Church of St. George Rotunda
A 4th-century red-brick Roman rotunda hidden in the courtyard of the Presidency — the oldest preserved building in Sofia.
Red-brick rotunda church in a Roman courtyard
What to expect at Church of St. George Rotunda
The Rotunda of St. George is Sofia's oldest surviving building, put up around 310 AD when the city was still Roman Serdica and Emperor Constantine held court here. Built of red brick in a perfect circle under a low dome, it was originally a Roman thermae or possibly a mausoleum, was converted into a church in the 4th century, turned into a mosque under the Ottomans, and returned to Christian use in the 19th. Inside, five layers of frescoes are still legible — Roman-era ornament, 10th-century angels, 11th-century prophets, 14th-century figures and Ottoman-era Islamic geometric patterns whitewashed over the Christian art.
You reach it through a passage between the Presidency and the Sheraton hotel, ducking into a sunken courtyard three metres below street level, which is where Roman Serdica actually stood. Around the rotunda are exposed Roman streets, hypocaust tiles and the remains of a bathhouse. Inside the church, look up: a ring of 22 prophets from the 10th century circles the dome, and beneath a peeled section of plaster on the north wall you can see three different centuries of painting stacked on top of each other. It is still a working church; incense and candles are everywhere.
Slip in during a weekday morning between the ceremonial guard changes at the Presidency, which happen every hour and draw crowds around the courtyard entrance. Photography inside is discouraged during services — Sunday 9:00 liturgy is beautiful but tight. The Serdika archaeological complex directly outside the metro is a natural continuation, and the Banya Bashi Mosque and Sofia Synagogue are both a two-minute walk, making this the classic tolerance-square loop of four religions in five minutes.
Questions about Church of St. George Rotunda
No. The Rotunda of St. George is free to enter every day.
Always — there is no admission charge at any time.
About 30 minutes including the Roman ruins in the courtyard.
Open every day 8:00-18:00. Occasionally briefly closed for state ceremonies at the Presidency.
No booking — just walk in through the passage between the Presidency and Sheraton hotel.
Serdika station, exit toward Sveta Nedelya Square, a three-minute walk.
Hotels near Church of St. George Rotunda
Every hotel we cover in Serdika
- Hotel Via Serdika 4★ · 4.8/5 · 5288 km away
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