Buzludzha Communist Party Monument, Bulgaria

Buzludzha is a Communist monument. It is an imposing structure, standing atop a peak in the Bulgaria Balkan Mountains. It is more formally known as the ‘Monument House of the Bulgarian Communist Party’. Buzludzha means “icy” in Turkish.

We visited the snow capped saucer in the winter of 2016. We also visited an abandoned Soviet-era theatre before we made our climb to Buzludzha.

What is this striking Brutalist building?

The monument commemorates the founding of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party. Marking the site where a group of socialists met in secret in 1891. This movement subsequently gave birth to the Communist Party of Bulgaria. Construction got underway in 1974. At this time TNT was used to level the mountain peak, to create stable foundations. The building work continued until 1981.

Inside the Buzludzha Communist Party Monument

Buzludzha is a fine example of Brutalist architecture, a typical building style of many communist buildings. The building is a large disc or saucer. A 107 m high tower carries a red glass star at the top. Inside the main entry, there is a large reception lobby. From there, the stairwells lead to the main auditorium. The most striking characteristic of the main hall is the huge dome ceiling. In the centre lies the prominent communist hammer and sickle. Encircling this logo of socialism, is the Communist Manifesto: “Proletarians of all countries, unite!”.

Communist themed mosaics circle the auditorium. Each portrays a scene commemorating the history of the Bulgarian Communist Party. The mosaics are made of 25 tons of cobalt glass. 

Four stairways lead upwards from the edges of the auditorium. These connect with the outer ring on the top level. The large windows provide wonderful panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

Preservation and renovation of the communist monument

As a result of neglect and the harsh Bulgarian winters, Buzuldzha was a ruin for many decades. There were regular attempts to secure this apparently dangerous building, but it seems that new ways opened up as fast as the old ones are sealed. The once beautiful mosaics became marred with graffiti. The communist monument was a mecca for photographers and explorers of the past, for many years.

In 2018, the monument gained recognition as one of seven endangered heritage sites in Europe. Thereafter, the Buzludzha Project Foundation received a Getty grant of $185,000. Subsequently, a conservation management plan was established to define the scope of conservation work. This resulted in a second Getty Scholarship, specifically for the stabilization of historical mosaics.

Currently, the preservation work is ongoing.