site.btaBuzludzha Festival Visitors Call for Converting Former Communist Party Monument into Tourist Attraction

The former Memorial House of the Bulgarian Communist Party in Mt Buzludzha, in the central Balkan Range, should be preserved and converted into a tourist attraction, according to the common opinion of guests at the Open Buzludzha Festival which ran from August 15 to 17. Attendees shared with BTA their vision for the future of the site.

The three-day festival gathered people from across Bulgaria and abroad, eager to learn more about the history of the monument and future conservation and revitalization efforts.

"Given that for nearly 35 years nothing was done about it, I believe Kazanlak Municipality’s upcoming project to secure the monument is a good start," said Kazanlak-based photographer Bedros Azinyan, who was one of the official photographers during the memorial’s construction (1974-1981) and subsequent operation. He expressed hope that the project would be followed through and that part of the monument could be restored to serve as a tourist site. “I’m a living witness and I know what this monument was like from the moment it opened,” Azinyan said, adding that the structure can’t be restored to its original functioning state, but it can be preserved.

“I see the monument from my balcony every morning,” Todor Ivanov from Kazanlak said. He attended the festival with his children, not only because of the interesting daytime programme but also because he wants them to learn about history, no matter how painful it may be. “We tend to erase our history, and it shouldn’t be like that. This period shouldn’t be forgotten, we must learn our lessons from it,” Ivanov said, adding that the memorial should continue to exist and be developed into a tourist attraction that would benefit the region.

“There’s no other monument like this in the world,” said Ivelina Popova from Plovdiv, attending the festival for the third year in a row. She added that it’s high time someone took responsibility and restored the site, which already draws visitors from Bulgaria and all over the world.

“We learned about the history of the place here at the festival,” tourists from Poland said. Visiting the Buzludzha monument was one of their top priorities on the trip to the region, they added. They had seen it in international publications and believe there's nothing like it globally. They described the structure as impressive and said it was fascinating to learn what it represents. They added that they would return if the site became a full-fledged tourist attraction.

Stefan Ventsislavov from Kazanlak said he hopes the monument can be restored so that it can be used safely and that its future concept should be rooted in its history. He believes that any renovation work should be funded externally or through foreign investors. The former communist memorial, he said, "could serve as a reminder of the past, so that people learn from it and better appreciate the lives they have today".

The festival attracted people from all over Bulgaria and Bulgarians living abroad. Some visitors said they were surprised that such a cultural forum was taking place at the site, as they had assumed it was long abandoned and forgotten.

According to organizers, the Open Buzludzha Festival drew visitors from over 20 countries. It featured a diverse daytime and nighttime programme. This year’s 3D mapping display on the monument’s facade showcased the concept for the future of the site, developed by the Buzludzha Project Foundation. The festival’s motto was “A Story to Share”, and attendees interviewed by BTA unanimously said that sharing this experience and the future plans for Buzludzha was exciting.

Architect Dora Ivanova, founder and director of the Buzludzha Project Foundation, the festival organizer, stated that the event gathers thousands of people who admire the monument and want to learn more about its history. “We believe such a unique place, unlike anything else in the world, has the capacity to attract both artists and ordinary visitors interested in understanding the historical context and Bulgaria itself,” Ivanova said. She emphasized that while the monument is architecturally unique, what lies behind its facade carries great responsibility. “We are now working on how to convey the messages of the future Buzludzha, how to tell its story, and how to include people in it,” she explained.

Ivanova underlined that the monument must be preserved, but also filled with meaning and content, so that the important, complex, traumatic, and controversial moments of history are not forgotten, so that people can learn from them.

Festival attendees shared various ideas for the monument’s future: it could become a museum, a contemporary art space, a concert hall, or even include hotel facilities, children’s playgrounds, and a camping zone. All agreed that the monument is globally unique, both architecturally and historically, and would undoubtedly attract interest as a tourist destination. Some visitors expressed concerns about the costs of securing and maintaining the site but believed the location had the potential to recover the necessary investment. Most believed that any future development should be based on the monument’s historical context and the messages and ideology it embodies.

Over the next 36 months, a project for the preservation of the Buzludzha Monument will be carried out by the Municipality of Kazanlak. The project, worth nearly BGN 7 million, will be implemented jointly with the Buzludzha Project Foundation and the Regional Administration of Stara Zagora, as the structure is state-owned. The plan envisions reconstructing the roof and replacing the windows of the building, the most urgent steps for making the structure safe.