Is Sofia Royal (Schonnbrun) Yellow
A disproportionate number of buildings in Sofia, and especially in the broad center, are colored yellow. For a long time I was looking for some material on the subject that would give a rational explanation, but there is none, especially for Sofia.
The use of the color yellow in architecture, exterior elements and the urban environment definitely grabs attention, stimulates visual interest and makes the relevant building or element of the environment stand out from the rest.
YELLOW color can mean SUN, LIGHT, JOY, GOOD MOOD. It simulates the nerve centers, but when it is excessively saturated or bright it can be irritating. It is led for intellectual color. However, it can mean RAGE and ENVY as well as TREASON. It also symbolizes ARROGANCE, STRENGTH and MIGHT.
However, my search was not fruitless, because Google is comprehensive and knows a lot, so I came across a similar article about Vienna. I present it briefly:
As you walk around Vienna, you may notice a disproportionately large number of buildings painted in a yellowish hue. Colors have long been used as a means of expression and as a symbol of social status – especially before modern times, when minorities could read and write, colors were a popular means of conveying basic information. So it is with Schönbrunner Gelb (Schönbrunn Yellow), as this color is widely known. Today we often perceive yellow as a positive color that symbolizes light and life, reminiscent of the sun and flowers in spring.
However, the color yellow had a completely different symbolic meaning in the Middle Ages, when it was associated with poison, greed, jealousy and deceit. At the same time, it was often used to resemble and symbolize gold – sometimes fraudulently, but in any case over time it became permanently associated with it and became increasingly desirable.
More than any other European dynastic family, the Habsburgs fully embraced the color yellow to the point that it became associated with them. Yellow is the traditional color of Viennese Baroque architecture from the 19th century, with Schönbrunner Castle being the most significant building painted in this color – hence the name Schönbrunner Yellow (Schönbrunner Gelb). Due to its use by the Habsburgs, this color became a symbol of the elite and suddenly villas, stately residences and churches began using Schönbrunner Gelb to communicate their royal status to the general public. Over time, the color began to be used even by common people and farmers, in an attempt to associate themselves with the upper echelons of society.
However, even today, Schönbrunner Gelb conveys a certain baroque elegance and continues to be associated with 19th-century Habsburg architecture. Interestingly, Schönbrunn Castle itself was not always this color – it was originally a grey-green color before being painted terracotta pink during Maria Theresa’s time, perhaps in an attempt to imitate Italian marble. The color we are all so familiar with today and which became known as Schönbrunner Gelb did not appear in the palace until around 1830!
Source: https://secretvienna.org/i-want-schonbrunner-gelb/
It is very likely that Sofia’s architecture was influenced by Viennese architecture. Many of our architects studied in Vienna, as well as Viennese architects implemented projects in Sofia. And knowing the aesthetic approaches and socio-cultural aspirations of most of our compatriots, both from Alek’s time and today, it is not at all surprising that yellow is quite a dominant color in the layout of Sofia buildings: both in those from old Sofia and in many of the modern buildings.
To support your thoughts – you can view the short gallery below, as well as the full “Yellow Buildings” gallery (which is constantly updated with new hits) via the link below.