Buzludzha monument

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The Buzludzha Monument

Buzludzha (Bulgarian: Бузлуджа Buzludzha derived from Turkish icy) is a historical peak in the Central Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria and is 1,441 metres (4,728 feet) high. In 1868 it was the place of the final battle between Bulgarian rebels led by Hadji Dimitar and Stefan Karadzha^[1] and the Ottoman Empire.

The Buzludzha Monument on the peak was built by the Bulgarian communist regime to commemorate the events in 1891 when the socialists led by Dimitar Blagoev assembled secretly in the area to form an organised socialist movement with the founding of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party, a forerunner of the Bulgarian Communist Party. The Monument was opened in 1981.^[2] No longer maintained by the Bulgarian government, it has fallen into disuse. The building exemplifies the brutalist architectural style common to many state constructed communist buildings. The Architect was Guéorguy Stoilov.^[3]

The monument was built at a cost of 14,186,000 leva.^[4]^{[citation needed]}^{[needs context]}

Buzludzha can be reached by two side roads from the Shipka Pass:^[5] either a 16 km (10 mi) road from Kazanlak or a 12 km (7 mi) road coming north from Gabrovo.

Now the monument is abandoned and vandalised. As the roof of the building is heavily damaged, the main entrance of the building has been closed to the public.