In 1888, Nikola Lazarov, a recent graduate of the men’s high school in Plovdiv, arrived in Sofia and started working as a draftsman in the Public Buildings Directorate. The acquaintance with arch. Friedrich Grunanger, Karl Heinrich and other foreign specialists, who have proven themselves professionally in Bulgaria, affirm his lasting interest in architecture.

In the autumn of 1890, with his own savings and a one-time financial aid granted by the Ministry of Education, he left for Paris, France. He enrolled as a full-time student at the Ecole speciale d’Architecture. In 1891 he was enrolled as a scholarship holder in the list of alumni of the civil list of Prince Ferdinand I with the obligation after his graduation to work for 3 years in the Intendance of N.C.V. The prince.

In 1894 N. Lazarov was appointed architect of the Directorate for Maintenance and Repair of Government Buildings in the Principality, headed by Friedrich Grunanger.

He was immediately delegated as an assistant to the Swiss architect. Heinrich Meyer on the completion of the Summer Prince’s Palace in Euxinograd near Varna until 1897 (project by architect Victor Rumpelmeier). His participation is mainly in the furnishing of the interiors. At the same time, in 1895, Lazarov collaborated with Fr. Grunanger, on the implementation of his project for the northeast wing of the Prince’s Palace in Sofia (1893). He reviewed the decoration of the Great Hall (1895) by the Frenchman Henri Barbier (royal miniature artist in Paris).

In 1899, the architect designed and built the Prince’s Stable Garage in Sofia on the corner of Ferdinand I / V Blvd. Levski ”and“ Knyaz Al. Dondukov ”. A strong impression is made by the elegantly made according to a special drawing cast cast iron bars-grilles in the yard from Knyaz Al. Dondukov ”and P. Volov ”(preserved to this day).

Architect Nikola Lazarov is one of the greatest artists in Bulgarian architecture since the early twentieth century. The result of his exceptional ability to work is his participation in over 20 international and national architectural competitions (in 17 he received awards, eight of which first and four second); designs over 150 elite houses and tenement buildings, and several dozen large public buildings throughout Bulgaria.

Arch. Lazarov designed the Grand Summer Palace “Vrana” located near the capital, the Prince’s Stable – a garage in Sofia, and together with the Swiss architect Heinrich Meyer he completed the Summer Prince’s Palace Euxinograd near Varna (project of architect Victor Rumpelmeier).

A graduate of the French school of architecture from the late nineteenth century, he remained faithful to French academic architectural historicism throughout his career, despite attempts (largely successful) to capture the spirit of secession. Extremely elegant in the form and composition of the volumes, a perfect master of detail, Nikola Lazarov is one of the most easily identifiable Bulgarian architects.

*Based on a story by Phd. Arch. L. Stoilova, Arch. P. Yokimov