October 20, 1935 — The Cornerstone of the Bulgarian National Bank Building Is Laid
The cornerstone of the Bulgarian National Bank building was laid in Sofia. The ceremony marked the beginning of one of the capital’s most recognizable institutional buildings, completed in 1939 and designed by leading Bulgarian architects including Ivan Vasilov and Dimitar Tsolov. The BNB had been founded in 1879, but by the interwar period its growing role in the national economy required a more functional and symbolic home. The new building was meant to project stability, trust, and permanence at a time when Bulgaria was still feeling the effects of economic turbulence and political change. Its architecture combined monumental public presence with practical banking needs, including modern halls, vaults, and administrative spaces. The building remains a central symbol of Bulgarian financial statehood.
October 20, 1981 — Bulgaria Marks the 1,300th Anniversary of Its Statehood
A major official celebration of 1,300 years of Bulgarian statehood was held at the newly built National Palace of Culture in Sofia. The anniversary campaign had unfolded over several years and included exhibitions, monuments, publications, cultural events, and large public ceremonies. In the socialist period, the jubilee was presented as proof of Bulgaria’s ancient continuity, cultural strength, and political legitimacy. It also left a visible mark on the urban and cultural landscape, from new museums and monuments to the symbolic role of the National Palace of Culture itself. The event was deeply shaped by the ideology of the time, but it also reflected a genuine national fascination with medieval Bulgaria, the First Bulgarian Empire, and the long historical thread connecting Asparuh’s state to modern Bulgaria.
Continue with October 19 or October 21. For more stories and places, explore Bulgaria From Above and the guides in our Bulgaria category on Bronicable.
