National Palace of Culture, Sofia

The National Palace of Culture, situated in Sofia, is the largest multifunctional facility for hosting congresses, conferences, conventions, and exhibitions in Southeastern Europe. This impressive structure was inaugurated in 1981.

The concept for building this modern architectural marvel was conceived by Lyudmila Zhivkova, the former first lady of Bulgaria. The project was developed by a team of Bulgarian and international architects, with Alexander Barov leading the way. The beautification of Bulgaria Square, located in front of the National Palace of Culture, was overseen by another group of architects and landscape engineers, under the leadership of Atanas Agura. In July 2005, the International Organization of Congress Centres honored the National Palace of Culture by naming it the world's premier congress center for that year.

This congress center boasts an extensive range of technical equipment, enabling it to host a diverse array of events including concerts, conferences, exhibitions, and shows. It occupies a vast area of 123,000 square meters across eight floors and three underground levels. The National Palace of Culture features 13 halls, 15,000 square meters of exhibition space, a commercial center, and a parking facility. Notably, the annual Sofia Film Fest, a film festival held in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, is held within the premises of NDK.