Unique photo archive shows Sofia during the 1970s

What did Sofia look like in the 1970s? This question is answered by the photo exhibition "Sofia Stop '70" featuring archival images by the renowned Bulgarian photographer Panayot Burnev. The exhibition will open at the Dot Sofia gallery on September 3and will mark the beginning of a series of events focused on exploring and documenting the area where the gallery is located, specifically ''Old Sofia'', Vazrazhdane District and the Women's Market (Zhenski Pazar).

Visitors will have the opportunity to see some of the most narrative photos of the renowned photographer, who worked for many years in the Boyana Film Studios. His photo tour started in 1975 from the Central Railway Station, passed through the emblematic places of the capital city including Lion's Bridge, Georgi Kirkov Boulevard, Zhdanov Street, Banya Bashi Mosque, the Central Universal Store (TSUM), Lenin Square (present St Nedelya Square) and ended near Stamboliiski Boulevard, said Tihomir Stoyanov who is one of the curators of the exhibition.

In addition to the architectural landscape of Sofia, the photographs also capture the social life of the time. We see many people on the streets- in a hurry, shopping, passing by each other. ''Visitors will feel the dynamics of the city, its pulse as it was in the 1970s", Tihomir Stoyanov told BNR.

The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Bulgarian Visual Archive and Kinoclub Super 8 and will be on display until October 5.

See also:

• "Kinoclub Super 8" - breathing life into old amateur films from Bulgaria

Photos: visualarchive.bg, Facebook / DOT Sofia