Buzludzha: A crumbling reminder of communism | The Economist
Buzludzha was once the futuristic, flying-saucer shaped headquarters of the Communist Party in Bulgaria, but it is now a semi-ruin after being left to rot.
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This is Buzludzha, the former home of Bulgaria's Communist Party which lies 200 kilometers east of Sofia. It was built in 1981, at a time when the power of the communist regime seemed unshakable. Now it's crumbling. When it was first commissioned enormous effort was put into constructing the building. It was 15 million Levs, or $35 million today and five years in the making.
6,000 workers, including artists, sculptors, and soldiers from the Bulgarian army came together to construct this elegant monstrosity. Their aim? To create a building that would impress, inspire, and intimidate to make visible the might of the Communist Party. For some the marble and mosaics were a source of pride. For others it was a constant reminder of communisms firm grip on society.
Less than a decade after Buzludzha was opened the communist regime was overthrown and as Bulgarians embrace democracy, this epic monument to communism was abandoned.
ownership of Buzludzha has fallen to the post communist state. But Bulgaria is one of the poorest countries in the European Union and it does not have enough money to maintain or repair it. Instead, the building has been left to the elements.
But there is a haunting beauty in the buildings decline, and people have recently been finding creative uses for the space. Huben Hubenov, editor of a fashion magazine in Bulgaria, staged a photo shoot there in July. It has also been used for art exhibitions, workshops, and as a backdrop for a music video by a French pop band. Even though it's technically closed, dozens of visitors explore Buzludzha every week. The area isn't serviced by public transport so the curious must drive or bike some 30 kilometers outside of a town called Gabrovo, up a dangerous mountain road. Once there, they'll confront crumbling staircases, barred entrances, and broken glass. To enter they must crawl through a small opening on the side of the building, and over a 10 meter drop.
Experts believe a full renovation would cost over $19 million - a price tag that leaves Bulgarians conflicted. Some suggest demolishing the structure. Others think it could be used as a museum to remember communism - but even this is controversial.
25 years after its completion, Buzludzha is still a divisive topic. Bulgarians have different visions for its future but most agree that it should have one.
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Buzludzha, Former Communist Headquarters, Bulgaria.
All photographs by Nicola Miller:
The House of the Bulgarian Communist Party is the largest monument in Bulgaria. It is located on mount Buzludzha (1441 m) in the Balkan Mountain. It was erected for the 90th anniversary of the Buzludzha congress, where the Bulgarian Social-Democratic Workers' Party, the predecessor of the Bulgarian Communist Party, was founded. 16 million leva were collected as both voluntary and obligatory donations for the construction of the monument. Eventually, 14 186 000 leva were spent (approximately $ 13 500 000 of those days). The rest was spent on the construction of three kindergartens. It took military construction units almost seven years to complete the monument. Altogether more than 6000 workers and experts took part in the construction work. More than 20 leading Bulgarian artists, worked for 18 months in order to complete the interior decoration. Verses of The International and The Worker's March were inscribed on the entrance of of the meorial. The interior used to be partly covered in marble. The staircases were decorated with red cathedral glass. In the 15 meter-high main hall of the memorial a 500 sq.m. fresco present portraits of Marx, Engels, Lenin and the Bulgarian communist leader Todor Zhivkov. The dome of the structure was covered with thirty tones of cooper. Two 12m stars of ruby glass was built-in on the top of the 70m high pylon of the monument that symbolizes a waving communist flag. Buzludzha stars were made in the Soviet union, and they were three times bigger than those in Kremlin. The monument was inaugurated by Todor Zhivkov, himself. In a hole left deliberately in the building's walls, he laid a glass bottle that contained a message to the future generations, explaining the historical significance of Buzludzha. On 10th of November 1989 Zhivkov stepped down after 35 years in power. Immediately afterwards, Politburo ordered the removal of his portrait from the memorial. In 1991 the monument, which still belonged to the ex-communist party, was ceded to the state and was abandoned, looted and left to self-destruction.
Information taken from: nikolamihov.com/forget_your_past.html
Secret Filming | Communist Bulgaria | Sofia | TV Eye | 1981
Thames Televisions went on assignment in Communist Bulgaria. Due to government restrictions they were forced to pose as tourists and film using tourist cameras.
First shown: 03/09/1981
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archive@fremantle.com
Quote: VT25233
Abandoned Communist Headquarters (BUZLUDZHA) in BULGARIA
High up in the mountains of Bulgaria is the abandoned communist headquarters monument where the communist party held all of their meetings until communism went away and subsequently the building was abandoned soon thereafter.
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Song: Pedro versus the world by the Jingle Punks
Communist Camp Survivors
Bulgarian Communist camp-survivors in this fragment of the 1991 epic documentary The Camps. With the permission of the director Atanas Kiryakov.
