SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library
A front view of the library building designed by Vasilyov-Tsolov
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| Country | Bulgaria |
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| Type | National Library |
| Established | April 4, 1878 |
| Location | Sofia |
| Collection | |
| Size | 7,753,188 (As of 2011) |
| Legal deposit | Yes |
| Website | Official website of the National Library |
The SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library (Национална библиотека „Свети Свети Кирил и Методий“) is the national library of Bulgaria, situated in the capital city of Sofia. Founded on 4 April 1878, the library received the status of Bulgarian National Library three years later and the Bulgarian National Revival Archive was merged into it in 1924.
It is named after "SS. Cyril and Methodius"; Saints Cyril and Methodius. They are the creators of the Glagolitic alphabet. The Cyrillic alphabet is named after Cyril.
The present building of the library is among the landmarks of Sofia. It was designed by the famous Bulgarian architectural team Vasilyov-Dimitur Tsolov and completed in the period 1940-1953.
The SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library is currently the largest public library in Bulgaria and the oldest cultural institution after the country's liberation, and also houses one of the richest Ottoman archival collections.
In 1878, Mikhail Bobotinov, a teacher and secretary of the City Council in Sofia, proposed to establish a public library for the need of cultural and educational development in Sofia. The library was then arranged and open in 1878 and finally received its own building in 1900. In 1939, a new building began construction, but sadly in 1944 both the new and old building were destroyed during a bombing in Sofia. In 1953, the National Library opens its new building under the name "Vasil Kolarov". It was not until 1963 that the library was renamed from "Vasil Kolarov" to "St. Cyril and Methodius".
Coordinates: 42°41′41″N 23°20′10″E / 42.69472°N 23.33611°E
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