Enjoy Communism! - Buzludzha, Bulgaria
Welcome to the House-Monument of the Bulgarian Communist Party / Buzludzha Monument located in the Central Balkan Mountains at the elevation of nearly 5,000 feet. Construction began in 1974 and was opened in 1981. It was built by the Bulgarian communist regime commemorating the secretly organized movement by Dimitar Blagoev in 1891 that led to formation of Social Democratic Party, the precursor to the Bulgarian Communist Party.
That is one giant Communist star at the top of the tower on the hill...the biggest I have ever seen and I have seen quite a few!
This sculpture is so chunky/ massive! Just to give you an idea of scale, I am as tall as the ring finger on the left hand.
Even the leaves have a hint of Communist red...they have thought of everything.
This building is an example of Brutalist architecture. Raw concrete and massive, fortress like structures were popular with governments and institutions back in the day. Evidently, it was not considered a style but an expression of "moral seriousness". Interesting concept, don't you agree?
Gotta love the tag on the steps! :D
I wanted to share a quote from the opening ceremony of the monument by the Bulgarian Communist leader Todor Zhivkov:
"Let generation after generation of socialist and communist Bulgaria come here, to bow down before the feats and the deeds of those who came before; those who lived on this land and gave everything they had to their nation. Let them feel that spirit that ennobles us and as we empathise with the ideas and dreams of our forefathers, so let us experience that same excitement today! Glory to Blagoev and his followers; those first disciples of Bulgarian socialism, who sowed the immortal seeds of today’s Bulgarian Communist Party in the public soul!"
The collapse of the Soviet Union brought about Buzludzha's closure in 1989.
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I stuck my iPhone through a broken glass door to get this shot. It was so dark inside, frankly, I am amazed we are able to see anything here!
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The monument is basically abandoned and considered dangerous so, of course, people find a way to get in. Unfortunately, I got there as this group was leaving otherwise I would have joined the fun. A girl told me that you have a little bit of a jump and then you are climbing on filing cabinets for a short while but after that, it's fine. She didn't recommend me going by myself...imagine my dismay.
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I love how the color of sky coordinates with the graffiti.
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I don't want to rain on the architect / designer's parade but lumpy concrete with rusty metal sticking out is not aesthetically pleasing. It is tough to tell if this was leftover building material or artistic expression.
I really just wanted to show you the windmills...what a perfect spot for them.
I hope you enjoyed this short tour around the strangest place I have visited so far in the great country of Bulgaria. If any of you have more information to share about this place or would just like to leave a comment, I would love to hear from you. We can learn from each other!
This is my submission for the daily photo contest sponsored by @photocontests and initiated by @juliank.
Previously posted at:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008940904112
https://steemit.com/colorchallenge/@samanthajbarnes/colorchallenge-fridayblue-enjoy-communism-y-all-buzludzha-bulgaria (edited/re-formatted)
!steemitworldmap 42.736028 lat 25.393589 long Buzludzha d3scr
Hey Samantha, thank you for the post. I am Bulgarian and I have seen amazing photos of the place before it was left and destroyed by time. There were beautiful artworks inside. Mostly colorful mosaics. I also think the shape of the building was very futuristic, almost as a spaceship.
Have a look:
The communism was a horrible time, but there were also other monuments, which were destroyed and I am against it. No matter what the history was, the buildings had something special. An example was the mausoleum of Georgi Dimitrov in the center of Sofia. It was so hard to be destroyed. Seven soldiers died during the process of getting rid of it. Now there is just empty space there. It was not a smart idea. Actually something normal for the Bulgarian culture, not being able to take care of history.
Thank you so much for these photos and information! I have seen photos of the current conditions inside Buzludzha which are incredible / surreal / sad. I would have loved to see it in its original "glory"..especially those mosaics! I was commenting below that I have a wild dream to restore this place.
I had not heard the story of the mausoleum in Sofia...how tragic.
I have visited BG three times and have always been amazed by how they "take care of history" there. I suppose that comes from my limited perspective and knowledge.
Dear Samantha, unfortunately, the history of Bulgaria has been very hard and sad, the folk has been through a lot. After the communism came the mafia, Bulgaria has its really beautiful sides, but so many things don't work properly in the system.
I have been fortunate to have extended stays each time I have come to Bulgaria. I have spent 6 months out of the last 3 years there and I learn more ever time. I am always struck by how people know and understand the history of BG. I can't say that is the case in the U.S. The system here is also quite a mess but for different reasons.
I have noticed the affects of the hard sad history...it's palpable...I see it in the faces of people I pass on the street in Sofia. I also see a passion for life and a genuineness that seems to be missing in my little world in California. I feel an unexplained connection to BG and I am thankful for every minute that I have spent there.
This is so well written. Thank you for sharing it in your unique way. Resteemed <3
Thank you so much for your kind words and support. I really feel a responsibility to tell the stories behind the places I visited in Bulgaria and it has truly been a pleasure. I still have so much to share! :)
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Gret post. I love brutalist style architecture
Thank you! I find the whole concept behind brutalist architecture so interesting.
Me too. Its a statement in pure power
Yes, power...plain and simple. My taste is a bit more on the artsy side but I can certainly appreciate and understand these cycles and reactionary periods throughout history.
My favorite monument! ❤️
I was freakishly excited to go here and pretty bummed I didn't make it inside the building. Next time!
I have a wild dream of restoring this place and making into a hostile / museum / retreat area. :D
I think that's a fabulous business idea! 😁 Buzludzha is a magnet for tourists
Right? Just need to scrape together a big-ass pile of cash and I will be good to go! ;)
Haha! A couple of years ago, there were some discussions about renovating the whole site and making it a museum or something like that. I am not sure what has happened since; maybe the project got postponed.
I hope it gets resurrected. It's a diamond in the rough.
I can sense the beautiful connection you have with Bulgaria. Can't believe the incongruity of the flames of stone. Fabulous adventure photography. 🦋
It is beautiful and rather inexplicable connection; I am so glad it comes through in my posts.
There were many incongruities at Buzludzha...such a fascinating place!
Thank you for your comment, Alison. You are always so thoughtful and encouraging.
Your connection truly does come through.
Pleasure Samantha. 🦋
I know somebody who worked on project (it was actually her work for graduating bechelor or master (not sure)), for redesigning of the Buzludzha building into a museum. After graduating she went to Bulgaria and wanted to find supporters to fulfill this idea. Her first adress was Volen Siderov from the ATAKA (Nationalist) - party but unfortunately the jounalists wrote something bad about her and the project died.
However, this will happen to every building of a collapsing regime.
Wow! How fascinating and unfortunate all at the same time. Perhaps the project will be revived someday before the building is beyond repair.
Thanks so much for your comment!