EXPLORING ABANDONED BUILDING IN BULGARIA
008 – Video – Communism Entirely Changed the Bulgarian National Character and Now Not Bulgarians But
Description
ufo communist headquarters - buzludzha bulgaria
breaking into abandoned communist building in bulgaria? great idea. super impressive and it felt so unreal, I can't even describe it.
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Socialist art museum opens in Bulgaria
(24 Aug 2011) SHOTLIST
AP Television
Sofia, Bulgaria - August 19, 2011
1. Close of Lenin statues in museum garden
2. Wide of Lenin statues
3. Close of socialist worker statues
4. Close of sign reading: (Bulgarian) Museum of Socialist Art
5. Close of statue face
6. Wide of statues in museum garden
7. Wide of man watering garden
8. Close of sculptor inspecting statue
9. Various of scupltor working on statue
10. Various of statue being lifted onto lorry
11. Various of red star statue being hoisted onto podium
12. Various of sculptor Ivan Nenkov working on Lenin statue
13. SOUNDBITE: (Bulgarian) Ivan Nenkov, scultpor
At this moment we are restoring some of the sculptures for Museum of Socialist Art, the most damaged are Georgi Dimitrov (first leader of the Bulgarian communist party) and Lenin.
14. Various of Lenin statue being repaired
15. Various of Lenin statue being winched into position
16. Close of military statue
17. Wide interior of museum staff preparing painting
18. Wide of paintings ready to be hung in gallery
19. Close of hands restoring painting
20. Close of painting
21. Mid of painting being treated
22. Wide of painting
23. Mid of museum worker inspecting painting
24. Mid silhouette of worker treating painting
25. Close of painting of farmer being restored
26. Mid of workers lifting painting showing soldier kissing woman
27. SOUNDBITE: (Bulgarian) Bisera Josifova, museum curator
Without getting too deep into politics or getting too emotional, we have to approach this period professionally. It''s not a standalone history and can''t be called totalitarian. I agree with my colleagues, including the Minister of Culture (Vezdy Rashidov) to accept the name of this museum�The Museum of Socialist Art.
28. Close of hands restoring painting
29. SOUNDBITE: (Bulgarian) Bisera Josifova, museum curator
There are other such museums in Europe, but they are with completely different personalities. In Hungary such a museum is called the Museum of Terror. I keep saying, that especially for Bulgaria totalitarian is not corresponding to the nature, subject and the concept of our museum. Totalitarian art is the art of the Third Reich, art during Mussolini''s dictatorship. Totalitarian art is the art of North Korea.
30. Mid of painting restoration
31. Wide of statue
LEADIN:
A new art museum opening in Sofia symbolizes Bulgaria''s long and painful farewell to its totalitarian past.
Hundreds of paintings and statues from the Communist era - which had been gathering dust in cellars - are now being restored for a place in their new home.
STORYLINE:
Giant statues of Soviet dictators Vladimir Lenin and local Bulgarian socialists Georgi Dimitrov and Todor Zhivkov.
These are some of the works being exhibited at a new museum to remind Bulgarians of their totalitarian past.
They were removed after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 - an event that triggered a political tsunami through Soviet satellites in Eastern Europe sweeping away landmark symbols of the communist regimes.
But while Budapest, Berlin and Prague opened similar expositions years ago, it took Bulgaria more than two decades to put together a collection of totalitarian art.
This giant red star being lifted into its new home outside the museum has deep symbolism.
This same star was removed from the roof of the Bulgarian communist party headquarters 21 years ago following collapse of the communist regime.
Since then the ornamental red star has gathered dust in the back of a public bath, where it was being stored.
Retrieved from cellars and warehouses, more than 100 artworks will be put on display in a museum, that''s due to open next month in Sofia''s Izgrev suburb.
Many of the statues need a lot of work to make them presentable.
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Bulgaria: A Communist Story
An IB HL History assignment, in which a case study of Bulgaria's Communist regime is examined.
Bulgarians celebrate New Year and EU accession
SHOTLIST
1. Crowd in Battenberg Square, Sofia celebrating New Year
2. Screen with countdown to New Year on it with Bulgarian flag changing into European Union flag
3. Various of firework display
4. Crowd watching firework display
5. People waving Bulgarian flags
6. A couple kissing
7. SOUNDBITE: (Bulgarian) Marko:
This is an historical moment. It is a wonderful night. We hope for better things in the future.
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tanja, student:
I don't have big expectations but I know that it will take time so we will see. Bulgaria is not ready economically but we should be more optimistic so
Happy New Year.
9. Two women embracing
10. Revellers waving at camera
11. Various of fireworks
STORYLINE
In the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, thousands of revellers crammed into Battenberg Square and cheered and embraced each other as the clock struck midnight on Sunday.
Bulgarians were not only celebrating the advent of 2007 but their accession to the European Union.
Fireworks lit up the sky over the building where the Communist Party once had its headquarters, and the European Union's anthem sounded out over loudspeakers.
