Borisova Gradina TV Tower, Sofia
The Borisova Gradina TV Tower, also known as the Old TV Tower, stands at a height of 106 meters (348 feet) including its antenna. Situated within the Borisova gradina garden in Sofia, it gained fame as the location for the inaugural broadcasts of the first Bulgarian National Television in 1959.
This architectural marvel was brought to life through the collaborative efforts of architect Lyuben Podponev, engineer A. Voynov, and technologist Georgi Kopkanov. Construction commenced in December 1958, and the tower was officially inaugurated on December 26, 1959. Each typical floor of the tower spans an area of 144 square meters (1,550 square feet), with a total of 14 floors and three platforms. The tower is perched at an elevation of 595 meters (1,952 feet) above sea level.
In 1962, the Borisova Gradina TV Tower played a pivotal role in the launch of the first Bulgarian VHF radio broadcast for the Bulgarian National Radio's Programme 1. Programme 2 of the BNR's broadcasting took off in 1965, followed by Programme 3 in 1971. In January 1972, BNT's Kanal 1 transmitter was upgraded to conform to OIRT color television standards, and Efir 2 broadcasting commenced in 1975.
Since 1985, the newer Vitosha Mountain TV Tower has taken over as the primary facility for television and Bulgarian National Radio broadcasts in and around Sofia. The Old TV Tower continues to transmit private radio stations and DVB-T terrestrial television.
This architectural marvel was brought to life through the collaborative efforts of architect Lyuben Podponev, engineer A. Voynov, and technologist Georgi Kopkanov. Construction commenced in December 1958, and the tower was officially inaugurated on December 26, 1959. Each typical floor of the tower spans an area of 144 square meters (1,550 square feet), with a total of 14 floors and three platforms. The tower is perched at an elevation of 595 meters (1,952 feet) above sea level.
In 1962, the Borisova Gradina TV Tower played a pivotal role in the launch of the first Bulgarian VHF radio broadcast for the Bulgarian National Radio's Programme 1. Programme 2 of the BNR's broadcasting took off in 1965, followed by Programme 3 in 1971. In January 1972, BNT's Kanal 1 transmitter was upgraded to conform to OIRT color television standards, and Efir 2 broadcasting commenced in 1975.
Since 1985, the newer Vitosha Mountain TV Tower has taken over as the primary facility for television and Bulgarian National Radio broadcasts in and around Sofia. The Old TV Tower continues to transmit private radio stations and DVB-T terrestrial television.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Sofia. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The GPSmyCity App
Borisova Gradina TV Tower on Map
Sight Name: Borisova Gradina TV Tower
Sight Location: Sofia, Bulgaria (See walking tours in Sofia)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: Sofia, Bulgaria (See walking tours in Sofia)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in Sofia, Bulgaria
Create Your Own Walk in Sofia
Creating your own self-guided walk in Sofia is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Sofia Introduction Walking Tour
"Ever growing, never aging" This is the motto of Sofia, capital city of Bulgaria. Under different names, the area of Sofia has had a 7,000 year history. Organized settlements around the area's hot water springs existed as early as the third millennium BC. A Thracian state union there was raided by Philip II of Macedon in 339 BC.
The Celtic Serdi provided the name... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
The Celtic Serdi provided the name... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Communist Era Landmarks Walk
In the not-so-distant past Bulgaria was part of the Soviet-led Eastern Bloc. Today, this is one of the few countries where you can still find numerous relics of the Communist era manifested in monumental architectural landmarks. Concrete and metal were the main materials as a symbol of the industrialized nation, and the size was important too as a common architectural characteristic prescribed by... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.6 Km or 4.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.6 Km or 4.1 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Sofia Shopping: 15 Things To Memorize Bulgaria By
Increasingly popular tourist destination in recent years, Bulgaria has opened up to the outer world, revealing colorful identity, manifested in rich craftsmanship, culinary and cultural traditions and history. The country's capital city Sofia is a lovely alloy of Eastern and Western European...