Buzludzha Monument

The Buzludzha Monument, located atop Mount Buzludzha in the Balkan Mountains of Bulgaria, is a striking and enigmatic structure that stands as a testament to the country's socialist past. Built in the 1970s as a tribute to the Bulgarian Communist Party, the monument features a distinctive saucer-shaped design adorned with a prominent red star and intricate mosaic artwork. Despite its current state of disrepair, the Buzludzha Monument remains a powerful symbol of Bulgaria's socialist era and attracts visitors intrigued by its unique architecture and historical significance. With its imposing presence against the mountain backdrop, the Buzludzha Monument offers a fascinating glimpse into Bulgaria's complex political history.

We were lucky to visit here on a very cold and crisp morning. There had been heavy snow the night before and we’d had to use snow chains to get up the road, but it was very worth it.
Incredible views of the building, and also from the building. It would be incredible to get inside, but we were happy to be able see around the outside.
There’s always a police office on duty here, so do behave!

Nice place to see the scenery and impressive structure.
12 km of narrow and twisty roads to get there, totally worth it.
If you're there, take a 10 minutes walk to the hill behind the monument, the view isnworth it.

The drive up is spectacular but when you reach the top it is by far the best view out around Plovdiv. The monument is huge, almost impossible to comprehend. Visitors are no longer allowed inside it due to its disrepair.
We spend over an hour just wandering around,sitting down and appreciating the beauty around us.

Maybe it is just me, but this is one of the best things I have ever seen. I think it is the shape of architecture used and how it is unusual, especially places atop a hill overlooking miles and miles of Bulgaria.
The road up here is very fun but it is littered with holes (in fact we managed to pop a tyre) so be careful with that. On the way up there are places to stop for walks, too and when you reach the top there is parking at the aide of the road and then you can walk a little to the monument.
100% worth seeing if you are in Bulgaria. Even though you cannot go inside it, seeing this architecture in such a barren place and looking across all of Bulgaria in the sunshine is something I will not forget.

😁 Free attraction 😁
🏛 Just visited the Buzludzha Monument, and it's a sight to behold! 🌟 The massive, circular structure perched on top of the mountain is truly iconic. 🏔

😮 However, I must say, the state of disrepair is heartbreaking. 🚧 The crumbling walls and broken windows make it look like a ghostly relic of the past. 👻

🕰 Exploring the interior was like stepping back in time. ⏳ The communist-era mosaics and artwork are fascinating. 🎨

😬 On the downside, the neglect is evident. Graffiti covers the walls, and the decay is hard to ignore. 😔

🌄 The view from the top of the tower is breathtaking, though. 🌅 You get a panoramic glimpse of the beautiful Bulgarian landscape. 🇧🇬

🚗 Getting there is an adventure in itself. The winding mountain roads can be challenging to navigate. 🚙

💭 Overall, the Buzludzha Monument is a captivating relic of history, but its current state is a mix of awe and sadness. 🏛🌟😮🚧👻🕰⏳🎨😬😔🌄🌅🇧🇬🚗🚙💭

Absolutely worth the walk/ drive up to the top. O. The day we were there there was some communism festival on so we had to park 2kms from the top and walk the rest. The view from the top is amazing, and even though you can see the monument for miles and miles from the valley before you get to it, you still don't get the full scale of it's size until you are up close to it

Magnificent piece of period architecture. It was shrouded in fog when we arrived but had cleared nicely by 12pm, so maybe not best to be too early. We came from the Shipka monument and the road is in fairly poor condition but still drivable. The road straight down is an much better option. No access to the interior at all and there is a policeman sitting in a box up there. Regardless, well worth the visit.

You either love it or hate it, depending on your political views. The one thing to admit is that the place is enormous and a great piece of engineering and architecture. The views are unbeatable if you are lucky and there is no fog or rain. Take a jacket it is windy and cold most of the time.
If you have a spare time, get the shortcut road to Shipka Monument it is experience to remember.

Absolutely epic. I wish we could get inside (we’re a few years too late for that), but I’m still so happy to have seen this while it’s still so iconic. I’m sure that one day it will either be refurbished or torn down, so it’s really a smallish window to see it while in this unique state of disrepair and abandonment.

The road leading up to the parking we stopped at right next to torches was very winding and in somewhat poor condition. When we got out IT WAS COLD AND WINDY - bring a jacket, even if you were in a town below where the daytime temperature was 30° C, bring a jacket, you will need it.

The hike up was somewhat challenging given the poor weather conditions but the path leading up was good/maintained.

Once we got to the top I found the monument to be enchanting, something about this immense structure with a weird shape, 1.4km above sea level, covered in fog that inspired my imagination.

The panoramic views of the valleys and mountains all around are also incredible when the weather is clear.

I can't recommend visiting this place enough. I'll revisit in the future. Regardless of what you're into this place will manage to capture your attention and interests in some way.

Huge monument on the top of the mountain. Amazing view. The road there from Shipka is in good condition.

One of the most distinctive buildings ever made and some of the best views you could hope to see - you can see for hundreds of kilometres both north and south, which is why the monument is here. Shame that it hasn't been properly restored yet but when (or if) that happens, it'll be a must visit for every traveller.

The nearby windfarm is well worth the moderate walk as you can get right up to the turbines and enjoy an exceptional view of Buzludzha in front of the higher Stara Planina peaks.

Enormous abandoned building, you can walk around only outside. The driving through serpentines is quite long, on the top is quite windy, but the view is nice.

Worth to visit, communist monuments, you cannot find a space shuttle on top of a mountain 🏔 on another place. The infrastructure is in very bad conditions. I think can become a big attraction if it renovated.
It is not far from the main road, so go there. The road is in not bad shape.

Really cool place to visit. Hell of a windy road up to the monument with some sections full of potholes. Parking available at top, we parked out 7.5m motorhome up there. Nice to walk around and look at this impressive monument. No toilets or facilities up there so bring some snacks etc.

The government of Bulgaria should renovate this historical monument it is a gem of tourist attraction and it's extremely sad to see the status of this building. Please I ask all Bulgarians to come together to save this national treasure. You can surely earn a greater income 365days a year.

An absolutely stunning place to visit, great for drone shots and stunning panoramic view of Bulgaria from very high up!

I loved this iconic structure. We visited again in summer and the views are superb.

We visiting 2 years ago in winter and there is so much fog you cannot see so we'll, so check the weather before setting off

All entrances are now blocked and there is security most of the time but you can walk around the exterior.

It is now dangerous to go inside too as it is leaking and parts are collapsing.

I would like to see this restored with access inside but it has to be accepted that it's original purpose is not always popular but it is an incredible building in a unique location.

It's around 3-4hrs from Sofia and maybe slightly less from Plovdiv. If you hire a car, take insurance as this road is damaged and you may damage the vehicle.

It is always worth a visit to see the spectacular views