In an emotional address to the nation minutes before midnight, Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov called the country's EU entry a heavenly moment.
Bulgaria and Romania will both become new members of the European Union with the advent of the New Year.
But the two ex-communist Balkan nations, hailing from one of the poorest corners of Europe, are joining under strict conditions and at a time when EU leaders are putting the brakes on further enlargement.
Both countries must report to the EU every six months to show progress in reforms, or risk losing a chunk of economic aid.
Tanja, a student was one of the revellers in Battenburg Square. She said, I don't have big expectations but I know that it will take time so we will see. Bulgaria is not ready economically but we should be more optimistic so Happy New Year.
Bulgaria and Romania threw off communism in 1989, applied for EU membership in 1995 and began accession talks in 2000.
The negotiations ended two years ago, and the European Commission declared in September that both were ready to join the bloc.
Despite lingering problems with corruption and judicial reforms, both countries have had strong economic growth following years of deep recession. Growth in 2006 is estimated at 5.5 percent in Bulgaria and 7 percent in Romania.
Keyword-wacky
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House of the Party Buzludzha
The Memorial House of the BCP is the largest communist monument in Bulgaria. It is a dynamic contexture of two parts - vertical pylon (70 m of height) with a red star on top -- a symbol characteristic for the regime, and a horizontal volume -- a domed round state hall (60 m diameter) with a dome, in the center of which is placed another communist symbol - hammer and sickle.The main material is visible concrete (even in the interior) for impressive image clarity and sincerity of expression architectural forms are brief, large-scale, inspired by the idea of a crown placed on top - a symbol of the people's gratitude and a waving communist flag''.
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INSIDE THE ABANDONED BULGARIAN MONUMENT (SECRET MEETINGS HELD INSIDE)
Was only expecting to view the outside of this monument, so being able to go inside, was an unreal experience. Hope you all enjoy!
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Cylinder Eight by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
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Bulgaria: pl. Nezavisimost, Sofia (1/3) 2016-09-14(Wed)1758hrs
- Nezavisi Bridge Square in central Sofia with the building of the former Bulgarian Communist Party headquarters in view.
舊ブルガリア共產黨本部を背景としたブルガリア共和國首都ソフィア市中心部のネザヴィシ橋廣場。
Bulgarian Communists Bow To Popular Demands
(27 Nov 1989) Full Story: w046086
27/11/1989
N.B. A Beta SP copy of this tape is held in the library
}QUOTE REF
GS27118906 Thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets on November 20 in
27.11.89 support of the governments new programme of reform. In the
towns of Russa and Vraca crowds of banner waving people
expressed their support for the new government of Petar
Mladenov. The demonstrations were in direct contrast to
protests held two days earlier as the fledgling opposition
drew a crowd of 100,000 in the capital Sofia, demanding
immediate free elections and charging the family of former
leader todor Zhivkov with moral financial corruption. It was
the largest political demonstration ever seen in post-war
Bulgaria.The Nov. 20 rally coincided with demands from
reformers in bulgarias new leadership for an end to the
dominace of the Communist Party and for new laws to prevent a
return of conditions that prevailed under Zhivkov. Andrei
Lukanov, elected to the Politburo on Nov. 17, said that the
roles of government and party must be clearly definded.
Date Shot:20/25.11.89
WTN GS TAPE & CASSETTE GS271189
** **
-------------------------------------------------------------
25.11.89 SOFIA. Petrov addressing rally. Night shots sofia
university. University entrance sign. Ecoglasnost supporters
entering hall. GV platform with banner. Secretary Alexander
Karakachanov at microphone. Ballot box on table. show of
hands. Information spokesman dmitrina Petrova at microphone.
People signing petition. (WTN)
GS27118906
G27118906 / 27.11.89 / GS / BULGARIA / SOFIA / REFORMS / COMMUNISM / COMMUNIST PARTY / RUSSA / VRACA / CROWDS / BANNERS / MLADENOV,PETAR* / DEMONSTRATION / ELECTIONS / PRO DEMOCRACY / ZHIVKOV,TODOR* / CORRUPTION
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Bulgaria: pl. Nezavisimost, Sofia (2/3) 2016-09-14(Wed)1801hrs
- Nezavisi Bridge Square in central Sofia with the building of the former Bulgarian Communist Party headquarters in view.
舊ブルガリア共產黨本部を背景としたブルガリア共和國首都ソフィア市中心部のネザヴィシ橋廣場。
Memorial House of the Bulgarian Communist Party, (Buzludzha Monument)
Memorial House of the Bulgarian Communist Party,
(Buzludzha Monument),
Shipka Pass, Bulgaria,
built in 1981,
Architect Guéorguy Stoilov
Communist Heritage in Bulgaria 1
Is Bulgaria still a communist country?
Answering here if Bulgaria is still a communist country.