Church of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Maker (Russian Church), Sofia

Храм святителя Николая Чудотворца в Софии (Русская церковь)

BulgariaСофия1907–1914Public buildings

The church on Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard was built in 1907–1914 as the church of the Russian diplomatic mission; it was designed by Mikhail Preobrazhensky, with construction supervised by A. N. Smirnov. Since 1952 it has had the status of the metochion of the Patriarch of Moscow in Sofia. A 1997 notarial deed is in the name of the Embassy of the Russian Federation; in November 2023 the Bulgarian prosecution stated that the Bulgarian state is the owner and proposed that the relevant ministry go to court.

Храм на бульваре Царя Освободителя построен в 1907–1914 годах как церковь при российской дипломатической миссии; проект Михаила Преображенского, строительством руководил А. Н. Смирнов. С 1952 года имеет статус подворья патриарха Московского в Софии. Нотариальный акт 1997 года оформлен на посольство Российской Федерации; в ноябре 2023 года прокуратура Болгарии заявила, что собственником является болгарское государство, и предложила профильному министерству обратиться в суд.

Property abroad

EraChurch

FunctionPilgrim compound

Present ownerMetochion of the Patriarch of Moscow (Russian Orthodox Church); the 1997 notarial deed is in the name of the Embassy of the Russian Federation

Acquisitionbuilt, 1914

StatusIn use

As of2026-09

The church was closed on 21 September 2023 and reopened that autumn; as of January 2024 the ownership claim proposed by the Bulgarian prosecution in November 2023 had not been filed.

Church: all property abroad →