{{short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see WP:SDNONE --> {{Dynamic list}} The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.{{TOC right}}
==Prior to 14th century== {{History of Bulgaria}}
* 2nd C. CE – Serdica founded by Trajan.<ref name=webster1960 /> * 268 CE – Serdica raided by Goths.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}} * 343 CE – Council of Serdica convenes (approximate date).<ref>{{cite book |title=Catholic Encyclopedia |chapter=Council of Sardica |author= Patrick J. Healy |chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/catholicencyclop13herbuoft#page/473/mode/1up |location=New York |year=1913 |title-link=Catholic Encyclopedia }}</ref> * 4th C. ** Church of St. George {{sfn|Britannica|1910}} ** Amphitheatre of Serdica built (approximate date). ** Saint Sophia Church, Sofia originates. * 447 – Town burned by Huns.<ref name=webster1960 />{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 809 - ** Town becomes part of Bulgarian Empire.<ref name=lippincott1952 />{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} ** Town renamed "Sredetz."{{sfn|Vailhe|1913}}{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 987 - Successful resistance to the attacks of the emperor Basil II.{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 11th C. – Boyana Church built near town (approximate date). * 1194 ** Town becomes part of Byzantium.<ref name=lippincott1952 /> ** Town renamed "Triaditsa" (approximate date).<ref name=lippincott1952 />
==14th–18th centuries== * 13th C. – Church of St. Nicholas built. * 1329 – Town renamed "Sofia".<ref name=lippincott1952 /> * 1382 – Ottomans take Sofia.<ref name=mihailov1986>{{cite book |title=Bulgaria: a Guide |year=1986 |author= Dimiter Mihailov and Pancho Smolenov |others=translated by E. Yanev and R. Yossifova |publisher=Collet's, Sofia Press |location= Sofia |url=https://archive.org/stream/BulgariaGuide1986/bulgaria_guide-MIH1986#page/n1/mode/2up }}</ref> * 1443 – Town occupied briefly by Hungarian forces under John Hunyadi.{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 1493 – Kremikovtsi Monastery reestablished near Sofia. * 1494 – {{Interlanguage link multi|Buyuk Mosque|bg|3=Буюк джамия}} built. * 1528 – Black Mosque built. * 1576 – Banya Bashi Mosque built. * 1610 – Catholic See of Sophia established.{{sfn|Vailhe|1913}}
==19th century== * 1818 – Earthquake.<ref name=admiralty1920>{{Citation |publisher = His Majesty's Stationery Office |location = London |title = Handbook of Bulgaria |author = British Admiralty, Naval Intelligence Division |date = 1920 |ol = 13445326M }}</ref> * 1829 – Town occupied by Russian forces.{{sfn|Chambers|1901}} * 1858 – Earthquake.<ref name=admiralty1920 /> * 1863 – St Nedelya Church rebuilt. * 1878 – Town liberated by Russian forces.<ref name=webster1960 /> * 1879 ** Capital of Bulgaria relocated to Sofia from Veliko Tarnovo.<ref name=webster1960 /> ** Area of city: 3 square kilometers.{{sfn|Hirt|2011}} * 1881 – Population: 20,501.{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 1882 – Royal palace built.{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 1884 – Boris' Garden (park) laid out. * 1886 – National Assembly building constructed. * 1888 ** Sofia University founded. ** Sofia Central Station and Sofia Zoo{{sfn|Balkantourist|1959}} open. ** Dimitar Petkov becomes mayor. * 1890 – 31 May: "Destructive thunderstorm."{{sfn|Haydn|1910}} * 1891 – Eagles' Bridge and Lions' Bridge built. * 1893 ** Bulgarian Literary Society relocates to Sofia. ** Population: 46,593.{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 1897 – Battenberg Mausoleum erected. * 1898 – Central Hunters' Society headquartered in Sofia.<ref name=valkov2009>{{cite journal |title=Associational Culture in Pre-Communist Bulgaria: Considerations for Civil Society and Social Capital |author= Nikolay Valkov |journal= Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations |volume= 20 |issue= 4 |pages= 424–447 |year= 2009 |jstor=27928186 |doi= 10.1007/s11266-009-9093-0 |s2cid= 143842129 }}</ref>
==20th century==
