A Walk in the Boris Gardens

Alongside Tsarigradsko Chaussée

So as I said in my last blog, it’s time to cross over Tsarigradsko Chaussée and follow the path that takes me to the underpass to what is now called Boris Gardens.

I say, now called Boris Gardens, because once again there have been lots of name changes.

When I first came to Bulgaria. I stayed in winter for some time in the Park Hotel Moscow. Or perhaps the Park Moscow Hotel. Anyway, I found it very confusing. I was living in Sofia, but the hotel seemed to be named after Moscow. The capital of Russia.

As I looked out of my window on the 13th floor. I could see the snow-covered trees in the park, and this was my first acquaintance with the Park, which was then called Moscow Park. Now the hotel is still called the Park Moscow Hotel, but the Park has changed most of all.

It was called the Freedom Park, probably a reference to the change in regime. But now it’s called the Boris Gardens As far as I can tell, it’s named after the last king of Bulgaria.

This is where things get even stranger, because the last king, Boris had a son and that son, the boy born to be king, went into exile in Spain and recently came back to Bulgaria, where he was elected as Prime Minister, and became the first Prime Minister to head a government which served a full term.

Now, I don’t know of another country in Europe, where the ex king became Prime Minister. Still that’s Balkan politics for you.

Though this isn’t a political blog is worth noting that the current government of Bulgaria is made up of the largest party, the Bulgarian Socialist party which is still in coalition with the National Movement Simeon II - a party built around the ex king, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

And so to the park itself.

A Walk in the Park

Local people tell me that it’s modelled, at least in part, on St James’s Park in London.

This great park was designed originally in 1882 by the Swiss landscape architect Daniel Neff with later additions by Joseph Frei and Georgi Duhtev.

From my point of view. There are really two parks, the woodland area near the Park Moscow hotel, which is like a small forest in the middle of the city and the more public area, which is landscaped with cafes and lakes and children’s playgrounds, which begins after the great obelisk, which I can see from my window.

Dog on the lake

In winter, the park is often covered in snow, as you can see from my pictures. And if I want to walk to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. I usually walk through the park

As a footnote you may be reading this on Saint Valentine’s Day, February 14th.

It’s true that many Bulgarians have taken to celebrating this day - but here it’s a very recent idea.

For traditional Bulgarians this day is devoted to Saint Trifon, martyred for his refusal to renounce Christianity. He particularly protects gardeners and tavern keepers and so today is the festival where traditionally, Bulgarians trim the vines to show the ending of winter and the beginning of agricultural activity.

Where is it?

Last time it was easy. This one should be easy too. A clue? It’s over the entrance to one of the most famous buildings in Bulgaria.

I'm John Rocha, Blog Master of Bulgarian Vistas.

I like to write from experience about living in Bulgaria, holidays in Bulgaria, Bulgarian food,

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