The Building of Bulgaria’s National Assembly, Sofia

The National Assembly serves as the sole legislative body and parliament of the Republic of Bulgaria. It was initially established in 1879 alongside the Tarnovo Constitution.

During the period of communist rule from 1946 to 1989, the National Assembly was largely seen as a mere rubber stamp for the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP). Its influence was limited to matters of lesser importance and significance to the communist regime, as the BCP had complete control over the selection and election processes within its political framework, effectively suppressing any opposition.

The National Assembly Building, utilized for parliamentary debates, holds great historical value and is considered a cultural monument. Situated in the heart of Sofia, it was designed in the Neo-Renaissance style by Konstantin Jovanović, an architect of Serbian-Bulgarian heritage who received his education in Vienna and Switzerland. Among his notable works is the Parliament of Serbia building.

Construction of the National Assembly Building took place between 1884 and 1886, led by Friederich Wilhelm Gustav Liebe, a young builder from Saxony who was only 22 years old at the start of the project. Originally, the building was painted in an off-white color, but it has been white since the latter part of the 20th century.

Notably, the National Assembly Building is depicted on the reverse side of the Bulgarian 20 leva banknote, which was issued in both 1999 and 2007.

Due to space constraints in the primary building located at Parliament Square, certain administrative offices of the National Assembly now occupy the former headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party, situated at the Largo edifices.