Bulgarian_language): Банкя [\[ˈbaŋkʲɐ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Bulgarian)) is a small town located on the outskirts of [Sofia](/source/Sofia)[1] in western [Bulgaria](/source/Bulgaria). It is administratively part of Greater [Sofia](/source/Sofia).

The district is famous for the [mineral springs](/source/Mineral_spring) and baths that have been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. In 1969 the village of Bankya was proclaimed a town, and in 1979 it became part of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

Bankya is 17[2] km west of capital Sofia. It is situated at the foot of [Lyulin Mountain](/source/Lyulin_Mountain) at an average elevation of around 630–750 meters. The first people to populate the region of Bankya were [Thracian](/source/Thracians) tribes, over 2,500 years ago. Archaeological excavations near the quarter of Ivanyane have unearthed remains of [Ancient Roman](/source/Ancient_Roman) buildings, walls and sewers, and bronze bracelets from the 4th–5th century. Bankya's economy depends mainly on tourism and [balneological treatment](/source/Balneotherapy).

The [Mineral Baths in Bankya](/source/Bankya_Mineral_Baths)

Bankya was first mentioned as *Banka* in the 15th century. The former villages of Verdikal, Gradoman and Mihaylovo are part of the town itself, while Ivanyane and Klisura are part of the municipality. Bankya's name stems from the common noun *bankya*, "hot spring", a diminutive of *banya* ("baths").[3]

Krisi is the birthplace of the founder of [GERB](/source/GERB) – [Boyko Borisov](/source/Boyko_Borisov), former [prime minister of Bulgaria](/source/Prime_Minister_of_Bulgaria).

## Demographics

‹ The [template](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Template) *[Historical populations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Historical_populations)* is being [considered for merging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Templates_for_discussion/Log/2026_June_24#Template:Infobox_demographics). ›

Historical population Year Pop. ±% 1975 8,285 — 1985 7,648 −7.7% 1992 7,557 −1.2% 2001 8,458 +11.9% 2011 11,089 +31.1% 2021 10,244 −7.6% Source: pop-stat.mashke.org[4]

## Places of interest

- "Vazov's Oak", [Ivan Vazov](/source/Ivan_Vazov)'s favourite resting place.

- The Church of Martyrs [Quiricus and Julietta](/source/Quiricus_and_Julietta), built in 1932 and inaugurated by bishop Stephen from Sofia.

- The [Mineral Baths in Bankya](/source/Bankya_Mineral_Baths), built in 1907 – 1910 to the design of [Munich](/source/Munich) architect [Carl Hocheder](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Hocheder&action=edit&redlink=1).

## Honour

[Bankya Peak](/source/Bankya_Peak) on [Graham Land](/source/Graham_Land) in [Antarctica](/source/Antarctica) is named after the town.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["District Mayors"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091220184844/http://sofia.bg/en/display.asp?ime=council). Sofia Municipality. Archived from [the original](http://sofia.bg/en/display.asp?ime=council) on 20 December 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-26.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Bankya – The Tourist Portal of Bulgaria"](https://bulgariatravel.org/en/bankya/). *bulgariatravel.org*. Retrieved 2021-01-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Чолева-Димитрова, Анна М. (2002). *Селищни имена от Югозападна България: Изследване. Речник* (in Bulgarian). София: Пенсофт. p. 117. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [954-642-168-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/954-642-168-5). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [57603720](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/57603720).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Cities of Bulgaria"](http://pop-stat.mashke.org/bulgaria-cities.htm).

v t e Districts of Sofia Bankya Ilinden Iskar Izgrev Krasna Polyana Krasno selo Kremikovtsi Lozenets Lyulin Mladost Nadezhda Novi Iskar Oborishte Ovcha kupel Pancharevo Poduyane Serdika Slatina Studentski grad Sredets Triaditsa Vazrazhdane Vitosha Vrabnitsa

Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Israel

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bankya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankya) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankya?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.