I tried to photograph the Sofia National Assembly and Parliament of Bulgaria for years.
Every time I came back to Sofia, I found myself returning to the Largo area, hoping for the right conditions to finally capture this iconic architectural ensemble.
When the day finally arrived, I was gifted this perfect sunset…!
Sofia National Assembly – Symbol of Power and Permanence
Located in the former Bulgarian Communist Party headquarters building in the Largo has 270 seats arranged in a circle of twelve rows, all facing the seven-seat speaker’s bench. The pulpit is in front of the Speaker and also faces the chamber. In the middle is a stenographer’s desk, and on the sides are two sections for the Cabinet, each with 13 seats. See more on it’s brief history.
What makes this place especially interesting is how it connects above and below ground. Just a short walk away is the Serdika archaeological complex inside the metro station. From there, you can look up through the glass ceiling and see the Parliament of Bulgaria from below.
I photographed that perspective as well, where centuries of history literally stack on top of each other. You can see that in above image and you can read further in my other blog about Ancient Serdica Archaeological Complex | Sofia, Bulgaria.
This image from the surface was the missing piece for me. After years of returning, waiting, and leaving without the photo, everything finally aligned.
See my other blog posts with hall photography: Budapest Parliament Assembly Hall Interior or Sounds of Wroclaw | Poland.
