Borisova Gradina is the central park of Sofia. The park situated at Sofia is one of the oldest as well as the most beautiful gardens in Bulgaria. The park was named after the famous Bulgarian tsar Boris III. There is also a television tower at the garden, which is known as the Borisova Gradina TV Tower or the Old TV Tower.
The first initiative to build a park in the capital city of Bulgaria was taken by the then mayor of Sofia, Ivan Hadzhienov. The arrangement and the construction of the Borisova Gradina started in the year 1884. The Borisova Gradina has witnessed three periods under three famous gardeners. These periods are:
- Neff period from the year is from 1882 to the year 1906
- Frei period that stretched from 1906 to 1934
- Duchtev period, lasting from 1934 to 1944
The first plan to set up a nursery and a house was
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projected by Daniel Neff himself, who was a renowned Swiss gardener of that time. Acacia trees were planted and flowerbeds were shaped. A tiny artificial lake was also built in the Borisova Gradina, Sofia. Fencing was provided with a hedge of hawthorns and oaks. Other trees that were also planted include the mulberry trees, elm trees, trumpet flowers and plane trees.
In the Frei period, the manager of the Borisova Gradina was Alsatian Joseph Frei who carried out the extension of the plan of Neff. In the lower part of the Borisova Gradina, two main alleys were planted, one each of chestnut and linden; in the upper portion one wide central alley and two side alleys were planted. A playground for the children in the upper part of the Borisova Gradina in Bulgaria was also constructed.
During the Duchtev period, under supervision of Georgi Duhtev, the garden was further expanded. The Japanese corner housing the plants sent by Japanese minister Plenipotentiary was constructed in 1940.
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