Ancient Serdica
ABOUT THE TREASURE
Serdica was one of the largest and well-appointed cities in the eastern Roman provinces. This was the city Constantine called “My Rome”. Layers of human history lie beneath the streets of modern Sofia.
In that distant time the city was protected with a massive wall built in the 2nd century. Defence towers were positioned along its length – round, triangular and pentagon. The wall protected Serdica, later Sredets and Sofia, in the course of 12 centuries. Four main gates led to the interior of the city. Today in downtown Sofia one discovers parts of this defence system. In the underpasses of the city one can “enter”, for example, through the eastern gate and walk in the steps of the Romans along the ancient street covered with enormous slabs of stone. The same old stones lie behind the oldest church in Sofia – St. George. It is assumed that it was once a very large building of which the central chamber with a round form has survived to this day. That is why it is better known as the Rotunda.
Sofia has also preserved other buildings from its oldest history – the emperor’s baths (thermae) under the St. Nedelya church, temples, houses, public buildings and a necropolis (an ancient graveyard) lurk beneath modern buildings and streets.
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