Although not fully utilised, Sofia boasts a wealth of mineral springs, some of which are even located in the city centre, close to some of its most iconic buildings. 

One of these buildings is the Central Baths, which today houses the Museum of the History of Sofia. Construction of the Baths began in 1889 under the direction of the Austrian architect Emil von Förster, who won an international competition for a mineral baths complex with a hotel. Due to a lack of funds, the project was halted, but the venture was fortunate and the small baths opened their doors in 1908, thanks to architects Petko Momchilov and Friedrich Grunanger. The large baths – featuring two swimming pools, family baths and Roman baths – were opened on 13 May 1913. Soon afterwards, a hydrotherapy institute was opened in the north wing, complete with water-pouring facilities fed by the mineral springs gushing from beneath the building. 

During the bombing of Sofia in 1944, the small bathhouse was demolished, whilst parts of the large one were seriously damaged. After the Second World War, the large bathhouse was restored and declared a cultural monument of local significance. Due to disrepair, the building was closed to visitors in 1986 and completely abandoned after 1989. Following restoration in 2015, the Museum of the History of Sofia began to occupy its right-hand section. 

The museum’s permanent exhibition is spread across eight galleries and features artefacts spanning a period of more than eight thousand years – from the Neolithic era to the 1940s. They are grouped by theme – ‘The Legacy of Antiquity’, ‘The Power of the Spirit’, ‘Dynastic Links with Western Europe’, ‘The Palace Cabinet’, ‘Sofia Street’, ‘State and Municipal Institutions’, ‘The Home and Clothing of Sofia’s Inhabitants’, ‘Cultural Life and Entertainment’. The focus is on some of the most significant moments in the city’s history – its selection as the capital in 1879 and the decades leading up to the start of the wars of 1912–1918. This was the period during which Sofia transformed from a small Oriental town into a modern European capital. 

To this day, the Central Baths building remains a hub where different cultures and social phenomena converge, making it well worth a visit. Don’t forget to pour yourself some warm mineral water from the fountains in the square before entering the Sofia History Museum, so you can get a close-up look at pivotal historical moments that took place in Bulgaria’s charming capital.