Monument to a failed Ideology

The Buzludzha Monument in central Bulgaria.

Situated on the Buzludzha peak it has commanding views over central Bulgaria. Even as we drove from Kazanluk back to Sofia you only had to glance to your right to see it standing tall overlooking the valley of the rose fields.

Completed in 1981 by the Bulgarian communist government it is now in a sorry state of repair. Which I think is quite sad, whatever it is, it's a monument to the creativity and achievements of human kind.

You used to be able to go inside but it is now locked as it is unsafe to do so. Nevertheless the selfie brigade have found a way in. There is an underground tunnel that someone has cracked into and we watched as an English motorcycle couple descended into the darkness.

I wished them luck and said I'll look forward to reading about them on the news.

 

There are only two roads to this place, neither are easy. One from the north where it's a gentle climb up a dilapidated road covered in leaves and full of pot holes, or, a steep and windy road to the south, full of hairpin bends but a slightly better road surface.

We came in on one and out on the other, neither were nice.

There are initiatives in place to save this building and I wish them well. Bulgaria isn't well know as a tourist destination, part of the reason we were there. This place could be the crown of their tourist jewels.

The views from up here were just stunning.

 

B&W treatment as befits a 1980's monument.

 

 

Done