Mihail Silagi’s House

In 1924 architect Angel Devetakov designed a two-storey building for a house and business space of the Hungarian Silagi family. The project met the requirements of the local authorities at that time for all building in the main Alexandrovska Street to be richly decorated. 

As a chemist with the Turkish army, the revolutionary Georg Silagi arrived in Ruse and laid the foundation of pharmacy in Bulgaria. At first, he settled in Shumen and opened his pharmacy there, but later he moved to Ruse – the city of numerous opportunities.

Not only was he a famous chemist, but a member of the first masonic lodge The Balkan Star. He married and had five children, one of which inherited his passion for pharmacy – Mihail.

Mihail Silagi graduated in Vienna and later trained at the family pharmacy Crown. After moving into the newly-constructed building at 44 Alexandrovska Street, he moved the pharmacy to the ground floor, while the family moved into the first floor.

The Silagi family trained generations of prominent chemists. Their pharmacy had a special recipe room, in which all medicines were made using ingredients from Vienna. From here, the medicines were sent to Sofia and other parts of Bulgaria.

In 1946 the State Pharmacy Company settled in the building, while the rooms on the first floor were occupied by families from the nearby villages. 

At present the building is a property of the successors of the Silagi family. It is completely renovated as closest as possible to the original outlook.