Central Mineral Baths (Sofia History Museum)

The Central Mineral Baths occupy Banski Square in central Sofia, Bulgaria, next to the Banya Bashi Mosque and the Central Market Hall. The building was constructed between 1906 and 1913 to the design of the architect Petko Momchilov, with the aim of using the city's natural hot mineral springs, which have been used since Roman times and gave Serdica part of its importance. The baths opened in 1913 and were a symbol of the modernisation of the capital after the Liberation.

The style mixes Bulgarian Revival, Secession and Neo-Byzantine elements. The facade is decorated with ceramic tiles, polychrome brick, a central dome and ornamental details, and the interior had marble, mosaics and stained glass. The baths operated for most of the 20th century, offering both private and public bathing, but were closed in 1986 because of structural problems. For nearly three decades the building stood empty and deteriorated.

A large conservation and adaptation project, funded by the municipality and European sources, restored the building and reopened it in 2015 as the home of the Sofia History Museum. The restored halls retain original details such as the tiled bath rooms, stone fountains and skylights. The museum moved here from its older premises and uses the interior as an exhibition space for the history of the city from prehistoric times to the 20th century.

The permanent exhibitions are arranged chronologically, covering Neolithic finds, Thracian and Roman Serdica, the medieval city of Sredets, Ottoman Sofia and the modern capital. Displays include archaeological artefacts, photographs, documents, models and everyday objects. A mineral water fountain beside the building continues to give visitors a taste of the springs. The setting is one of the most atmospheric museum interiors in the city, and the combination of the building's own history with the collections gives a layered introduction to Sofia.