Sofia's centre is dotted with gold domes and towering statues and structures, many of which tell the story of Russian influence in Bulgaria. As Russians prepare to celebrate their independence day this June 12, it is interesting to reflect on how Russia has historically influenced Bulgaria. To help illustrate these questions, the Sofia Echo looks at the background of some of the most visible Russian landmarks seen around Sofia, and how they are connected to the joint history of the two nations.

Saint Alexander Nevski Memorial Church, Ploshtad (Square) Alexander Nevski

It may be trite to say that the Nevski Cathedral is the most prominent symbol of Sofia (if not of Bulgaria itself), but it is true. And if you have been in Bulgaria for any length of time, you probably know that the church was constructed in recognition of the 200 000 Russian soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish War (1877/78), which led to Bulgaria's liberation from the Ottoman Empire. But what exactly is the story behind this war, and what sort of "independence" did Bulgaria gain as a result?

The Russo-Turkish War of 1877/78 originated with Russian aspirations to gain access to the Mediterranean, to which the Ottoman Empire presented an obstacle. In so doing, they aimed to liberate the Orthodox Christian Slavs in the Balkans from the Muslim Turks. The plight of the Bulgarians had been particularly drawn into focus after the April Uprising of 1876, which set the stage for Russian victory.

The war was originally ended with the Treaty of San Stefano, signed on March 3 1878. This treaty would have given Bulgaria a much larger territory, including the Macedonian region. However, the Great Powers were fearful of Russia extending its influence too deeply in the Balkans, and were eager to halt the pan-Slavism movement. They demanded modifications to the treaty during the Conference of Berlin in 1878, and these were represented in the Treaty of Berlin.

The final result in 1878 was not the complete sovereignty of Bulgaria, rather it was designated an "autonomous principality" of the Ottoman Empire. Despite the attempts of the Great Powers to prevent the development of a strong Slavic Bulgaria that would serve Russian interests in the Balkans, that is nearly what happened: Tsar Alexander II of Russia (ruled 1855/81) maintained a strong influence in domestic affairs, as did his successor Tsar Alexander III (ruled 1881/94).

Sofia's St Alexander Nevski Cathedral is not alone in its appellation. In fact, most cathedrals with this name were constructed during the rule of these two tsars, purportedly to commemorate "salvation from the hands of villains". But who exactly was St Alexander Nevski? This Russian statesman and military hero (1220/1263) was responsible for the Russian victory at the Neva Battle of 1240 against the Swedes, and he was canonised by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1547.

The foundational stone of Sofia's Nevski Cathedral was laid in 1882, but construction actually took place from 1904 to 1912. It was designed by Alexander Pomerantsev, a Russian architect, who was also responsible for the Shipka Memorial Church and the conversion of the Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church (at Graf Ignatiev and Tsar Shishman) from a mosque. He also designed the dramatic Upper Trading Rows that house Moscow's GUM department store on Red Square.

Monument to the Tsar Liberator, Ploshtad Narodno Subranie
Russian Monument, Ploshtad Rousski Pametnik

In addition to the Nevski Cathedral, the Russian Monument (Rousski Pametnik, in Bulgarian) and the Monument to the Tsar Liberator are additional reminders of Russia's role in freeing Bulgaria from the control of the Ottomas. In the latter structure, Tsar Alexander II, who oversaw the Russo-Turkish campaign, sits proudly astride his horse, overlooking the street Tsar Osvoboditel, which literally translates as "Tsar Liberator". It was completed in 1903 and inaugurated in 1907 during a ceremony that was attended by Bulgarian Prince Ferdinand I, and other notables such as the Russian grand duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the son of Tsar Alexander II, and his family.

After the Treaty of Berlin, Russia retained a strong hand in determining the future of the liberated Bulgarian "principality". In fact, Tsar Alexander II recommended his nephew, Alexander von Battenberg (1857/93), to become the nation's first prince. Battenberg, who had often accompanied his uncle on Bulgarian campaigns during the war, was confirmed by a vote of the Grand Assembly in 1879.

After installing his nephew, the "Tsar Liberator" was not overly keen on Bulgaria exercising its newfound freedom.

Memorial Tomb of Alexander I of Battenberg, 81 Vassil Levski Blvd

Bulgaria's relationship with Tsarist Russia was actually quite troubled in the postbellum period. Prince Alexander I (ruled 1879/86) was often conflicted in his early years, as he was undergoing tremendous pressure from Russian officials to be a roi faineant - basically a puppet ruler - on one side, and nationalist demands of domestic politicians on the other.

