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Sofia is located in close proximity to the northern slope of the Vitosha mountain, in the surrounded by mountains Sofia valley (Stara Planina, Sredna Gora, Lyulin, Lozenska mountain). Five mountain passes lead to the town – the Iskar, the Vladaia, the Dragoman, the Petrohan and the Botevgrad passes. Sofia is one of the most ancient European capitals. The human settling here has more than 7000 years history. On the places of the past Neolithic Age in 8 c. BC near the thermal spas ancient Thracian city emerges, later called by the Romans Serdika, or the town of the serdi, under the name of the Thracian tribe that inhabited it. In many antique sources and geographic maps the town is named Sardika, and often the region is called Sardika, while the town Serdika. On the territory of Sofia there are about 800 large suburbs. In Sofia are concentrated 75% of the black metallurgy, 50% of the printing and publishing, 15% of the electrotechnical and electronic industries, 14% of the fur and the shoe industries. Chemical, textile and food production are produced. The branches construction, commerce and transport, which connect the material and social infrastructure of the big city are well-developed. The private sector on the territory of the Sofia municipality is concentrated mostly in the field of the commerce and services. In Sofia operate the Sofia commodity exchange and the Bulgarian stock exchange. In Sofia are concentrated all the bodies of the state authorities – legislative, executive and legal. In the center of the capital are located the buildings of the Parliament, the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and all the ministries. In the city are located all the institutions of the legal authorities – the Supreme Court of Appeals, the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Legal Council and the Supreme Prosecution. Here are found other national institutions as well (Constitutional Court, National Institute of Statistics, Main Road Department and etc.), many economic bodies (the Bulgarian Industrial Association and etc.) as well as bodies, whose main task is the execution of the performed in the country reforms ( Privatization Agency, Mass Privatization Agency, Foreign Investments Agency and etc.). The square between the Presidency and the Council of Ministers. In Sofia are the headquarters of the Bulgarian National Bank, of the prevailing part of the local and international banks in the country, the headquarters of many non-governement organizations, foundations and etc. In the capital are located the Holly Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Main Mufti of the Muslims, in Bulgaria, the Main Rabbi of the Israelic Religion as well as other officially registered religions. In the capital city are the headquarters of all the political parties, the main trade union organizations, and etc, the National Theatre Ivan Vazov. In connection with the process of integration of Bulgaria with the European Union, a number of government and non-government organizations began their activities in this direction in Sofia. After the signing of the agreement for accession to the EU, the Council of Accession to the EU and the Delegation of the European Commission in Bulgaria began as well their activities. |