SHUMEN CENTRAL CITY SQUARE [BG]

Exploration #283 Shumen central city square. Conceived in the late 1980s, the Central City Square of Shumen was an ambitious urban megastructure designed to redefine the city center. Interrupted by the political collapse of 1989, the project was never completed and remains one of Bulgaria’s largest unfinished socialist-era constructions.

Designed as a revolutionary civic complex, the project aimed to integrate commercial, administrative, and social functions into a single architectural system. Plans included shops, a hotel, restaurants, cafés, municipal offices, and ceremonial halls, all connected through a vast, multi-level concrete structure extending across an entire city block. At its core stands an imposing 18-storey tower, rising from a six-storey base embedded into the terrain. The complex was conceived with underground levels, tunnel-like passages, and direct connections to nearby buildings such as the Hotel Madara, reflecting a highly modernist vision of urban continuity and functionality.

The redevelopment of the surrounding city center was carried out in parallel, incorporating symbolic elements linked to Bulgarian history. Sculptural motifs and architectural details echoed the nearby Monument to the Founders of the Bulgarian State, creating a cohesive ideological and visual narrative rooted in national identity rather than explicit political symbolism.

However, the fall of the Bulgarian Communist Party in 1989 led to economic instability and the abrupt abandonment of large-scale state projects. The Central City Square became one of many unfinished constructions left behind, though none matched its scale or ambition. Today, the structure stands as a striking example of failed utopian planning—an unfinished vision of a self-contained urban center that reflects both the aspirations and the sudden collapse of late socialist architecture.

BULGARIAN FORGOTTEN SCHOOLS [BG]

Exploration #282 Bulgarian forgotten schools. Across Bulgaria, hundreds of villages have been gradually abandoned, leaving behind a landscape marked by silence and decay. Nearly 200 settlements are now completely uninhabited, while around 500 count fewer than ten residents. Among the most visible remnants of this demographic collapse are rural schools, once central to community life.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Bulgaria was predominantly agricultural, with about 80% of its population living in small villages. Even the smallest settlements typically had a church and a primary school, where children of different ages often shared the same classroom. Larger villages also hosted vocational schools, preparing older students for technical professions.

The decline of these institutions began after World War II, when the communist regime promoted rapid urbanization and industrialization. However, the most dramatic population loss occurred after the fall of communism in the late 20th century, when land privatization and economic instability accelerated migration toward cities and abroad. Today, rural population levels have dropped by approximately 60%. As villages emptied, schools lost their purpose. Many were closed due to the lack of children, leaving behind classrooms, laboratories, and educational materials. In some cases, interiors remain partially preserved: science rooms with equipment, books, and even biological specimens stored in formaldehyde, untouched but slowly deteriorating.

These abandoned schools represent more than neglected buildings. They are tangible records of a profound social transformation, reflecting the decline of rural life and the shifting economic realities that reshaped Bulgaria over the past century.

URANIUM MINE OFFICE [BG]

Exploration #281. This article shows the former headquarters of a state company that managed uranium mining across Bulgaria from 1945 to 1992. The abandoned offices, built in the 1960s, once coordinated a strategic industry central to Cold War geopolitics, before being deserted after the sector’s collapse.

Following the discovery of uranium deposits near Sofia before World War II, mining activity expanded rapidly under Soviet influence. After the war, a joint Soviet-Bulgarian mining structure was established, supported by hundreds of Soviet engineers. Uranium extracted from local mines was transported to the USSR and became a key resource for early nuclear research, including reactors and possibly atomic weapons. The headquarters later became part of the “Redki Metali” (Rare Metals) organization, which employed around 13,000 workers at its peak and oversaw uranium extraction nationwide. Mining operations were intensive and continuous, often carried out manually and under hazardous conditions, with little protection for workers exposed to radiation.

The industry declined after the fall of communism. In 1991, the centralized system fragmented into smaller entities, and by 1992 the Bulgarian government officially ended uranium mining. Administrative buildings, including this headquarters, were abandoned as the entire sector shut down. Beyond its industrial role, the site is tied to long-term environmental consequences. Decades of extraction and processing contaminated soil and water, with restrictions on agriculture already imposed in the 1980s. Even after closure and rehabilitation efforts, radioactive dust and pollution remain persistent issues in the surrounding region.

