“Saint Alexander Nevsky” Cathedral Silver Medal of the #Sofia series, 31.1g

#Sofia is a commemorative collection of silver medals, dedicated to the capital of Bulgaria and the rich cultural heritage it comprises.

For the obverse of the medals, we have selected the five cultural and architectural landmarks that best encapsulate the rich history of the city - "Saint Alexander Nevsky" Cathedral, Eagles' Bridge, Sofia University and The Statue of Sofia.

On the reverse of each medal is an illustration of four other symbols of the city, inextricable from its status as a historical and cultural centre - The Rotunda St. George, St. Cyril and Methodius National Library, the Monument to the Tsar Liberator and Vitosha Mountain. The design is inspired by the city’s coat of arms - the four landmarks are divided into four opposing quadrants, akin to the four heraldic fields on the shield.

The medals in the collection were struck in fine silver 999.9, with a diameter of 38.6mm, and a weight of 1 troy ounce (31.1 grams).

Each medal in the #Sofia issue is a limited edition, with only 3000 pieces per design in production. This makes them a valuable addition to any collection, as well as a meaningful and original gift.

"Saint Alexander Nevsky" Cathedral is a cultural and historical landmark of national importance, built to honour the Liberation of Bulgaria. It commemorates the bravery of those who perished as part of the war efforts and pays tribute to their sacrifice.

The decision to build the monument was made a year after the peace treaty in Bulgaria’s recently re-established capital city of Veliko Tarnovo. It wasn’t until a new capital city was announced - Sofia, which retains that title to this very day - that Knyaz Alexander I von Battenberg suggested the cathedral be built in the new seat of the government. The project was crowd-funded, and Knyaz himself gave the first donation - 5000 "gold" levs, the gilded currency used at the time.

The foundation stone of the church building was laid on the fourth anniversary of the peace treaty - 3 March 1882 - but it took 22 years for the construction to begin and another 8 for the project to be finished. Today this foundation stone - granite from Vitosha Mountain, а moraine monolith - is located in the crypt of the Cathedral, in the so-called "Golden Room".

The initial building plan was created by the Bulgarian architect Ivan Bogomolov, but following his death, the project was undertaken by the Russian architect Alexander Pomerantsev, a professor at the Russian Academy of Arts specializing in church architecture, whose rich portfolio includes another notable Bulgarian landmark - the Shipka church and monastery complex. Pomerantsev creates an entirely new building plan for the "Saint Alexander Nevsky" Cathedral, which he brings to completion between 1904 and 1912. The Cathedral was consecrated officially over the course of three days - 12, 13 and 14 September 1924, one day for each of its three altars. In 1953 it was declared a Patriarchal Cathedral.

Architecturally, "Saint Alexander Nevsky" Cathedral is а cross-domed basilica in the Neo-Byzantine style, as seen through the eyes of its architect. The exterior of the structure is richly decorated with numerous arches and friezes with detailed engravings of plaited floral motifs, ancient bulgar elements, and crosses. The facade is made out of white stone mined in the Vratsa area, and the plinth is made of granite. The bell tower stands above the main entrance, over 50 meters in height - it houses 12 bells, the largest of which weighs nearly 12 tonnes.

Among that majestic cathedral’s most notable features are its gilded domes - the central dome, which is also the largest, and the bell tower dome. Gilding them requires 8.35 kilograms of gold. The technique used to gild the domes uses gold foil sheets 84 by 84 millimetres in size and 0.4 µm thick. The thin spread of the gold over the domes’ total surface of 700 square meters, requires periodic restoration. During the latest restoration in 2001, re-gilding the 160 square meter dome of the bell tower alone required 25 000 sheets made out of 23.75-carat gold.

The interior of "Saint Alexander Nevsky" Cathedral is as impressive as its exterior, decorated with marble, onyx and alabaster from all over the world. One of its most imposing design elements is the central iconostasis, made of several kinds of marble in various colours, and the two smaller peripheral iconostases are designed in its image. Numerous icons and mural paintings line the walls.

"Saint Alexander Nevsky" Cathedral's external size is 72 meters in length, 55 meters in width and 50.52 meters in height. With a total volume of 86 000 cubic meters and occupying 3170 of land, it is one of the 50 largest church buildings in the world.

We ship our orders with Econt Express. The cost of delivery is at the customer's expense and includes insurance, cash on the delivery fee, if applicable, and courier service. The total delivery cost is formed based on the chosen method of payment and the method of delivery.

Orders received by 3 p.m. on working days and chosen payment method cash on delivery or credit card are processed and shipped on the same day. Orders received after 3 p.m. or during the weekend, are processed and despatched on the next working day.

Each shipment has the "Check" option. In case the customer decides to return the order, the delivery and return costs are at the expense of the customer.

You can also get your order from the Bulmint showroom in Plovdiv at 24 Otets Paisiy Str. or in Sofia аt 1 Oborishte Str.

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