Tsarigradsko shose

Tsarigradsko shose Blvd
Former name(s) Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Blvd
Length 11.4 km (7.1 mi)
Width 37 m
Location Sofia
Coordinates 42°39′43″N 23°22′39″E / 42.66194°N 23.37750°E
West end Orlov most
Major
junctions		 Yavorov, Aviation Sq, Sofia Airport / Mladost, Gorublyane / Druzhba
East end Sofia ring road

Tsarigradsko shose (Bulgarian: Цариградско шосе, Tsarigradsko shosé, literally meaning Tsarigrad (Istanbul) Chaussée (Road)) is the largest boulevard in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. It begins from Orlov Most (Eagle's Bridge), before which it is called Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard, and in the end becomes part of the Trakiya motorway (A1). It runs from the north-west to the south-east. The maximum allowed speed on Tsarigradsko shose is 80 km/h between Orlov Most and Gorublyane neighbourhood. To the south the boulevard borders with Sofia's largest park, the Borisova Gradina, which hosts the National Stadium Vasil Levski and Bulgarian Army Stadium. A number of departments of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are situated along the road in the area of the Fourth Kilometer Square, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Polygraphic plant and several hotels including the emblematic Pliska Hotel. In the outskirts of the city there are a lot of hypermarkets and office buildings constructed along the boulevard. Reconstruction and resurfacing are ongoing since 2013 to improve safety and comfort.

The boulevard bears the old Bulgarian name of the city of Istanbul (medieval Constantinople), Tsarigrad, as it leads southeastwards out of the city, towards Plovdiv and Istanbul.

As of April 25, 2012 Tsarigradsko shose Metro Station started operation.

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