* 1903 ** Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers' Party (Narrow Socialists) headquartered in Sofia. ** Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church inaugurated. * 1904 – National Theatre founded.{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 1905 – National Archaeological Museum opens. * 1907 ** Central Military Club built. ** Population: 82,187.{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} ** 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.{{sfn|Vailhe|1913}} * 1909 – Sofia Synagogue built. * 1910 – Population: 102,812.<ref name=admiralty1920 /> * 1911 ** Central Sofia Market Hall opens. ** Union of Bulgarian Chitalishta headquartered in Sofia.<ref name=valkov2009 /> * 1912 – Alexander Nevsky Cathedral built.{{sfn|Balkantourist|1959}}{{sfn|Britannica|1910}} * 1913 – ''L'écho de Bulgarie'' newspaper begins publication.<ref name=CRL>{{cite web |url= http://catalog.crl.edu/search~S35/?searchtype=d&searcharg=Sofia+Bulgaria+--+Newspapers |publisher=Center for Research Libraries |location=Chicago, USA |title= Global Resources Network |access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> * 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.<ref name=valkov2009 /> * 1926 – Vladimir Vazov becomes mayor. * 1927 – Kino Vlaikova (cinema) established (approximate date).<ref name=nyt2012>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/02/travel/36-hours-in-sofia-bulgaria.html |title=36 Hours in Sofia, Bulgaria |date=30 August 2012 |work= New York Times }}</ref> * 1929 – Ivan Vazov National Theatre rebuilt.{{sfn|Balkantourist|1959}} * 1930 – Church of St Paraskeva built. * 1934 ** City becomes seat of Sofia Oblast.<ref name=lippincott1952>{{Citation |publisher = Columbia University Press |location = New York |editor = Leon E. Seltzer |title = Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World |date = 1952 |ol=6112221M |page= 1789 }}</ref> ** Population: 287,095; department 1,152,053.<ref name=webster1960>{{Citation |publisher = G. & C. Merriam Co. |location = Springfield, Massachusetts, USA |title = Webster's Geographical Dictionary |date = 1960 |oclc = 3832886 |page= 1057 |ol = 5812502M }}</ref> ** French Institute built on Slaveykov Square.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}} * 1939 ** Bulgarian National Bank built.{{sfn|Balkantourist|1959}} ** Area of city: 42 square kilometers.{{sfn|Hirt|2011}} * 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.<ref name=europa2003 /> * 1953 – Vasil Levski National Stadium and National Opera and Ballet building open. * 1955 – Communist Party Centre built.{{sfn|Balkantourist|1959}} * 1956 – Park Hotel Moskva built. * 1959 – Borisova Gradina TV Tower erected. * 1962 – Boyana Film studio established. * 1963 – Georgi Asparuhov Stadium opens. * 1964 – Population: 739,200 urban agglomeration.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url= https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/1960_round.htm |title=Demographic Yearbook 1965 |year=1966 |publisher=Statistical Office of the United Nations |location=New York |chapter=Population of capital cities and cities of 100,000 and more inhabitants }}</ref> * 1965 – Theatre 199 founded. * 1968 – City hosts World Festival of Youth and Students.<ref name="Taylor2006">{{cite book|author=Karin Taylor|title=Let's Twist Again: Youth and Leisure in Socialist Bulgaria |year=2006|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-8258-9505-1}}</ref> * 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. * 1984 – Population: 1,097,791 (estimate).<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url= https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/1980_round.htm |title=1985 Demographic Yearbook |year=1987 |author=United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office |location=New York |chapter=Population of capital cities and cities of 100,000 and more inhabitants |pages=247–289 }}</ref> * 1991 ** New Bulgarian University and Higher Islamic Institute<ref name="NielsenAkgönül2010">{{cite book|editor=Jørgen S. Nielsen |title=Yearbook of Muslims in Europe |year= 2010|publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-18475-6}}</ref> established. ** Aleksandar Yanchulev becomes mayor. ** Odeon Cinema active. * 1993 – June: Union of Democratic Forces demonstration.<ref name=europa2003>{{cite book |title=Europa World Year Book 2003 |year=2003|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-85743-227-5}}</ref> * 1995 – Stefan Sofiyanski becomes mayor. * 1997 ** January: {{Interlanguage link multi|1997 Bulgarian protest|bg|3=Януарски събития (1997)}}.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Seeing Beyond the Crowd: A Case Study of the Political Protests in Sofia in the Beginning of 1997 |author=Viara Djoreva |journal= Polish Sociological Review |pages=99–122 |number= 133 |year=2001 |jstor=41274789 }}</ref> ** Sofia Film Festival begins. * 1998 – Sofia Metro begins operating.
