Borisova gradina
Borisova gradina | |
---|---|
Борисова градина | |
Type | Public park |
Location | Sofia, Bulgaria |
Nearest city | Sofia |
Coordinates | 42°40′47″N 23°20′29″E / 42.67972°N 23.34139°E |
Area | 3.02 km2 |
Status | Open all year |
Public transit access | 1 4 via SU St. Kliment Ohridski 3 via Orlov Most |
Borisova gradina or Knyaz-Borisova gradina (Bulgarian: Борисова градина or Княз-Борисова градина, translated as Boris' Garden or Knyaz Boris' Garden) is the oldest and best known park in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Its construction and arrangement began in 1884 and it is named after Bulgarian Tsar Boris III.
The history of the garden embraces three periods under three renowned gardeners. All followed the initial scheme, developing it further and perfecting it instead of making radical changes to the original design.
History
Neff period (1882–1906)
In 1882, the then-
Neff developed the first plan of the garden in the spring of 1882, set up the nursery and built a house for himself, starting construction in 1884.
Borisova gradina grew to the southwest in the following years and the large lake was built in 1889.
Frei period (1906–1934)
The Alsatian Joseph Frei was appointed manager of all gardens and parks of Sofia in 1906. He reorganized Borisova gradina according to his own plan further developing the one of Neff. In carrying out this plan Frei planted the two main alleys in the lower part of the garden, the linden and chestnut one, and opened the wide central and two side alleys in the upper part, from the children's playground to the Fish Lake. This period also witnessed the construction of the People's Fountain, later faced with freestone to be named the Freestone Fountain.
While Neff was an admirer of acacia trees, Frei had a passion for flowers. He created the Rosarium at the place of removed agricultural buildings, as well as the numerous modern nursery gardens and hothouses. The garden was further extended south of the oak forest to the modern Dragan Tsankov Boulevard. The fruit plantations were gradually replaced with decorative tree and shrub species, pines and spruces, turning the garden into a wonderful park.
Duhtev period (1934–1944)
The Bulgarian gardener and specialist Georgi Duhtev became the manager of the Gardens and Parks Service in 1934. During his period, the old Rosarium was extended to embrace 7,000 m2 with over 1,400 new cultivated
Around 1942 Borisova gradina embraced an area of 90,500 m2, 68,600 m2 of which planned and 4,400 m2 not, the remainder of 17,350 m2 being built up and including the Summer Swimming Bath, the University Observatory, the Open-air School, the Big Lake, the Yunak and Levski football fields, the tennis club, the diplomatic tennis court, the cycling track and the Yunak Rectifying Station.
Later history
The Borisova Gradina TV Tower was built 1958–1959. Borisova gradina was last reconstructed in 1986 under Georgi Radoslavov. It was proclaimed a monument of Bulgarian park and garden art the same year.
Name
Although Knyaz Boris became Tsar in 1918, there is no evidence of the park's name ever having officially changed to reflect this fact. Instead (or, perhaps, because of this), the word Knyaz was gradually dropped to become simply Boris's Garden.
After the
References
- Historical photographs of the Boris' Garden
- "The gardens of Sofia" (in Bulgarian). Sofia municipality website. Archived from the original on 2006-05-24. Retrieved 2006-04-30.
- Photos of the Boris' Garden