THE big, ochre and recently reconstructed former royal domicile has served as a Turkish Bey's konak (town hall), as a focus point for rallies, gatherings, and a stage of communist parades, democratic and concert events today accommodates a gallery. Many of the passers-by crossing in front or at the back of the building on One Battenberg Square might wonder about its origin, history and eventful past - which recently even included serving as a stage for visiting US secretary of state Colin Powell.

Once barren territory, the ground later became, during Ottoman times, a space temporarily rented out for growing watermelons. Today's historical building was erected in 1873.

The court trial of Vassil Levski, the national hero who rebelled against Ottoman rule and is known as the Apostle of Freedom, was held on one of the floors of the two-storey building, which then was accommodation for the pasha of Sofia.

After Levski was sentenced to death, the building acquired a new symbolism.

The building was given to the Russian authorities after their victory over the Ottomans. The Russians transformed it into a palace during their temporary administration of Bulgaria.

In those times, the building only slightly resembled the present-day National Art Gallery.

The palace was four times smaller and the furniture was second hand bric-a-brac, suitable rather for a restaurant.

However, after German aristocrat Alexander Battenberg was chosen to the prince of Bulgaria by the newly-independent country, the palace grew in stature as a royal seat.

Battenberg asked Austrian architects to refurbish and modernise the building by adding a section on the western side, with Art Nouveau features, and with elements of neo-rococo and baroque.

The palace then hosted the first ever court ball held in Bulgaria, in 1883. However, even then it was not quite the building as it is known today.

The palace was again reconstructed and its facade changed in 1893 to 1895 (during the time of Prince Ferdinand) when Austrian architect Friedrich Grunanger, who had graduated in architecture in Vienna (1879) expanded the eastern wing and incorporated elements of Renaissance Viennese Baroque. Today, the eastern wing accommodates the Ethnographic Museum and is a unique presentation of Bulgaria's wedding rituals and traditions, Greek-origin karakachans and the nomadic lifestyle of generations of Bulgarians.

Contributions to the most recent look of the building have also been made by Austrian and Czech architects Rumpelmayer Kolar.

The architectural site of the palace began to resemble French palaces from the eighteenth century, influenced by the Vienna Baroque.

In this way, a former konak had become a glamorous and majestic royal building with expensive rococo gesso ornaments on the walls and ceilings.

Its service as a museum began after the communist takeover of Bulgaria in 1944. Four years later it was made into today's National Art Gallery, and was included in the list of Monuments of Culture.

The palace hosted the Council of Ministers in the late 1940s and 1950s.

During his visit to Bulgaria Powell, speaking from the platform in front of the palace on the occasion of centennial celebration of US-Bulgarian diplomatic relations, said:

"I am honoured to be here, here in Battenberg Square, to begin the centennial celebration of U.S.-Bulgarian diplomatic relations."

"On September 19, 1903, a court carriage drawn by four horses and with an honour guard pulled up to the former palace just behind me. Out came John Jackson, who went inside to present his diplomatic credentials to Prince Ferdinand, who later became the Tsar," Powell said.

"Now, today, almost 100 years later, I am greeted by the grandson of the Tsar - not as a Tsar, but the freely elected Prime Minister of a free and democratic Bulgaria," Powell said.