In response to increasing instability, Prince Alexander suspended Bulgaria's democratic constitution, and assumed absolute power in 1881 - with the consent of Tsar Alexander III. However, the practical result was that power was transferred to two Russian generals, who were dispatched from St Petersburg. When Prince Alexander could not convince Russia to recall them, he reinstated the constitution and broke ties with Russia. He subsequently worked to encourage Bulgarian nationalist aspirations.

More troubles arose for Prince Alexander in 1886, when revolutionary forces called for his abdication. After the counter-revolutionary efforts led by Stefan Stambolov, which overthrew the provisional government set up by the Russian party, the prince returned. However, because he could not remain on the throne without the approval of Tsar Alexander III, he was forced into exile in Austria-Hungary.

It was not until his death in 1893 and the completion of a mausoleum in Sofia in 1897 that Prince Alexander I returned to Bulgaria, in accordance with his wishes. His memorial tomb sits inconspicuously at the corner of Levski and Slavyanska, and is surrounded by a pleasant park and several enormous trees, albeit dwarfed by the neighbouring park, Borissova Gradina. The tomb is open to the public, and houses some of his personal possessions and papers.

Church of Saint Nicholas, 3 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd

One of the most conspicuous symbols of Russian influence in Sofia's centre is the Church of St Nicholas, more commonly referred to as simply the "Russian Church". Its typically Russian gold domes and brightly colored panelling set it apart from the modest brick churches that are more frequent sights around the city.

This Russian Orthodox church, completed in 1912, was built in response to the needs of the Russian community in Bulgaria. It was constructed on a plot of land owned by the Russian embassy, and the bells were donated by the ill-fated Russian emperor Nicholas II. The murals, which are hardly visible nowadays behind a thick layer of soot, were painted by a team led by Vasily Perminov, who was also responsible for those of the Nevski Cathedral.

Monument to the Soviet Army, Borissova Gradina park

Peeking out above the trees of the westernmost segment of Borissova Gradina are three heroic-looking figures on a pedestal as tall as an obelisk. If you have bothered to venture any closer, you would discover that a short promenade (of sorts) leads up to this monument, complete with flower beds, a series of pedestals with metal wreaths and a pair of statues of jolly Soviet military men and women clasping young (presumably Bulgarian) children. And if you have travelled in other former Soviet or communist countries, you would recognise this monument as quintessentially Soviet.

If you know something about Bulgaria's fate in World War 2, it may raise the question of, why is there such a monument to the Soviets? The popular understanding among Bulgarians is that the Soviets "liberated" them from the fascists. Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria was threatened with force in 1941 by the Germans, who were preparing to invade Greece through the country's territory. He therefore joined the Axis Powers, which still maintained its non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union.

However, several months later in June 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, which fuelled popular protest in Bulgaria. It solidified a strong opposition movement, called the Fatherland Front, which was led by the Bulgarian Communist Party. Despite still being a member of the Axis Powers, Bulgaria maintained diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, which began defeating Nazi forces in Eastern Europe in the summer of 1943.

After Romania quit the Axis Powers and allowed the Soviets to cross their territory to reach Bulgaria, the Soviet Union invaded and declared war on the country on September 5 1944. There was an ongoing domestic struggle between pro-Nazi officials and the Fatherland Front, and unsurprisingly, the Bulgarian Army gave no resistance to the Soviet occupation. Only three days later, Bulgaria changed sides to join the Soviets against Nazi Germany (but were subsequently unable to maintain the Macedonian territory).

On September 9, a new government was established by the Fatherland Front, headed by Kimon Georgiev, and who was later succeeded by Georgi Dimitrov. Bulgaria went on to be considered the Soviet Union's most loyal Eastern European satellite, with Zhivkov allegedly making an unofficial request in 1968 for Bulgaria to become the sixteenth republic of the USSR.

It may be difficult to conceive of a "liberation" that is preceded by a declaration of war and occupation, but they say that history is written by the victor. Since the Soviet invasion enabled the Bulgarian communist forces to prevail over the fascists, it is understandable that they would be subsequently construed in such a positive light. Nonetheless, a healthy dose of skepticism is natural when studying the cheerful faces of the Soviet forces and the elated Bulgarian children portrayed in the monument.

This brief sketch of Russian landmarks in Sofia's centre would have been much longer during the days of communism, as various monuments have since been removed - such as the large statue of Lenin, where the Sofia monument now stands. And though the landscape may not fully indicate the depth of Russian and Bulgarian cross-influence, these two nations unquestionably share much more than historical ties and an alphabet, particularly with respect to language, food, and culture. Nonetheless, the fact that the Bulgarian attitude towards Russia continues to be so positive - especially in comparison with other Eastern European countries - it is also telling that so many of these Russian symbols remain. With Bulgaria now a member of Nato and the EU, Russian influence seems to be waning - yet only time will tell.