Known every bit “Bulgaria’s UFO”, the Buzludzha Monument hides inward the Balkans every bit the former Bulgarian Communist Party Headquarters, in addition to has instruct ane of the most odd spots inward the country.
I did some urban exploration at this fascinating site to find out to a greater extent than almost this curious attraction.
NOTE – You CAN NOT instruct into the Buzludzha Monument anymore. All holes induce got been either welded alongside metallic element plates or covered in addition to packed alongside stones, blocking the entrance.
There is a total – fourth dimension safety guard that monitors the premises now. You tin flame soundless go in addition to hold off but from the exterior only.
History Of The Buzludzha Monument
Perched on top of a bald colina surrounded past times rolling mountains in addition to forested gorges, the abandoned Buzludzha Monument is ane of the most odd sights inward all of the Balkans.
Often referred to every bit Bulgaria’s UFO, the Buzludzha Monument is a stunning, impressive in addition to hypnotic will to Soviet evolution in addition to control.
Located on the historical Mount Buzludzha, the construction of this concrete monstrosity was completed in 1981 at a toll of over 14.1 ane 1000 m Bulgarian Lev (or almost 7.2 ane 1000 m Euro).
Its spot was non chosen past times coincidence. Mount Buzludzha is the site of the famous terminal battle betwixt Bulgarian rebels in addition to the Ottoman Empire inward 1868.
This was also the exact spot where inward 1891 socialists, led past times Dimitar Balgoey, assembled on the peak to shape the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party, which was the forerunner to the Bulgarian Communist Party.
The Buzludzha Monument was designed past times the architect Georgi Stoilov in addition to built every bit a memorial to those events. Its unveiling occurred on August 23rd, 1981
It became the menage of the Bulgarian Communist Party, or the Bulgarian Communist Party headquarters. However its run was ever intended to live exactly a monument to past times events, in addition to designed to recollect the progression of communism inward the country.
When the Soviet Union collapsed inward 1989 the Buzludzha Monument was abandoned in addition to all funds designated to its upkeep were diverted elsewhere.
Over fourth dimension it has fallen into a province of disrepair in addition to instruct a pop goal for urban explorers in addition to those alongside a curiosity for these fascinating abandoned communist buildings.
The Bulgarian regime has been doing its best to deter people from breaking into its interior, constantly installing steel bars in addition to placing safety guards at its doors.
However it cannot ever live protected, in addition to no sooner has ane bar been spot up, some other hole is smashed into it.
Unfortunately the Buzludzha Monument is falling apart in addition to getting to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than unsafe every bit vandals proceed to harm the building. Two Frenchman fifty-fifty died within Buzludzha a few years ago.
It’s alone a thing of fourth dimension earlier this house is closed permanently, or it is turned into a museum, every bit it should be.
For straightaway it remains every bit ane of the most off-the-beaten-path destinations inward Bulgaria, in addition to ane of the coolest things to exercise inward the Balkans.
My Journey To Bulgaria’s UFO
I had heard stories of its existence in addition to had ever been intrigued past times it. H5N1 concrete UFO hidden inward the mountains? Take me there!
Fellow travellers had talked to me about communist urban exploration, in addition to I knew that if I ever constitute myself inward Republic of Bulgaria that the Buzludzha Monument would live at the top of my list.
While Alesha was dorsum dwelling menage inward Australia I decided to leave of absence Turkey in addition to motility into the neighbouring nation, officially entering the Balkans.
My get-go goal was Plovdiv, a vibrant in addition to picturesque town that had been nominated every bit the “European Capital of Culture” inward 2019.
As it was coming into wintertime the gamble to run across other backpackers was dwindling, in addition to I constitute myself almost lonely at the best hostel inward Plovdiv, The Crib, for my entire stay.
Not wanting to see Buzludzha on my own, I waited patiently until at that spot were to a greater extent than explorers to go with.
After an exciting in addition to busy Christmas inward Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, I met upwardly alongside some friends in addition to nosotros decided to caput dorsum to Plovdiv in addition to explore the Buzludzha Monument.
The five of us teamed upwardly in addition to rented a car, aiming for the peaks of the Balkans on a late-December morning.