==21st century==
* 2001 ** November: Protest.<ref name=bbc-timeline>{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17205431 |title=Bulgaria Profile: Timeline |date=29 February 2012 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> ** Iceberg Sofia hockey team formed. * 2003 ** Radio Nova begins broadcasting. ** City plan "Sofia 2020" adopted.{{sfn|Hirt|2011}} * 2004 – Central Bus Station Sofia opens. * 2005 ** Boyko Borisov becomes mayor. ** {{Interlanguage link multi|Suhodol, Sofia|bg|3=Суходол (квартал)}} landfill protest.<ref name=GNAD>{{cite web |url= http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/ |title=Global Nonviolent Action Database |publisher=Swarthmore College |location=Pennsylvania, USA |access-date=28 December 2013 }}</ref> * 2006 ** Mall of Sofia in business. ** Kino Cineplex opens.<ref name=cinema>{{cite web |url= http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/bulgaria/sofia |title=Movie Theaters in Sofia, Bulgaria |work=CinemaTreasures.org |publisher= Cinema Treasures LLC |location=Los Angeles |access-date=28 December 2013 }}</ref> ** Cathedral of St Joseph rebuilt. * 2007 ** Olympia Sofia women's football club established. ** Bulgaria becomes part of the European Union.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/25/world/europe/bulgarias-struggle-belies-promise-of-eu-membership.html |title=Change Comes Slowly for Bulgaria, Even With E.U. Membership |date=24 December 2013 |work=New York Times |author= Andrew Higgins |access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> * 2008 ** Sofia Pride begins. ** 3 July: 2008 Chelopechene explosions. * 2009 ** Sofia Middle East & North Africa Film Festival begins.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.menarfest.com/about.html |title=Festival |work=Sofia Middle East & North Africa Film Festival |publisher=Pozor Company |access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> ** Yordanka Fandakova becomes mayor. ** Benchmark Tower built. * 2011 ** September: Anti-Roma demonstration.<ref name=bbc-timeline /> ** Armeets Arena and Sofia Arsenal Museum of Contemporary Art opens. ** Sopharma Business Center towers built. * 2012 ** Line 2 of Sofia Metro began operation. ** Population: 1,241,396. * 2013 ** February: Protest against the Borisov cabinet. ** June: Protest against the Oresharski cabinet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://noresharski.com/category/the-protest/?lang=en |title=The Protest |location=Sofia |publisher=Noresharski.com |editor=Nikolay Staykov |access-date=28 December 2013 |quote=Antigovernment Press Centre }}</ref> *2015 **Capital Fort became the tallest building in Sofia with its 126 meters (413 ft). **Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015 held.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Junior Eurovision 2015: 21 November in Sofia, Bulgaria |url=http://www.junioreurovision.tv/page/blog?id=junior_eurovision_2015_21_november_in_sofia_bulgaria |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114259/http://www.junioreurovision.tv/page/blog?id=junior_eurovision_2015_21_november_in_sofia_bulgaria |archive-date=2015-04-02 |access-date=2026-05-10 |work=Junior Eurovision Song Contest}}</ref> *2017 – Millennium Center was completed. *2020 – Sofia Metro Line 3 is set to open.
==See also== * History of Sofia * List of mayors of Sofia * Timelines of other cities in Bulgaria: Plovdiv, Varna * List of the oldest buildings in Sofia ==References== {{reflist|2}} ''This article incorporates information from the Bulgarian Wikipedia.''
