Ariana Lake

Lake "Ariana" is one of the emblematic places of the capital. It is a medium-sized artificial lake, located in the northernmost corner of Borisova Gradina. It is 175 m long, 75 m wide, has an area of ​​8900 m², and is 1.20 m deep. It was created at the end of the 19th century. Construction began in 1879 and was finally completed in 1904 based on idea of Petyr Berov - the main andscaper, backthen.

Back in 1889, during the time of Mayor Dimitar Petkov, the Big Lake, known today as "Ariana", was built. Just a few years later, in the winter of 1895, the lake was cleaned and filled with water to be used as an ice rink, a tradition that has been preserved to this day.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Big Lake was already one of the symbols of the capital, and walks from the Palace to the "Knyaz-Borisova Garden" became an everyday occurrence for Sofia's bohemians. Due to the interest in the lake, in 1909 it was rented out, but with two requirements - in the summer it was used for boating, and in the winter - for an ice rink.