The air was crisp in addition to the heaven was blue. The mood was jovial. We were ready to uncovering Buzludzha.
We snaked in addition to twisted towards the Central Balkan Mountains, spending our fourth dimension joking around in addition to exactly gazing out at the Bulgarian countryside every bit it passed by.
After alone an hr nosotros reached the buc0l1c town of Shipka, dwelling menage to a magnificent pinkish in addition to golden church.
While our intentions were good in addition to genuinely onrush the Buzludzha Monument, visiting the Shipka Memorial Church was an first-class cultural sidetrip to pause upwardly the journey.
This Bulgarian Orthodox church building was built betwixt 1885 in addition to 1902 in addition to soars to a elevation of 53m.
It is dedicated to soldiers who died for the liberation of Republic of Bulgaria inward 1887-1888. The bells within are cast from cartridges recovered from the Russo-Turkish War, which took thence many immature lives.
The Sun was rising higher inward the heaven in addition to nosotros launched the auto the terminal 10km to Mount Buzludzha.
One especial curvature inward the route afforded us our get-go stance of the UFO, in addition to nosotros allow out collective sighs of awe.
There it was, inward all its glory, capping the top of the mount similar a misplaced hat.
We could barely comprise our excitement, in addition to sped upwardly the twisting roads.
Halfway upwardly Mount Buzludha nosotros came to a powerful symbol of Soviet control, in addition to had to halt to admire its audacity.
Two large Fe fists asset flaming torches created a dazzling spectacle. When it came to authoritative signs, the Soviet Union knew what would intimidate the people.
With our photos snapped nosotros continued upwardly the mountain, closing inward on our goal.
We parked the auto in addition to couldn’t accept our eyes off of it.
Rather than running upwardly the stairs similar I had envisioned, filled alongside excitement to finally live here, nosotros all stepped thoughtfully towards it.
The bizarre concrete UFO demanded abide by in addition to caution.
With each metre gained the Buzludha Monument rose higher in addition to deeper, casting an imposing shadow over us.
Instead of rushing for the interior, nosotros respectfully did a lap of the outside, admiring the graffiti that has been plastered over the monument inward recent years.
“Enjoy Communism”
“Never Forget Your Past”
These stylised pieces of fine art formed powerful statements that captured our attending in addition to conversation for minutes at a time.
Once nosotros had admired the exterior nosotros tried to uncovering our agency inside.
The large steel doors that grade the official entrance induce got long been bolted shut, in addition to it took some searching to uncovering a novel agency in.
To the correct nosotros constitute a pocket-size gap inward the concrete that had been demolished past times previous urban explorers.
I induce got since been told that the regime regularly closes upwardly these makeshift openings, trying to deter people from visiting.
Today, however, nosotros were lucky.
With some uncomplicated climbing in addition to a mensuration over a long, slightly unsafe drop, nosotros were finally within the Buzludzha Monument.
Beams of calorie-free dissected the debris-strewn basement, in addition to it felt every bit though nosotros had stepped into forbidden territory.
Broken bottles, chipped concrete in addition to pieces of re-bar littered the floor, in addition to nosotros had to remain vigilant every bit nosotros made our agency out of the darkness in addition to into the impressive auditorium.
Up the dilapidated staircase, in addition to nosotros were within the most iconic business office of the Buzludzha Monument.
A surprisingly clean, white marble flooring spread out beneath a domed ceiling that had begun to partially collapse from years of neglect.
Circular seating surrounded the room, in addition to detailed mosaics of Communist heroes adorned the entire wall.
The roof allowed sunlight to penetrate the auditorium, in addition to the symbolic emblem of communism, the hammer in addition to sickle, remained almost intact inward the centre.
Each pace echoed around the auditorium, in addition to nosotros could envision the room filled alongside the voices of Soviet powers screaming propaganda at dedicated listeners.
We continued our exploration, walking around the mosaics in addition to studying them intently.
Vandals had removed many of the tiles, in addition to tags were painted over some of the faces. Clearly without restoration this house would autumn into consummate decay.
A terminal lap on the surrounding exterior gave us views through opened upwardly windows in addition to nosotros admired the soaring tower above.
