Tsar Samuil Monument

"The monument of Tsar Samuil is situated in the garden area in front of the Basilica of St. Sophia. This project was undertaken to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Bulgarian monarch’s death. King Samuil, along with his brothers known in Bulgarian history as the "comitopulos," worked tirelessly to maintain the independence of the First Bulgarian State. He was crowned king in 997 and devoted the rest of his life to opposing Byzantine rule until his death in 1014. The initiative to erect the monument received support from the Sofia Municipality and was made possible through a donation from Dr. Milen Vrabevski, the Chairman of the Bulgarian Memory Foundation. In 2014, the Foundation organized a competition that attracted 21 proposals. After careful consideration, a seven-member jury selected the sculpture designed by Alexander Haytov, with contributions from designers Rosen Gurkov and Maria Gurkova."

"What's epic? It's not just a statue; it's a nod to Bulgaria's rich history, standing tall and telling tales of a bygone era."