Wednesday, August 23, 2017

City Protectors - Lions and Saints




Lions have been for centuries a symbol of strength, security, protection, justice, good luck, you name it. The city center of Sofia (Bulgaria) as far as I could see on my visit there, has six lion statues: two  'guarding' the entrance to the Palace of Justice, and four flanking the bridge over the Vladaya river.

The Palace of Justice (the Court House) is a remarkable white building situated at the beginning of the main shopping street, Vitosha boulevard. It is considered by many an architectural masterpiece for its beautiful simplicity; it's made of white limestone and has four (4) floors, five (5)  gates and  twelve (12) columns.


Palace of Justice

the two lions at the entrance of the Jusice Court

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Lions' Bridge (Lavov Most) in Sofia, has four bronze lion figures, one on each end of the bridge. Two of them are facing the heart of the city, the other two are facing the exit of the city ( the railway/bus terminals and the mountain seen behind them). Beautiful, just beautiful!

one of the four lion figures;  facing the city 

I stayed at a small hotel in the area near the bridge , it was part of my daily routine, so I'm going to elaborate on it


The Lions'  bridge

The lovely bridge over the Vladaya river (now, in summer, a pitiful stream) with its impressive lion statues, light fixtures, benches, flower beds (all well kept), is not just a city attraction, it's much more than that. It's a concept, a strategic crossing, mainly due to its location.  It is placed at the intersection of two major boulevards: Maria Luiza blvd. and Slivnitsa blvd., between the city center and the city exit.


Vladaya river (now stream)

Nearby,  a Metro station, A Billa discount supermarket store, the main entrance to the Ladies' Open Market. The bridge is close to the Mosque, the synagogue, the Central Hall  market. One metro stop or 15 minutes on foot lead to the center;  the distance to the transport bus /railway terminals is even shorter.


the intersection: 

Metro  station

The area is favoured by tourists; there's a middle range hotel named Lion Hotel just across the bridge;  A bit further, there are two expensive hotels Ramada and Raddison, and some budget little hotels. 


Hotel Lion

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The welcoming statue of Saint Sofia (Sveta Sofia), the saint patron  of the city, is a fascinating piece of art. This bronze and copper made , tall statue, is centrally located, and at street level. So, it is visible a long way.

Sveta Sofia, in black and  gold color, both dominates and guards the city ; it has the power (crown) and wisdom (the owl in the hand) to do so. I was very impressed by its majestic presence.


statue of Sofia in the background




26 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos, Duta, and the Lion's Bridge is lovely.

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    1. It was the specific location of the statues (lions and the female saint) that fascinated me.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. love the beautiful limestone building and all these marvellous lions. It looks like a beautiful city. I didn't know there was a Saint Sofia. Thanks for sharing

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    1. It seems bulgarians don't like to refer to her as saint or holy, as she's too erotic looking for that. There's also a church named the church of St. Sofia. As a woman I like the idea of a female protector of the city.

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  3. Interesting and nice pictures also, Duta! The architecture in the area looks wonderful, esp the Palace of Justice with the 2 black lions. There are many lions here in the Chicago area also, in front of museums, libraries, government offices. They're always regal looking wherever they are, just like they are in your photos. Thanks for the tour!

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    1. Indeed, there are lions in many places, and as you say,'always regal looking'. The lion is unbeatable when it comes to symbols.

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  4. The Lion Hotel looks quite interesting.

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    1. Yes,the hotel looks nice and it has good reviews on the internet. Across the street there's a similar one named Maxim.

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  5. The Palace of Justice is an incredibly beautiful building, and the fact that it represents lawful fairness makes it even more deserved of architectural respect!

    Thanks for the tour of this wonderful city.

    Poppy

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    1. The Palace of Justice belongs to a whole complex of government buildings erected in the city center during the communist era.
      It seems ,indeed, to be the most beautiful and respected among them.

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  6. Beauty everywhere you look! Love those columns, so beautiful an the lions and the bridge and the Sophia statue. What a beautiful place to visit. So glad you shared with us. I have a cousin named Maria Luisa with and S, not a Z. But everyone calls her Mary Lou. If it were my name I would make them call me Maria Luisa..it just rolls off the tongue beautifully!

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    1. The name is written in both forms: with an s and with a z. Her title is knyaginya - a royal or noble title. She was probably either a princess or a duchess. On this boulevard there's also an historic hotel with the same name.
      Lovely name, by the way!

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  7. Sofia looks like a beautiful city. Thanks for the introduction...your photos are wonderful, DUTA.

    I've two lions protecting my computer and keyboard at present...my two furry mates, Remy and Shama! :)

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    1. Pets are good protectors of humans, especially of children. Cats have the right instincts to predict danger of any kind (storm, illness..) and protect its
      human friend.

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  8. Wow, what GRAND lion statues! I have always been fascinated with the lion, and I actually used to collect lion items in my home. The Lions' bridge is charming, and I like the BIG lion statue facing the city. I can see why people from all over come here to visit. Lions are definitely majestic animals.

    ~Sheri

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    1. 'Grand' is the right word. The lion statues we see in european countries are aspects of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome - symbols of power and strength. Hence the big size.

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  9. I do enjoy your photos! I'd love a pair of lions!!!

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    1. I suppose you wouldn't mind a pair of...live lions on your property which has a lot of critters moving around. LOL.

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  10. I think I might have to pick a dragon if I were selecting a stone protector. Although, our cat did hiss at the mailman the other day. Lions will do nicely too! >^..^<

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    1. Well, beliefs are stronger than us. I believe in God as my protector, pray to Him, and am thankful to Him.
      However, I too have some small "protectors" such as a certain plant I'm addicted to; it's called Lucky bamboo - recommended by the Feng-Shui chinese theory, and supposed to bring good things in your home.

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  11. I love how you see the sights, picking out some very interesting aspects to share. The lions are a great inspiration in so many ways.

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    1. Thanks for your kind words. It's interesting to see how the same symbols apply to many places on the globe.

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  12. My what pretty lions, never thought I would be saying that lol. Thanks for letting me see Sofia

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    1. You're welcome. As long as they are bronze-made and not live ones, we can approach the lions without fear, and contemplate their beauty.

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  13. I have a Facebook friend visiting Bulgaria, presently. I love the pictures he's posting...very beautiful, and the lions you have posted, DUTA, are so regal. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!

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    1. Your friend will love the capital city. I've written some reviews for Tripadvisor site; hopefully people will use the information.

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