The Abandoned Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria

The Buzludzha monument is a former Soviet congress hall, now abandoned. Its official name is The House of the Bulgarian Communist Party.

The historic summit of Buzludzha (1,441 m above sea level) is located in the Great Balkan mountain range. The region has been the epicenter of some of the most important historical events of the past 150 years in Bulgaria. The final battle between Hadji Dimitar’s rebels and the Turks in 1868, the battle for the Shipka Pass in 1877-1878 and the founding of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers’ Party in 1891 are among them. This is what aroused great interest in the region at the end of the 19th century.

Taking into account the historical past of the summit, it was decided to build a new monumental complex there. Thus, in 1962, a state order was placed with a competition. It was won by architect Georgi Stoilov, but the project was not completed until 1974. Twelve years after the competition, Georgi Stoilov was again called in to carry out the project. His idea is to create a sustainable design. The style is largely influenced by the growing popularity of brutalism across Europe.

The architectural appearance of the monument is extreme minimalist. It consists of clean shapes and smooth surfaces, the selected materials are concrete, steel and glass. More than 70,000 t of concrete, 3,000 t of steel and 40 t of glass were invested in the implementation of the project. Project, financed mainly by voluntary funds, raised through compulsory contributions from the entire population, from students to retirees.

Almost 500 soldiers from the military make up three quarters of the work force at the site, as well as 60 Bulgarian artists, who have collaborated on the design of murals at the site. Construction, which took almost seven years, due to its structural complexity and the very harsh weather during winter in Bulgaria.

The main volume is a domed structure, resembling a saucer according to many. The building is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. It rises to a height of 107 m. At the same time, a 68.5-meter python rises at one end of the “plate”, and its 16-meter bases provide additional rigidity to the supporting structure. At the top of the pylon is a panoramic site, which reveals an incredible view of the Balkans.

Two huge stars, symbols of socialist power, in ruby ​​glass were installed at the top of the pylon. They would be 3 times larger than the famous red stars of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin. They were also lit by powerful searchlights, with speculative claims that on a clear day could be seen from the Romanian banks of the Danube and northern Greece.

Communist “slogans”:

The first verse of the International inscribed at the entrance is a song of revolutionary struggle used by all communist countries. “Workers of all countries, unite! “, This sentence supplemented by” You have nothing to lose, except your chains “concludes the Manifesto of the Communist Party published in 1948 by Karl Marx. Added to this are the designs of the mosaics, telling of the communist era in Bulgaria.

After the fall of communism in the late 1980s, the monument, like many buildings linked to the regime of the previous fifty years, was abandoned. Bouzloudja has been abandoned, looted and forgotten because it is a part of the past that many people prefer to forget.

In 2020, the vulnerable mosaics of Buzludzha were stabilized thanks to a second funding from the Getty Foundation. $ 60,000 has been allocated to the preservation of one of the largest mosaics in Europe.

The first step is to clean the main spaces. Document and collect all mosaic stones and valuable soil features. Thus, the building is prepared for the next activities – strengthening of mosaics and temporary protective coating on them.

BEFORE – AFTER

Photos: Facebook Проект Бузлуджа / Buzludzha project

Photos: Facebook Проект Бузлуджа / Buzludzha project

How to reach Buzludzha on your own

The fastest and most convenient way to reach Buzludzha is by car. There isn’t public transportation to Buzludzha monument. It is possible also to take a train to the small town of Kazanlak, which is located approximately 20 km away from the monument. From Kazanlak you can take a taxi or hike up to the peak of Buzludzha. Please note that it is currently not possible for visitors to go inside the Buzludzha monument.

If you need a private transfer or a guide you can contact us, we are available to assist you.