Lake Ariana

The Arianasee ( Bulgarian езеро Ариана / Esero Ariana ) is an artificial lake in the center of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. The lake to call because of its size rather than pond or pond boat was, and is a meeting place for generations of residents of the city.

The lake is about 175 m long and 75 m wide, has a surface of 8900 m², is 1.20 m deep and is located in the city center, in the northwest part of the park Borisova Gradina, at the intersection of the boulevard Christo and Ewlogi Georgiewi ( bulg Христо и Евлоги Георгиеви ) and Tsarigradsko Schose ( bulg Цариградско шосе ), at the Eagle bridge. Nearby there is also the Bulgarian National Stadium Vasil Levski.

Architectural History

The Arianasee was built in the late 19th century. Construction began in 1879, it was finally completed in 1904 by Ing Markov. The construction was under the patronage of Dimitar Petkov - 1888-1893 Mayor of Sofia, then Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Since then, the lake is a popular destination of the Sofia population. Initially, the lake was smaller and deeper than it is today. Because of the swampy pond, reconstructed and disguised the head of the Borisova Gradina Daniel Neff 1898 the lake. He was enlarged and got an island that was ( built 1904) on a small, white, stone vault bridge connected to the shore. Got the lake its water from the river initially Perlowska reka next door, he was filled in later years with tap water.

Initially, the lake had no name yet, you just called him "the lake in the Borisova gradina " ( Bulg " езерото във Борисовата градина "). Only after 1889 came to the name Arianasee. On the small island in the lake, the restaurant " Ariana " was ( until the early 1970s), whose name is rendered on the lake.

In the middle of the 20th century a casino was built on a small island in the lake. In 1972, the "singing fountain " built in the lake, with colorful lighting and music accompaniment.

1984, the water was pumped for upcoming repair work from the lake, which then did not start, so the lake for two decades has been shut down. The renovation of the lake and its surroundings was taken because of lack of funds in 2006 and completed in 2007. In September 2007, the lake was again filled with water. It took 10 days to fill the lake with water from a nearby well. On 11 April 2008, the lake was then reopened by Mayor Boyko Borisov.

Mayor Borissov had in 2006 with the private company Profuds ( Bulg Профудс ) a 5-year contract for the use of the lake and its surroundings (mainly dining facilities ) closed. Since this contract was awarded without competitive bidding, he was strongly criticized. Borisov justified by the fact that no other company was willing to invest 3 million leva in the reconstruction of the lake. According to other sources, the Bulgarian mobile operator Globul was ( bul. Глобул ) the main sponsor for the renovation of the lake.

The lake has paddle boats and rowing boats. In winter, a 1200 m² skating rink will be set up on the lake. The use of the train was free for nearly 100 years, but now entry is taken. The initial water depth of the lake was 1.80, after two accidents on the winter ice rink, the water depth was, however, reduced to 1.20 m. For the winter ice rink the water of the lake is almost drained. On the one hand there is room for ice skating and on the other side of the lake snow ramps for snowboarders be established.

The brewery " Sofia beer" ( Bulg " Софийско пиво " / Sofijako piwo ) led 1995 beer brand Ariana ( Bulg Ариана ) a. The brewery of the same name was located a few hundred meters in a northerly direction in the San Stefano Street, opposite the building of the Bulgarian television before it was demolished in 2004. This brewery was originally founded in 1884 by the Czech brothers Jiří prošek and Theodor prošek. The beer brand Ariana still exists, but is now brewed in Stara Zagora, in the Heineken group belonging brewery Sagorka.

In addition to boat rentals there used to be on the lake a small sports center for rowing. This was later after the construction of the reservoir Pantscharewo ( south-east of Sofia) relocated there.