Studentski grad (Sofia)

Studentski grad ( _bg. Студентски град, "Students' city") is the student campus area for most universities in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and also one of the 24 municipalities of Sofia. It was created in the 1960s and has over 40,000 residents. The real number of people living temporarily there can hardly be established. It is one of the most diversified areas in Sofia, with old dwellings from the communist era which are inhabitated by the students of different Sofia universities, and new emerging nightclubs, trade, business and residential centres. Because of the usually cheap rent (less than €20 per month), it is very attractive for living, despite the unsatisfactory conditions of most rooms. Recent renovations have brought about improvements in many dormitories, including those hosting foreign students. They are mostly from the Bulgarian diaspora in Macedonia, Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, and currently Turkey.

Studentski grad is a typical example of zoning type urban planning. In this manner, universities and dormitories are situated in the same zone (quarter).

The area is famous for its busy nightlife. A lot of taverns and disco clubs make the campus one of the central night entertainment locations of Sofia. Thus police presence is massive. Places for eating out vary from high-end restaurants to cheap pizzerias. Particularly popular is the so-called Mandzha street where a number of Döner kebab, hamburger and pancake shops are situated.

Unlike most campus areas in Western Europe, Studentski grad is a common living place for most of the students of Sofia's numerous universies rather than being in the vicinity of one particular university. This helps students from different higher education institutions exchange ideas, but on the other hand causes major transportation issues as the bulk of Sofia's universities are situated relatively far from the city centre and public transport is often unable to cope with Studentski grad's transportation needs. The traffic is frequently congested especially during rush hour when buses are overcrowded. Regular buses run on average every ten minutes.

The neighbourhood is affectionately known as "Stuttgart". The abbreviation from "Stud." (Studentski, "student") and "grad" ("city") resembles the name of the German city of Stuttgart. ^{[http://paper.standartnews.com/bg/article.php?d=2007-09-27&article=205114]}

Universities located in Studentski grad

* Technical University of Sofia
* University of National and World Economy
* University of Mining and Geology
* University of Forestry, Sofia

External links

* [http://www.studentskigrad.com/ Studentskigrad.com]