Despite its unfortunate state, Buzludzha keeps on winning the hearts of people from all over the world and motivates them to visit Bulgaria, even if only to glimpse the facade of the concrete monster. The impressive monument with a bizarre shape enjoys unprecedented interest and is a very attractive location for urbex tourism and creative projects in cinema and music. The monument has been the subject of numerous documentaries and photo exhibitions and is internationally recognized as one of the most beautiful abandoned places in the world.
However, this masterpiece of Soviet brutalism causes polar reactions in our society and leaves no one indifferent. For Bulgarians, the home-monument of the BKP is charged with a negative connotation, because of its painful symbolism.
The Sistine Chapel of Socialism
In the past the concrete giant played a key role in the creation of socialist mythology and was used as a propaganda tool. It was built to commemorate the founding of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party by Dimitar Blagoev during the secret congress on Mount Buzludzha. The construction of the monument took 7 years of tireless work by 6,000 people, including construction troops and volunteers. The funds for the construction were collected from the people by forcing them to buy postage stamps with the image of the project as a moral debt to the motherland.#
The mosaic in the center of the roof that reads “Proletarians of all countries, Unite!” – a popular communist slogan
Unfortunately, the efforts of all the architects, designers, builders, artists and sculptors involved went to waste. The building was active for only 8 years and after the fall of communism it was closed and left to crumble by vandals and the merciless elements of nature.
In view of its tragic history, it is perfectly normal to subconsciously associate it with the traumas of our communist past which we still find difficult to overcome.
As much as we never want to be associated with this period again, we cannot deny that Buzludzha is the biggest ideological monument of communism in the Balkans. Undeniably it was an astonishing architectural and engineering achievement for its time. For this very reason, I have always thought that it deserves to be preserved and has great potential to be developed as a tourist attraction.
Buzludzha from the inside – the dream come true of every urbex tourist
I first visited the monument in March last year and naturally I was very impressed by the massive structure in the shape of a flying saucer. The building, dressed in a snowy makeover at this time of year, seemed truly out of this world, but straight out of a sci-fi movie. We looked at it from the outside and it’s certainly worth seeing, but it wasn’t enough for me. I was convinced that if I peeked inside, it would be much more interesting. Access to the monument has been prohibited for several years for security reasons. I couldn’t take a look at the interior, but I wished someday I could get in legally.
To my surprise, a year and a few months later, fate smiled on me and I had the good fortune to meet the main face behind the “Buzludzha Project” – arch. Dora Ivanova. Nothing was impossible for the inspiring young lady. She dedicated her thesis to this UFO and returned to Bulgaria, determined to save what is left of the mystical building. For several years she fought with the institutions and sought support.
Buzludzha Project
Not long after, her consistency and dedication to the project paid off, and together with her team she won funding from the American Foundation Getty, which allocates funds to iconic modernist buildings around the world.
Thanks to the funding, a team of Bulgarian and international specialists studied the state of the monument and developed a “Preservation and Management Plan”. The mosaics were found to be in most urgent need of restoration. For this purpose, restorers began to stabilize them, and a protective canopy was built over them.
The next step is to secure the roof so that the building can be opened to visitors. The idea of the project is to conserve the monument in its current state by stopping the destruction, but not to restore it completely. The team would like to change its purpose. It is planned to develop Buzludzha as a place for history, cultural events and festivals with educational and touristic purpose.
The good news is that entering the monument will be completely possible and legal in less than a year, as the Stara Zagora Regional Government has been approved for funding to secure and provide temporary visitor access to the monument.
The mosaics – unique cultural and historical heritage
In connection with the technical implementation of a project task, I had the unique opportunity to get inside and the experience cannot be compared to any other. Even though I was in a place entirely built by human hands, it was as if I was one with nature.
I could feel every gust of wind and hear every bird fly by. The 360-degree view from the facility is impressive and literally breathtaking. There are no windows and the wind inhospitably hits your chest at every convenient opportunity – as if it wants to keep this beauty for itself. Wherever you turn, you are surrounded by debris that preserve the memory of the glory of a bygone era.
The Ceremonial Hall
My next stop after the panoramic corridors was the majestic Ceremonial Hall. The most modern sound and lighting systems of the time were installed there. Every single interior decision was aimed at awakening visitors’ respect and awe for the communist ideology.
The spotlights built into the roof structure created the illusion of illumination of the dome mosaic, and the rosette itself with the emblematic hammer and sickle was gilded. Today it looks rather green as the gilding has been washed away by the elements of nature. When you stand in the center of the hall and whisper something, the acoustics are so good that your echo echoes throughout the space.
The Panoramic corridors
The ceremonial hall is separated from the panoramic corridors by walls covered with colorful mosaics in the form of two concentric circles – an inner and an outer mosaic circle. The mosaics depict key moments of the socialist party’s struggle for supremacy through symbols. They comprise over 2 million mosaic particles laid by tireless hand labor and rank among the greatest mosaic works of the 20th century.
After seeing the mosaics with my eyes, I am even more convinced that we all deserve the monument to be open for visitors. The murals are an impressive work of art and valuable cultural and historical heritage that, once preserved, will easily attract visitors with its artistic value and bring money into our country’s economy.
How to support the cause
If you are looking forward to visiting the panoramic corridor or are burning with curiosity to see the mosaics, support the cause of opening the monument to visitors at http://www.buzludzha-project.com/support
Between August 19 and 21, a very cool charity festival will be held on the meadow near the Buzludzha hut – OPEN BUZLUDZHA 2022 . The entertainment will be guaranteed there with numerous outdoor concerts, cultural and sports activities.
If the cause appeals to you and is close to your heart, you also have the option of becoming a volunteer.
Where to stay in the area
Speaking of the preservation of cultural and historical spaces, I cannot fail to mention the brilliant transformation of the former government residence of Todor Zhivkov into a hotel where you can stay during your visits to the Memorial House. In the past, the building served as a holiday home in the mountains for the state leadership and the cultural elite was a favorite place of Ludmila Zhivkova. The location is very picturesque and peaceful, surrounded by a beech forest where you can find people with all kinds of vehicles – motorbikes, bicycles, ATVs.
The owners of the future Edelweiss Hotel welded the residence with a stripped copper roof. They renovated it for 3 years and, with the help of restorers, restored the unique wood carvings and stained glass windows from the communist era.
In the hotel’s game room, old photos and documents recreate the history of the famous ideological monument nearby.
The old conference room has been turned into a winery. The interior is mostly made of wood and leather, and the atmosphere is quite heavy – for party leaders with cigars.
For more urbex inspiration, check out Urbex – a story about time travellers and beauty in decay.
The monument is still not open for visitors but if you need an English speaking guide to show you around the area and tell you interesting stories about our communist past, you can book a Traventuria guided trip from here.