MSFS scenery

MSFS Sofia City Photogrammetry Scenery

Sofia City Photogrammetry Scenery brings Bulgaria’s capital to life in Microsoft Flight Simulator with high-resolution 3D city coverage, accurate terrain around the Sofia valley and Vitosha Mountain, and carefully modeled landmarks including Boyana Church, the National Palace of Culture, and the Sofia Synagogue. Dynamic lighting and an optimized package size keep flights smooth.

5/5 (1) 282 downloads 3.88 GB Scanned clean

Bulgaria

Flight Simulator 2020 Flight Simulator 2024

Images & Screenshots

18 total

A dense urban area features a large, multi-sided central building with surrounding roads, parks, and tightly packed residential blocks.

A dense urban area with numerous apartment blocks and a major highway runs through the city, bordered by parks and green spaces.

A small black and red aircraft with "A5" on the wing flies above a densely packed city with red-roofed buildings.

A high-altitude view shows scattered cumulus clouds over a densely built city with a large airport and surrounding fields visible.

A large octagonal building with a glass roof stands at the center of a city surrounded by dense residential blocks and tree-lined streets.

A densely built urban area with clusters of high-rise buildings and several green parks is seen beneath scattered low clouds.

A sprawling urban area with dense clusters of buildings and winding roads stretches toward distant hills under partly cloudy skies.

A dense urban area is shown at dusk with illuminated streets, rectangular city blocks, and several large buildings concentrated near the center.

Aerial view shows a densely built city with a large domed cathedral, tree-lined streets, and mountains in the background at sunset.

A small black amphibious aircraft with red accents flies above a densely packed city with mountains and clouds in the distance.

A dense urban area is viewed from above at night, with illuminated streets and a large domed building in the foreground.

A large sports stadium with green fields sits among residential apartment blocks and tree-lined streets, with mountains visible in the background.

A single runway stretches across dry grass fields with adjacent taxiways, while a cityscape and distant mountains appear under scattered clouds.

A sprawling city with dense red-roofed buildings and several tall modern towers stretches toward a distant green mountain under a partly cloudy sky.

A dense urban landscape stretches toward distant hills at sunset, with two large stadiums and several parks visible among the buildings.

A city with dense buildings and grid-like streets is viewed from the window of a light aircraft during sunset.

A nighttime aerial view shows a sprawling city with illuminated streets, dense neighborhoods, and several brightly lit sports fields in the foreground.

A large stadium with a running track sits near a dense urban area, with tree-lined streets and hills in the background.

Editor reviewed · Tested in-sim

Expert Overview

Sofia City Photogrammetry Scenery for Microsoft Flight Simulator offers a breathtaking aerial tour of Bulgaria’s capital, showcasing its authentic topography and iconic architecture. Through advanced photogrammetry technology, every landmark from Vitosha Mountain to the Boyana Church appears with exceptional detail, while optimized performance ensures a smooth flying environment. I’ve explored this area extensively in the simulator and can confirm the scenery’s lifelike lighting effects really elevate immersion and realism.

This add-on is ideal for both casual flight simmers and seasoned pilots who crave a deeper connection to the region. You’ll appreciate the faithful representation of Sofia’s urban layout, along with culturally significant sites like the National Palace of Culture and Sofia Synagogue. Combining striking visuals, regional authenticity, and high-end performance, this scenery is a top-notch addition to any MSFS enthusiast’s hangar—and it’s free, which further cements its value. Enjoy exploring this captivating corner of Eastern Europe from the comfort of your cockpit.

Dive into the heart of Bulgaria with the Sofia City Photogrammetry Scenery add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) 2020 release. This meticulously crafted mod offers an immersive flying experience over Sofia, blending the historical charm and modern vibrancy of Bulgaria's capital.

Sofia city in Bulgaria show after installing the mod in the sim. Utilizing advanced photogrammetry technology, this freeware scenery captures Sofia's unique topography and architectural marvels in exceptional detail.

Key Features

High-resolution photogrammetry: Experience Sofia's landscapes and structures with unparalleled realism.
Dynamic lighting effects: Observe the city's beauty under different lighting conditions, enhancing simulation realism.
Accurate topography: Fly over Vitosha Mountain and the Sofia valley, represented with true-to-life elevations.
Cultural landmarks: Explore iconic sites like the Boyana Church, National Palace of Culture, and the Sofia Synagogue, all meticulously recreated.
Optimized performance: Enjoy a seamless flight experience thanks to the reduced package size in the latest version, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of system specifications.

Installation Guide

Install the add-on by extracting the archive and copying the folders thalixte-sofia1-6 into the Community folder of your MSFS installation. This simple process integrates Sofia's breathtaking scenery into your flight simulator, ready for your next aerial adventure.

Photogrammetry in Flight Simulation

Photogrammetry, a process that captures real-world environments through photography and 3D scanning, brings an unmatched level of realism to flight simulators. This technique transforms thousands of photographs into detailed 3D models, allowing pilots to navigate through digitally reconstructed landscapes with true-to-life accuracy.

Exploring Sofia and Surrounding Airports

To fully experience the Sofia City Scenery, consider taking off or landing at these nearby airports:

Sofia Airport (LBSF): The main international gateway, offering a challenging approach amidst the scenic Vitosha Mountain backdrop.
Pernik Airport (LBPR): A smaller airfield, ideal for general aviation enthusiasts looking to explore the western approaches.
Elin Pelin Airfield: Perfect for short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft, this airfield offers a unique vantage point to the east of Sofia.

Credits and Acknowledgements

A special nod to RadoBG for the inspiration behind this scenery. The 3D models utilized stem from Google Maps, with all due credit to Google for their creation. The transformation of these models into the simulator was facilitated by the Google Earth Decoder tool, showcasing the collaborative spirit of the flight sim community.

For those who wish to support further development, donations are graciously accepted, fueling the continuous enhancement of this and future projects.

Ready to download Sofia City Photogrammetry Scenery?

Free for all simmers · 3.88 GB · Scanned clean

File information

Filename

msfs-sofia-photo.zip

File size

3.88 GB

Virus scan

Clean (scanned with ClamAV)

Access

Freeware

Content rating

Everyone

Download speed: Free tier is capped at 2 Mbps (this file takes approximately 4h 37m at the cap). PRO members download at full line speed.

This is a freeware file — use is subject to our freeware copyright terms.

How to install this mod

MSFS scenery

Extract the downloaded archive

Use 7-Zip (free) or WinRAR to extract the ZIP to a temporary folder. Don't install while still zipped — the simulator can't read inside ZIP files.
Locate your MSFS Community folder

All MSFS add-ons live in the Community folder. Microsoft Store / Game Pass version: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Community\. Steam version: %APPDATA%\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages\Community\. Tip: enable Developer Mode in MSFS to see your exact Community folder path.
Copy the scenery package into Community

Drag the extracted scenery folder into your Community folder. Photogrammetry and large mesh packs can be 1GB+ — ensure you have disk space.
Restart MSFS

Close MSFS completely and relaunch. The new content appears in the Content Manager, on the World Map, or in the aircraft/livery selector.
Always read the included readme

Every mod ships with a readme.txt or README file. It tells you exactly where files go, what dependencies are needed, and any quirks specific to this add-on.

About the developer

Thalixte

Thalixte is a developer that has focused on creating photogrammetry and scenery packs for the latest Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) 2020 release. All of this developer's releases have received fantastic feedback from many users on various flight sim websites including Fly Away Simulation.

Based in France, the developer tends to focus on creation of European packs however some "further afield" packs have also been created.

Enjoyed this mod? Thalixte released it as freeware. Consider donating to support future projects.