III.

Places of Interest

Sofia is the site of the University of Sofia (1888); higher institutes of physical culture, chemical technology, engineering, forestry, mining, economics, and fine arts; the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1869); the Academy of Medicine (1972); the Bulgarian State Conservatory (1904); and Cyril and Methodius National Library. Among the city's many museums are the National Natural History Museum; the National Archaeological Museum; the National Art Gallery, with a collection of Bulgarian and foreign art; the National Ethnographical Museum, with displays of regional ethnography and folk culture; the Museum of Sofia's History; and the National Museum of the Revolutionary Movement of Bulgaria. Historic buildings include the Chapel of St George, originally a Roman bath and the oldest structure in the city; the ruins of the 6th-century church of St Sofia; Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (late 19th century); and the Buyuk Dzhamiya Mosque (15th century). The Boyana Church, which contains a noteworthy collection of medieval frescoes, painted in 1259, is nearby; it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Mount Vitosha, rising about 550 m (1,800 ft) above the plain, is situated around 8 km (5 mi) south of the city in Vitosha National Park.