The Buzludzha monument, a colossal UFO-shaped structure built to celebrate the founding of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party, sits abandoned on a mountain peak near the town of Kazanlak. After the fall of the Communist regime, the building was left to decay, but in recent years it has attracted thousands of curious visitors, urban explorers, and photographers due to its eerie and deteriorating interiors. The Kazanlak local council is now considering purchasing the monument in order to increase its popularity as a tourism destination.
Despite being in an unstable condition and off-limits to visitors, the Buzludzha monument still manages to attract around 50,000 urban explorers each year. The decaying structure has garnered internet fame and has been the subject of restoration efforts, particularly the interior mosaics that cover an area of around 1,000 square meters. The wall designs, which exalt Communist values and leaders, are made up of over two million tiles, but the dome has partially collapsed over the years, leaving them vulnerable to the elements.
The proposal from the Kazanlak council marks the first time that a public body has expressed interest in purchasing the Buzludzha monument. Mayor Galina Stoyanova plans to invest €3.5 million from the EU Recovery Plan in the restoration of the building, with the goal of transforming it into a tourist attraction. The structure, currently owned by the Bulgarian state, was previously in the hands of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, which lacked the funding to protect the monument. Despite the building’s potential as an architectural and cultural asset, it remains a controversial symbol due to its Communist connections.
The Buzludzha monument celebrates the 1,300th anniversary of the creation of the first Bulgarian state and the 90th anniversary of the founding of the first Socialist Party. Nearby mountain slopes continue to be used for annual gatherings of Bulgarian Socialists, highlighting the site’s ongoing political and ideological significance. If the mayor’s proposal is approved, a referendum will be held for residents to vote on whether the council should purchase the monument. Additionally, in 2020, an international team of restorers began work on preserving the interior mosaics, which have been privately funded up to this point.
The deteriorating Buzludzha monument, with its striking UFO-like design and historical significance, has become a popular attraction for urban explorers, photographers, and tourists. The Kazanlak local council’s proposal to purchase the structure and invest in its restoration could potentially transform it into a thriving tourism destination. As efforts to preserve the building and protect its intricate mosaics continue, the monument’s controversial past as a Communist memorial remains a topic of debate. Ultimately, the fate of the Buzludzha monument will be decided by the residents of Kazanlak, who will vote on the council’s proposal in a forthcoming referendum.