We knew it was possible to climb 107m to the top of the Red Star, in addition to nosotros rushed off to accomplish it.
Back to the basement nosotros constitute a pocket-size entrance that led off into the darkness.
Stepping along narrow concrete pillars nosotros ventured deeper into the bowels of Buzludzha, eventually hitting a serial of ladders.
At this indicate it was almost pitch black, in addition to nosotros were forced to usage our phones to create calorie-free to consider our way.
Rung after rusted rung, nosotros climbed higher into the guts. Eventually the ladders transformed into steep staircases, in addition to nosotros spiralled our agency upwardly the tower.
Numbers marked the floors nosotros were reaching – 9, 10, 11, in addition to thence on – in addition to nosotros kept climbing until nosotros were progressively bathed inward brilliant light.
The Red Star materialised, embedded inward the concrete, in addition to nosotros could consider the peaks exterior the tower. We were high inward a higher house Mount Buzludzha, alongside soundless to a greater extent than height to live gained.
Rumours had been spread inward the past times that the Red Star was really made of rubies. I picked upwardly a slice of broken ruby-red drinking glass from the dry reason in addition to examined it. There was zero precious or valuable almost it.
Clearly this rumour had been spread past times those inward ability to speak upwardly the wealth of the regime. I pocketed a slice of the drinking glass every bit a souvenir, in addition to climbed higher.
One terminal flying of stairs broke us onto the roof of the tower, in addition to nosotros had made it to the top of the Buzludzha Monument.
The views from the top were exactly incredible, in addition to nosotros stared out into the Central Balkan Mountains, wondering what other foreign monuments lay inward the forests.
Some corroded scaffolding surrounded the edges, in addition to desperate to accomplish the “highest” indicate of the tower I climbed in addition to stepped onto the concrete walls.
Shuffling out to the far edge, I looked downward at the desperate in addition to precipitous drib beneath me. Catching some selfies I sat downward to admire the residue of the vistas.
At some indicate nosotros checked the fourth dimension in addition to realised nosotros had spent almost three hours at the abandoned communist monument in addition to decided to leave of absence earlier the wintertime twenty-four hours ended abruptly.
Scaling dorsum downward the tower, through the decrepit interior in addition to out the chipped concrete, nosotros were safely arrived dorsum at the car.
Our grouping piled inward in addition to made our agency dorsum to Plovdiv, but non earlier making a detour to some other monument, this fourth dimension turned into a museum.
A few hours afterward nosotros had arrived dorsum at The Crib inward Plovdiv, in addition to excitedly talked almost how amazing the day’s urban exploration had been.
We cracked some beers to celebrate in addition to discussed how many other fascinating abandoned Soviet monuments must live scattered throughout the Balkans in addition to the one-time Yugoslavia.
Quietly I made a goal to myself to see every bit many every bit possible. But for straightaway I was happy alongside the Buzludzha Monument existence my get-go foray into this side of incredible communist structures.
How long volition it live possible to explore this fascinating site? How presently volition the regime finally unopen it for good. Only fourth dimension volition tell…
How to Get to the Buzludzha Monument
There are a bunch of dissimilar ways yous tin flame instruct to the Buzludzha Monument , but nosotros experience that renting a auto is the best way.
Note that at that spot is no world carry to Mount Buzludzha.
The closest villages to remain inward nigh the Buzludzha Monument is Shipka and Kazanlâk. You tin flame accept local buses to these towns, in addition to and thence hire a taxi to leave of absence there.
Getting to Buzludzha from Sofia volition accept almost 2.5 hours, making the entire a twenty-four hours a large mission.
Personally nosotros think the best agency is to instruct to Buzludzha from Plovdiv, which is a lot closer in addition to has a corking break of options to rent cars in addition to accommodation.
The crusade out to Buzludzha from Plovdiv should alone accept 1 to 1.5 hours.
Stay at The Crib for some corking tips from the owner, Joscko, on how to leave of absence at that spot in addition to what else to consider inward the region.
If yous desire to remain somewhere else in addition to thence Plovdiv has a huge break of corking accommodation options.
Click hither to book your accommodation inward Plovdiv.
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