I had not associated Sofia with the Romans. But I learned that the Roman city of Serdica formed the origins of Sofia. The Church of St. George, built in the 4th Century as a Roman basilica, is a vivd reminder of the Roman origins of Sofia. It's been a Roman public building, a Christian church, a mosque during the Ottoman period, and an active church into the present day. Other Roman ruins of Serdica were scattered about in the courtyard. A monument that did not last nearly as long was the Georgi Dimitrov Mausoleum. This was the resting place of Georgi Dimitrov (1882-1949), the first Communist leader of Bulgaria. An honor guard in dress uniform was stationed at the mausoleum when we saw it. (It was demolished in 1999 and Dimitov interred elsewhere.) One thing about
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