Timeline of Sofia

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.

Prior to 14th century

 * 2nd C. CE – Serdica founded by Trajan.
 * 268 CE – Serdica raided by Goths.
 * 343 CE – Council of Serdica convenes (approximate date).
 * 4th C.
 * Church of St. George
 * Amphitheatre of Serdica built (approximate date).
 * Saint Sophia Church, Sofia originates.
 * 447 – Town burned by Huns.
 * 809 -
 * Town becomes part of Bulgarian Empire.
 * Town renamed "Sredetz."
 * 987 - Successful resistance to the attacks of the emperor Basil II.
 * 11th C. – Boyana Church built near town (approximate date).
 * 1194
 * Town becomes part of Byzantium.
 * Town renamed "Triaditsa" (approximate date).

14th–18th centuries

 * 13th C. – Church of St. Nicholas built.
 * 1329 – Town renamed "Sofia".
 * 1382 – Ottomans take Sofia.
 * 1443 – Town occupied briefly by Hungarian forces under John Hunyadi.
 * 1493 – Kremikovtsi Monastery reestablished near Sofia.
 * 1494 – built.
 * 1528 – Black Mosque built.
 * 1576 – Banya Bashi Mosque built.
 * 1610 – Catholic See of Sophia established.

19th century

 * 1818 – Earthquake.
 * 1829 – Town occupied by Russian forces.
 * 1858 – Earthquake.
 * 1863 – St Nedelya Church rebuilt.
 * 1878 – Town liberated by Russian forces.
 * 1879
 * Capital of Bulgaria relocated to Sofia from Veliko Tarnovo.
 * Area of city: 3 square kilometers.
 * 1881 – Population: 20,501.
 * 1882 – Royal palace built.
 * 1884 – Boris' Garden (park) laid out.
 * 1886 – National Assembly building constructed.
 * 1888
 * Sofia University founded.
 * Sofia Central Station and Sofia Zoo open.
 * Dimitar Petkov becomes mayor.
 * 1890 – 31 May: "Destructive thunderstorm."
 * 1891 – Eagles' Bridge and Lions' Bridge built.
 * 1893
 * Bulgarian Literary Society relocates to Sofia.
 * Population: 46,593.
 * 1897 – Battenberg Mausoleum erected.
 * 1898 – Central Hunters' Society headquartered in Sofia.

20th century

 * 1903
 * Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers' Party (Narrow Socialists) headquartered in Sofia.
 * Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church inaugurated.
 * 1904 – National Theatre founded.
 * 1905 – National Archaeological Museum opens.
 * 1907
 * Central Military Club built.
 * Population: 82,187.
 * The Monument to the Tsar Liberator was inaugurated on Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard in Sofia
 * 1908
 * Bulgarian Opera Society established.
 * City becomes capital of the Kingdom of Bulgaria.
 * 1909 – Sofia Synagogue built.
 * 1910 – Population: 102,812.
 * 1911
 * Central Sofia Market Hall opens.
 * Union of Bulgarian Chitalishta headquartered in Sofia.
 * 1912 – Alexander Nevsky Cathedral built.
 * 1913 – L'écho de Bulgarie newspaper begins publication.
 * 1914
 * Levski Sofia (sports club) founded.
 * Russian Church consecrated.
 * Vrana Palace built near Sofia.
 * 1919 – Simplon Orient Express (Paris–Sofia) begins operating.
 * 1922 – National Opera established.
 * 1925
 * 16 April: St Nedelya Church assault.
 * Thracian student society founded.
 * 1926 – Vladimir Vazov becomes mayor.
 * 1927 – Kino Vlaikova (cinema) established (approximate date).
 * 1929 – Ivan Vazov National Theatre rebuilt.
 * 1930 – Church of St Paraskeva built.
 * 1934
 * City becomes seat of Sofia Oblast.
 * Population: 287,095; department 1,152,053.
 * French Institute built on Slaveykov Square.
 * 1939
 * Bulgarian National Bank built.
 * Area of city: 42 square kilometers.
 * 1940 – Sofia Court House built on Vitosha Boulevard.
 * 1943 – Bombing of Sofia in World War II by Allied forces.
 * 1944 – Bombing of Sofia in World War II by Allied forces.
 * 1946 – City becomes capital of the People's Republic of Bulgaria.
 * 1949 – Sofia Power Plant commissioned.
 * 1951 – Vecherni Novini newspaper begins publication.
 * 1953 – Vasil Levski National Stadium and National Opera and Ballet building open.
 * 1955 – Communist Party Centre built.
 * 1956 – Park Hotel Moskva built.
 * 1959 – Borisova Gradina TV Tower erected.
 * 1962 – Boyana Film studio established.
 * 1963 – Georgi Asparuhov Stadium opens.
 * 1964 – Population: 739,200 urban agglomeration.
 * 1965 – Theatre 199 founded.
 * 1968 – City hosts World Festival of Youth and Students.
 * 1974 – Sofia Central Station rebuilt.
 * 1976 – Hemus Hotel built.
 * 1977 – Princess Hotel Sofia built.
 * 1978 – CITUB Administrative Building built.
 * 1979 – Hotel Rodina and Vitosha New Otani (hotel) built.
 * 1981 – National Palace of Culture opens.
 * 1984 – Population: 1,097,791 (estimate).
 * 1991
 * New Bulgarian University and Higher Islamic Institute established.
 * Aleksandar Yanchulev becomes mayor.
 * Odeon Cinema active.
 * 1993 – June: Union of Democratic Forces demonstration.
 * 1995 – Stefan Sofiyanski becomes mayor.
 * 1997
 * January:.
 * Sofia Film Festival begins.
 * 1998 – Sofia Metro begins operating.

21st century

 * 2001
 * November: Protest.
 * Iceberg Sofia hockey team formed.
 * 2003
 * Radio Nova begins broadcasting.
 * City plan "Sofia 2020" adopted.
 * 2004 – Central Bus Station Sofia opens.
 * 2005
 * Boyko Borisov becomes mayor.
 * landfill protest.
 * 2006
 * Mall of Sofia in business.
 * Kino Cineplex opens.
 * Cathedral of St Joseph rebuilt.
 * 2007
 * Olympia Sofia women's football club established.
 * Bulgaria becomes part of the European Union.
 * 2008
 * Sofia Pride begins.
 * 3 July: 2008 Chelopechene explosions.
 * 2009
 * Sofia Middle East & North Africa Film Festival begins.
 * Yordanka Fandakova becomes mayor.
 * Benchmark Tower built.
 * 2011
 * September: Anti-Roma demonstration.
 * Armeets Arena and Sofia Arsenal Museum of Contemporary Art opens.
 * Sopharma Business Center towers built.
 * 2012
 * Line 2 of Sofia Metro began operation.
 * Population: 1,241,396.
 * 2013
 * February: Protest against the Borisov cabinet.
 * June: Protest against the Oresharski cabinet.
 * 2015 – Capital Fort became the tallest building in Sofia with its 126 meters (413 ft).
 * 2017 – Millennium Center was completed.
 * 2020 – Sofia Metro Line 3 is set to open.