The Central Mineral Baths (Централна минерална баня, ''Tsentralna mineralna banya'') is a landmark in the city center of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, a city known for the

mineral spring Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produces hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage underg ...

s in the area. It was built in the early 20th century near the former Turkish bath (then destroyed) and was used as the city's public baths until 1986. Public baths have existed in Sofia since at least the 16th century. During the visit of

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...

n traveler

Hans Dernschwam Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...

to Sofia in 1553–1555, Derschwam noted the presence of 1 large bath and 2 smaller baths on either side of the city. Dernschwam described the baths as follows: The current Central Mineral Baths building was designed in the Vienna Secession style, but integrating typically Bulgarian, Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox ornamental elements, by the architects

Petko Momchilov Petko is a South Slavic (Петко) masculine given name and East Slavic (Петько) surname. It may refer to: Given name * Petko Petkov (disambiguation) *Petko Slaveykov (1827–1895), 19th-century Bulgarian poet, publicist, public figure and ...

and

Friedrich Grünanger Friedrich Grünanger (25 January 1856 – 14 December 1929) was a Transylvania, Transylvanian Austrians, Austrian architect who worked primarily in Bulgaria. Born in Schäßburg in Austria-Hungary (today Sighişoara in Romania), Grünanger studi ...

in 1904–1905 and approved on 30 January 1906, as projects by an Austrian (in 1889) and a

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

architect (in 1901) were declined. The raw construction was finished in 1908 and a Bulgarian company constructed the complex roof and the mineral water conduit. The baths opened on 13 May 1913, but the building was completely finished after 2 more years and a garden was arranged in front of the baths. Artists Haralampi Tachev and St. Dimitrov designed the building's ceramic majolica decoration. The north wing was damaged during the bombing of Sofia in World War II, but was restored several years later. The baths continued to work as public baths until 1986, when the building was closed due to its bad condition and the possible collapse of the roof. It was subsequently partially reconstructed and thoroughly cleaned and accommodates th
Sofia Regional Historical Museum
since September 2015.BNR.BG The Sofia history museum the splendor of the past
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Further reading