Layers of Rome, the Ottoman Empire, and Modern.

As we entered the heart of Sofia, the striking sight was the dome and minaret of the Banya Bashi Mosque, a red brick and stone structure built in 1566 by Mimar Sinan, a renowned architect of the Ottoman Empire who left a mark on Istanbul and major cities throughout the empire. The mosque was named "Banya" because it was built alongside a hot spring—mineral water that continues to gush out to this day. Standing in front of the mosque, the first thing we see is the din of daily life: Tram 27 saunters past at a regular pace. Some passengers glance at the mosque's clock tower as if to tell the time, others pull out their phones to check the schedule. The tram bells blend with the call to prayer at dusk, creating a layer of sounds from two eras that never ceases to separate. A thought-provoking tidbit is that Sofia is one of the few European cities where the main religious sites of three religions are located within a few minutes' walk: the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Synagogue, and the Banya Bashi Mosque. Each has its own chanting, but it's part of the collective sound that makes the city unique. Turning to the other side, we encounter the excavated remains of the ancient city of Serdica, its stone walls, cobblestones, and Roman streets where Emperor Constantine once proclaimed, "Serdica is my Rome." Walking among the ruins, we realize that the mosque standing before us does not replace the past, but builds on its foundations and weaves a new chapter. To Sofians today, the mosque is not just a religious symbol, but also a physical place, a place they pass every day. While waiting for the tram or walking home, some may pause to gaze at the glowing yellow arches, others may not glance back, but the building itself continues to record every passing moment. Therefore, when we stand here, we are not just standing in front of a single mosque, but on the layers of time—Roman, Ottoman, and modern—all interwoven into the life of the city.