Stars trail over Memorial House, a space age monument to Communism, built by the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1981.
The unusual structure, known locally as the “Saucer,” has fallen into disrepair since the fall of the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, although it remains a popular site for graffiti artists.
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"All I could hear was the groaning of the wind and the building creaking."
"Workers - men and women, of the world - unite! Ahead! Comrades, let's bravely build up our great cause! Let's work, let’s create - the worker to enlighten!" This crumbling inscription welcomes visitors at the entrance of a UFO-shaped structure, perched on top of Mount Buzludzha in the Balkan mountain range
With its one-of-a-kind architecture, the Memorial House of the Bulgarian Communist party stands out among the formidable monuments glorifying the regime. The main hall, which hosted party meeting, boasts a diameter of 42 metres, with mosaics of Communist leaders decorating the walls. The ubiquitous hammer and sickle embellish the ceiling. Outside, a 70-metre high column peaked with two built-in red stars – another symbol of communism – reaches towards the sky.
But the monument, which dates to 1981, has turned into an eerie wreck after the authorities stopped paying for its maintenance following the fall of the Communist regime.
Inside the “Saucer,” as locals call it, the stairs are falling apart and there is no light except shafts of daylight entering through gaps in the roof. The sounds of dripping water, falling plaster and the sudden rush of wind echoes around the dank hall.
Despite the breath-taking panoramic views, the place feels haunted. As other visitors departed and I was alone a creepy sensation crept over me - all I could hear was the groaning of the wind and the building creaking.
Thankfully, this feeling left me as soon as I went back into the daylight. Graffiti making fun of the UFO shaped monument covers its facade. The drawings often change because Socialist Party activists clean it regularly. Some artists use the graffiti to express their feelings about the communist regime.
One of the most noticeable drawings in the last few years was a message right above the entrance reading: “Forget your past.”
And indeed, Buzludzha and other monuments from the communist regime spark debates about what their fate should be. Some call for their demolition, while others claim that the monuments should stay because Communist rule is part of the country's history.
The ongoing dispute is a bitter reminder that Bulgarian society is still divided when it comes to its past. There are people who pine for a time when both education and healthcare were free, and those who associate the regime with censorship and repression.
The Socialists, who succeeded the Communist Party after the fall of the regime, still hold their annual summer rally on an open clearing in front of Buzludzha.
But long ago, the Saucer’s outlandish architecture rose above political convictions and captured the imagination of tourists and artists alike.