==Bibliography== {{Refbegin}} * {{Citation |publisher = J. Murray |location = London |title = Handbook for Travellers in Turkey |edition=3rd |date = 1854 |oclc = 2145740 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/ahandbookfortra22firgoog#page/n169/mode/1up |chapter=Sophia }} * {{cite book |title=Chambers's Encyclopaedia |location=London |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/chambersencyclop09lond#page/556/mode/1up |chapter=Sofia |year=1901 | ref = {{harvid|Chambers|1901}} |title-link=Chambers's Encyclopaedia }} * {{Citation |publisher = Bibliographisches Institut |location = Leipzig |series = Meyers Reisebücher |language=de |title=Türkei, Rumänien, Serbien, Bulgarien |trans-title=Turkey, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria |date= 1902 |edition= 6th |chapter=Sofia |hdl = 2027/njp.32101064637836?urlappend=%3Bseq=79 |chapter-url= http://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.32101064637836?urlappend=%3Bseq=79 }} * {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Sofia |volume= 25 |last= Bourchier |first= James David |author-link= James David Bourchier | pages = 344–345 |date=1910 |ref= {{harvid|Britannica|1910}} |short= 1}} * {{Citation |publisher = Ward, Lock & Co. |location = London |title = Haydn's Dictionary of Dates |author = Benjamin Vincent |edition = 25th |date = 1910 |chapter=Sofia |chapter-url = https://archive.org/stream/haydnsdictionary00hayd#page/1267/mode/1up | ref = {{harvid|Haydn|1910}} |title-link = Haydn's Dictionary of Dates }} * {{cite book |title=Catholic Encyclopedia |chapter=Sardica |author= S. Vailhe |chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/catholicencyclop13herbuoft#page/472/mode/1up |location=New York |year=1913 | ref = {{harvid|Vailhe|1913}} |title-link=Catholic Encyclopedia }} * {{cite book|author=William Harman Black|title=The Real Europe Pocket Guide-Book |number=10 |series=Black's Blue Books |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C_MxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA44 |year=1920|publisher=Brentano's |location=New York |chapter=Bulgaria: Sofia }} * {{cite book |title=Bulgaria Guide Book |year=1959 |publisher= Balkantourist |location=Bulgaria |chapter=Sofia |chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/BulgariaGuideBook1959/bulgaria_guide59#page/n11/mode/2up | ref = {{harvid|Balkantourist|1959}} }} * {{cite book |title=Sofia: portrait of a city |author=Philip Ward |location=Cambridge, England |publisher= Oleander |year=1993 |isbn=0906672651 }} * {{Citation |publisher = Fodor's |title = Eastern and Central Europe |date = 1996 |edition=17th |ol=7697674M |chapter=Bulgaria: Sofia |chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/fodorseasterncen00fodo#page/444/mode/2up }} * {{cite book |editor=Trudy Ring |title=Southern Europe |series=International Dictionary of Historic Places |volume=3 |year= 1996 |publisher=Fitzroy Dearborn |oclc=31045650 |chapter=Sofia }} * {{cite journal |author=Irina Gigova |title=The City and the Nation: Sofia's Trajectory from Glory to Rubble in WWII |journal=Journal of Urban History |year= 2011 |volume= 37 }} * {{cite book |title=Greening the City: Urban Landscapes in the Twentieth Century |year= 2011|publisher=University of Virginia Press|isbn=978-0-8139-3114-2 |chapter=Integrating City and Nature: Urban Planning Debates in Sofia, Bulgaria |author=Sonia Hirt | ref = {{harvid|Hirt|2011}} }} * {{cite book|author=Roman A. Cybriwsky|title=Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture |year= 2013|publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-61069-248-9 |chapter=Sofia |page=282+ }}
{{refend}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Sofia}} * Europeana. [https://www.europeana.eu/portal/search.html?query=sofia+bulgaria&rows=96 Items related to Sofia], various dates. * Digital Public Library of America. [http://dp.la/search?page_size=100&q=sofia+bulgaria&utf8=✓ Items related to Sofia], various dates
{{Districts of Sofia}} {{Years in Bulgaria}}
Category:History of Sofia Sofia Category:Sofia-related lists sofia Category:Years in Bulgaria Sofia Category:Bulgaria history-related lists