04/03/2023
If you’re interested in abandoned things or urban exploring, this one’s for you. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, many former bastions of the Communist regime were either remodelled to remove any Soviet associations, demolished, or simply abandoned. The topic of this post falls into the latter category. Perched atop the tallest hill the eye can see in any direction, this UFO-esque monument was originally constructed to celebrate the beginnings of Communism in Bulgaria. In its time it was the pinnacle of Soviet construction and art, with murals made up of 35 TONS of cobalt glass. The mountain itself had 9 metres of its peak blown off in order to create a more stable foundation for the building. The project was massive and very Soviet in character. Grandiose and awe-inspiring are hallmarks of their grand architectural aspirations.
To get in when I was there you had to clamber over some rubble and hoist yourself through a hole in the wall, as the front doors are locked shut and it is officially off limits. Once inside there are a labyrinth of passageways in various stages of disrepair you can explore; going into the basement was pretty terrifying - it was pitch black and I had no flashlight so I was using the flash of my camera to move, going off memory from each shot’s flash. When I came back up there was another guy taking photos; he hadn’t spotted me yet. I gave him the scare of his life when I surprised him out of nowhere, he turned out to be a good guy from Ireland who took it well!!
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