World War One Sites - The NETWORLD Database
The memorial of the First Sofia Division, Sofia
The memorial of the perished soldiers from the First and Sixth Infantry Regiments of Sofia is located in the capital of Bulgaria. It was officially opened on the 28th of October 1934 by Bulgarian monarch Boris III. At the ceremony, the flags of the regiments waved before the solemn soldier's order.
Bulgaria, Sofia
Type of WWI-heritage
- War monument
Dimensions
State of repair/preservation
Good
Historical WWI Context
The monument consists of a lion sculpture situated in the middle of the three large marble walls with the names of over 3000 dead soldiers from the two regiments in the Balkan war (1912 - 1913), the War from (1913) and the WWI (1914-1918). The Monument was a place for celebrations, memorials, parades, and other military celebrations until World War II. During the bombing over Sofia, the eastern wall was destroyed. After the 9th of September 1944, the Communist government removed the statue of the lion. During the construction of the National Palace of Culture in 1980, the other two walls are destroyed. During the WWI, the division participated in the fighting in Serbia. Later, took part in the capture of the Tutrakan fortress, and after the victory, the regiment of the division passed in a solemn march along the streets of Bucharest. In 1917, the First Sofia Division was transferred to the Southern Front where, after the break-through at Dobro Pole and the Thessaloniki truce, was holded in captivity. During this period, no regimental flag falls into the enemy. All of them were saved at the risk of the lives of dozens of officers who hide it under their clothes, pillows, cachets and after escapes and long night marches, they were able to bring all flags intact to the palace. In 2017, the lion was returned to the same place where he has stood for 45 years. It is expected that in 2018 the restoration of the memorial will continue.
Recent Images
Historical Images
State of legal protection
public
Owner
Public municipal property
Kind of cultural use of WWI
www.sofia.bg/web/tourism-in-sofia/museums-and-galleries
www.nasamnatam.com/grad/Sofia-zabelejitelnosti.html
www.turizamiotdih.com
www.tourismandrecreation.com
www.turizmiotdyh.com
www.eurosofia.eu
www.eurosofia.net
www.stroitelstvobg.net
www.medicbg.com
www.daker.biz
Opening
Free access
Entrance Fee
No entrance fee
Information regarding cities, villages, other touristic attractions (non-WWI) nearby
Accomodation
Public Transport
Further information sources
www.mediapool.bg/lavat-ot-voinishkiya-memorial-e-varnat-pred-ndk-news271339.html
offnews.bg/obshtestvo/vojnishkiat-lav-se-varna-pred-ndk-snimki-668566.html
https://www.24chasa.bg/novini/article/6529366
http://dnes.dir.bg/news/pametnik-ndk-lav-memerial-pehoten-polk-26538836
https://liternet.bg/publish8/ves_veselinov/memorialyt/memorialyt.htm
https://misal.bg/parvi-i-shesti-pehoten-polk/
https://www.peticiq.com/za_vuzstanoviavane_pametnika_na_purvi_i_shtesti_pehoten_polk
http://kanal3.bg/video/14273-Montirat-lava-ot-memoriala-na-Parvi-i-Shesti-pehoten-polk-pred-NDK
http://www.bta.bg/bg/video/show/id/0_8g8sraag
http://eurocom.bg/news/article/purva-ceremoniia-pred-luva-ot-memoriala-na-zaginalite-voinici
http://btvnovinite.bg/article/bulgaria/parva-ceremonija-na-novija-pametnik-pred-ndk.html
https://www.md.government.bg/bg/
Bibliography:
Йотов, Петко, Добрев, Ангел, Миленов, Благой. Българската армия в Първата световна война 1915 – 1918 – Кратък енциклопедичен справочник. София, 1995.
Барбар, Отон. Моите спомени от войните 1912 – 1918. Част I. Спомени от Балканската война 1912 – 1913
Георгиев, Георги Ст. Един от първа дивизия
Българската армия през Първата световна война 1914– 1918 г., Национален военноисторически музей
Конни полкове, Национален военноисторически музей
Пламен Николов, Победа, Добруджанска трибуна, 28 август, 2006
Конните дивизии през първата световна война, Български бойни знамена, Агенция Фокус
Стефан Тошев, запасен генерал, Победени без да бъдем бити, София 1924
За паметниците и моралните дефицити на днешния ден
Недев, С. Командването на българската войска през войните за национално обединение, София, 1993, Военноиздателски комплекс „Св. Георги Победоносец“
Колектив при Щаба на армията, „Българската армия през световната война 1915 – 1918 Том II“, София, 1936, Държавна печатница
Кратък обзор на бойния състав, организацията, попълването и мобилизацията на българската армия от 1878 до 1944 г., София, 1961, Държавно военно издателство
Тодоров, Т., Александрова, Я. Пътеводител на архивните фондове 1877 – 1944 г. Т. 2. София, Военно издателство, 1977.
Other heritage sites nearby
- Memorial Monument of Eighth Infantry Sea Regiment in Varna, Bulgaria
- A Soldiers’ Monument at Old Cemetery Varna, Bulgaria
- Military Cemetery in Dobrich, Bulgaria
- Tutrakan Military Cemetery, Tutrakan, Bulgaria
- A Monument of Colonel Petar Dimkov in Varna City, Bulgaria
- Monument of the Border Guard in the Sea Garden of Varna City, Bulgaria
- Monument to German submarine sailors in Varna, Bulgaria
- Memorial Monument of Eighth Infantry Sea Regiment in Varna, Bulgaria
- Monument of the Bulgarian Coastal Artillery, Bulgaria
- Memorial park-garden, Bulgaria
- Soldier cemetery in Silistra, Bulgaria
- Memorial Monument, Dobrich, Bulgaria
- The Monument to the Fallen Warriors in Aksakovo, Varna Region, Bulgaria
- WWI related monument, Alfatar
- Monument to General Ivan Kolev, Dobrich, Bulgaria
- The monument to General Stefan Toshev, General Toshevo, Bulgaria
- The memorial of 6th Bdin Division, Bulgaria
- Colonel Anton Dyakov soldiers' monument in Topchii, Bulgaria
- Naval Museum in Varna, Bulgaria
- Monument of Colonel Milko Zhelezov in Varna, Bulgaria
- Soldier's Monument in Valchi Dol, Varna Region, Bulgaria
- Railway station, Dobrich, Bulgaria
- Monument of the perished for the motherland warriors from Targovishte and region, Targovishte, Bulgaria
- Monument of the Fallen in the Wars from 1912-1913, 1915-1918 and 1941-1945, Troyan
- Monument-fountain of the gunmen from the Shumen garrison, Shumen
- The Monument of Bulairtsi – for hero solders of the 13th Rila Regiment
- Soldier's monument, Dobrodan, Bulgaria
Museums Private Collections
The memorial of the First Sofia Division, Sofia
42.684584 23.318719 fileadmin/res/images/layout/standar-marker.pngLocation