“Books and Memory in the Capital of Wisdom. Documentary sources within the collections of the National Library” is the latest book published by the National Library of Bulgaria (NLB) in December 2024. The bilingual edition is dedicated to the 145th anniversary of the proclamation of Sofia as the capital of Bulgaria. It portrays the city through selected key points in its history, culture, daily life, urban planning, and development. Significant places related to the cultural history of the city are highlighted.
In the first section of this chronological and thematic book-album, authors of eight “stories” about Sofia share their perspective on the capital, exploring specific sites of cultural significance as well as the preservation of books, publishing, and book distribution across several historical periods. This literary journey begins in the heart of Sofia with the introduction of the oldest and largest Bulgarian cultural institution – the “St.st. Cyril and Methodius” National Library. It then explores the business operations of the biggest local publisher after the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878 – Todor Chipev; it follows with the founding of Sofia University, the construction of Lions’ Bridge and the latter’s impact on the cultural history of the era. All sites and locations are visualized by both retro and contemporary photography in order to showcase the changes to the city’s landscape.
The second part of the edition – “The Birth of the Modern City” contains a wealth of visual materials, among which are selected photographs, maps, coats of arms and documents. The illustrative section is organized around significant persons related to the capital city. Ottoman Sofia can be seen with its mosques, bath houses and markets through the notes of the traveler Evliya Çelebi. The transformation of the city carried out by the first chief architect Antonin -Václav Kolář after the proclamation of Sofia as a capital in 1879 is yet another interesting part of the publication.
The publication was funded with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture – Republic of Bulgaria with the aim to promote in a modern way the rich collections of the institution to the Bulgarian readers and foreign guests of the Library and the capital city.