Sofia: Caipital an lairgest ceety o Bulgarie

It is locatit in wastren Bulgarie, at the fuit o Munt Vitosha an is ranked as a Beta warld ceety.

Sofia София
Banner Coat airms
Motto(s):  Расте, но не старее (Grows but Does no Age)
Sofia Position o Sofia in Bulgarie
Coordinates: 42°42′N 23°20′E / 42.700°N 23.333°E / 42.700; 23.333 23°20′E / 42.700°N 23.333°E / 42.700; 23.333
Kintra	Bulgarie
Province	Sofia Ceety
Settled by Thracians	as Serdica 7t century BC
Govrenment
• Mayor o Sofia	Yordanka Fandakova
Area
• City	492 km2 (190 sq mi)
Elevation	550 m (1,800 ft)
Population  (Census 2011 (Ceety an Urban), Forecast 2011 (Metro))
• City	1,232,088
• Density	944/km2 (2,440/sq mi)
• Urban	1,291,591
• Metro	1,370,000 (Metro aurie)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	1000
Area code(s)	(+359) 02
Website	www.Sofia.bg

Prehistoric settlements wur excavatit in the centre o the present ceety, near the ryal palace, as well as in ooter districts sic as Slatina an Obelya. The well-preserved toun walls (especially thair substructures) frae antiquity date back afore the 7t century BC, when Thracians establisht thair ceety next tae the maist important an heichlie respectit mineral sprung, still functionin the day. Sofia haes haed several names in the different periods o its existence, an remnants frae the ceety's past can still be seen the day alangside modren laundmerks.

Sofia wis first mentioned in the soorces as Serdica in relation tae Marcus Licinius Crassus' campaigns in 59 BC. The name Serdica or Sardica (Σερδική, Σαρδική) wis popular in Laitin, Auncient Greek an Byzantine Greek soorces frae Antiquity an the Middle Ages; it wis relatit tae the local Celtic tribe o the Serdi. The name wis last uised in the 19t century in a Bulgarie text, Service an hagiografie o Saunt George the New o Sofia: ВЪ САРДАКІИ. Anither o Sofia's names, Triaditsa (Τριάδιτζα), wis mentioned in Greek medieval soorces. The Bulgarian name Sredets (СРѢДЄЦЪ), which is relatit tae среда sreda (middle), first appeared in the 11t-century Vision o Daniel an wis widely uised in the Middle Ages. The current name Sofia wis first uised in the 14t-century Vitosha Chairter o Bulgarian tsar Ivan Shishman or in a Ragusan merchant's notes o 1376; it refers tae the famous Hagia Sophia, an auncient kirk in the ceety namit efter the Christian concept o the Holy Wisdom. Awtho Sredets remained in uise till the late 18t century, Sofia gradually owercame the Slavic name in popularity. Durin the Ottoman rule it wis cawed Sofya bi the Turkish population.

The ceety's name is pronooncit bi Bulgaries wi a stress on the 'o', in contrast wi the tendency o foreigners tae place the stress on 'i'. Interestingly, the female gien name "Sofia" is pronooncit bi Bulgaries wi a stress on the 'i'.

Twin touns — Sister ceeties

Sofia is twinned wi:

•   Algiers, Algerie
•   Ankara, Turkey (syne 1992)
•   Berlin, Germany
•   Bratislava, Slovakie (syne 2008)
•   Brussels, Belgium
•   Bucharest, Romanie
•   Budapest, Hungary
•   Bursa, Turkey (syne 1998)
•   Helsinki, Finland
•   Kiev, Ukraine (syne 1997)
•   Lunnon, Unitit Kinrick
•   Madrid, Spain
•   Milan, Italy
•   Paris, Fraunce (syne 1998)
•   Pittsburgh, Unitit States
•   Prague, Czech Republic
•   Saunt Petersburg, Roushie
•   Maraş, Turkey
•   Skopje, Macedonie (syne 2006)
•   Tel Aviv, Israel (syne 1992)
•   Tirana, Albanie (syne 2008)
•   Yerevan, Armenie (syne 2008)
•   Warsaw, Poland
•   Salalah, Oman