Timothy Allen brought back some great shots of the abandoned Buzludzha monument in Bulgaria. As you can see from some of the before shots, this monument was quite a sight during it’s Communist heyday. I can’t imagine what it would be like to stand in front of an architectural and artistic work of this scale knowing it’s just sitting there rotting away.
Allen used a microlight to get the aerial shots, pretty amazing imagery and story.
More at his site
I find this so fascinating. It’s seems like another world to me. And to make it even trippier, it reminds of a scene from inception where they are in a place like this in the mountains.
Thanks-that is so fascinating and beautiful.
I have some books of Communist architecture but not seen this one before.
Absolutely amazing. Its hard to believe that a place like this even exists. Great work!
Great place for recording a videoclip!
Superman’s Soviet Fortress of Solitude???
But seriously…
Another mind-bending art-edifice erected to the failed Soviet dream; and they did dream, bigger than most institutions. The images are kind of sad–so many hopes left cold and desolate.
I have been inside this structure and it’s incredibly creepy; there is something like a Soviet bar downstairs for mulling about during breaks (or long speeches) with what looks like a mainframe computer room from the 1960’s off to the side (for tallying party votes?).
What is truly fascinating is the amount of detail and artistry in the mosaics in the main chamber; by either conviction or compulsion, the artists who made these put in a great amount of effort.
I do hope the government can preserve these structures from vandalism as they point to an important (albeit unfortunate) era of Bulgarian history. When I was there we just wandered in through a crack in the wall. Would make a great nightclub now…except it’s out in the middle of nowhere.
I had no idea this place existed and I feel better for knowing that I have been educated on its location and purpose. I want to venture to see it one day.
Star wars building …don’t you think ?
Really reminds me of Kempenaers’s ‘Spomenik.’ Really deft title too, these structures have been forgotten to the point of rediscovery.
Oooh, there’s an idea for an excursion!