Memorial of Communist Victims, Sofia

The memorial monument to commemorate the victims of communism in Bulgaria is located in the eastern section of the park surrounding the National Palace of Culture, and it holds the distinction of being the largest of its kind in the country.

This monument is a tribute to those who suffered under the Communist Party's terrorist actions prior to September 9th, 1944, as well as those who fell victim to the totalitarian regime in Bulgaria, which endured from 1944 to 1989. It claimed the lives of individuals who were persecuted due to their religion, ethnicity, or opposition to the party, regardless of their age.

The monument itself is crafted from polished black granite, bearing the names of 7,526 individuals who lost their lives. At its center stands a cross, and nearby, there is an Orthodox chapel dedicated to "All Bulgarian Martyrs."

This significant memorial was officially inaugurated on September 11, 1999, with a religious ceremony presided over by His Eminence Inokenti, the Bishop of Sofia. It involved clergy from the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as well as priests from the Catholic and Armenian Churches.

On November 1, 2002, within the historic Saint Sofia Church, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church declared all the victims of communism in Bulgaria to be martyrs, sanctified martyrs, and holy martyrs.