The Symbolic “Realms of Memory” in Sofia at the Beginning of Bulgarian Political Transition (1989–1993)

Abstract The article aims to study the social change in Bulgaria in the short period immediately after the fall of the totalitarian regime in November 1989. The rapid renaming of the streets, squares, and institutions of Sofia is examined, and the changes of the city symbols (coat of arms, city flag, and city day) are commented on. The main research questions are: whether and how social transformation was projected at the tangible and intangible urban space; and to what extent these changes affected local collective memory. The study uses a social history approach and is primarily based on historical analysis of archival documentation.