MINA CHUKUROVO [BG]

Exploration #278. Mina Chukurovo. First worked in 1856, Mina Chukurovo near Gabra (Sofia Province) became Bulgaria’s oldest coal mine, later privatized in 2002; operations stopped in 2015 and the concession was terminated in 2020.

Located in western Bulgaria, the Chukurovo open-pit mine extracted lignite, a fast-burning coal historically used for power generation and industrial heat. Its modern phase was reshaped after privatization in 2002, when the state granted a 20-year concession—a formal attempt to keep the deposit productive in the post-socialist economy. Beneath the abandoned workings lies a much older story written in geology: the Chukurovo lignite basin belongs to the Sofia coal province and its coal-bearing sediments date to the Helvetian (Middle Miocene), formed by ancient swamp environments later compressed into low-rank coal.

The site’s decline is documented with unusual clarity: in late 2014 procedures began to suspend operations, and in early 2015 major layoffs marked the effective end of mining activity. With extraction halted, Mina Chukurovo shifted from workplace to industrial relic—an austere landscape of cut slopes and infrastructure that now preserves, in place, one of Bulgaria’s longest-running chapters of lignite history.

FORGOTTEN STONES: RELICS OF THE COMMUNIST ERA

Scattered across Bulgaria, the monumental relics of the Communist era stand as silent witnesses to a time of ideological fervor and political ambition.  These monuments, sculptures, and murals were erected during communist period to assert the dominance of the new political order, immortalizing key figures and pivotal events that the regime sought to enshrine in the collective memory. Using these grandiose symbols, the regime attempted to craft a narrative of unity, progress, and unshakable power.

However, after the fall of communism in 1989, the existence of these structures came into question. Many were dismantled or altered to align with new political realities, while others were abandoned, their significance diminished to fragments of a past that many Bulgarians preferred to forget. Yet, some monuments remain, enduring as visual testimonies to one of the most controversial chapters in Bulgaria’s modern history.

This photographic project, “Forgotten stones: relics of the Communist Era”, seeks to document and preserve the memory of these historical structures, many of which now face abandonment, decay, or deliberate destruction. By capturing their current state, whether overgrown with vegetation, weathered by time, or forgotten in remote locations, the project aims to highlight the tension between their original purpose and their present reality. This visual archive aspires not only to reflect on the past but also to provoke conversations about the preservation of cultural and historical landmarks in a rapidly changing world.

CHURCH DOMENICA SANTA [BG]

Exploration #256 Church Domenica Santa. During the period of the Ottoman Empire, many churches were built in Bulgaria. Today, many of them are in a poor state of repair or completely abandoned.

This church is located in a small, semi-abandoned village in Bulgaria. Inside, there are beautiful paintings still adorning all the walls and the ceiling. Especially the latter is striking for the beautiful blue colour still present. However, the roof structure is failing, allowing weathering to penetrate inside and erode the structure. We do not know the history of this little church, but from some documents we find scattered around we note that they bear the date 1915 and that its name is supposedly connected to Domenica Santa.

CHEREPISH MONASTERY [BG]

Exploration #179 Cherepish Monastery. We are in Bulgaria, near the banks of the river Iskăr, in a section where the river winds its way between inaccessible rocks in a gorge. It is a cold spring day and the landscape is made magical by an unexpected overnight snowfall. In this picturesque place, the Cherepish Monastery was built in the 14th century and is still a place of worship today. A few metres away are several other religious buildings, now abandoned.

It all began in 1902, when the Sofia Theological School was founded, an institute that became very prestigious over the years. During the Second World War, the School’s buildings were damaged by aerial bombs, forcing the students to be evacuated to various places in the country, including Cherepish, where until 1947 some classes were temporarily transferred to buildings constructed next to the railway. At the end of the war classes returned to the seminary building in Sofia, but in September 1950 the new communist government decided to use the building for the Ministry of Education and exiled the Theological School to the old buildings in Cherepish Monastery. There the life of the seminarians lasted until 1990, when after the fall of the communist regime, the Theological Academy regained its property in Sofia. Since that year the Cherepish Monastery buildings have been abandoned. A guard was initially posted to watch over the place, but over the years everything has been left to decay.

What we are about to visit is the church built by the seminarians removed from Sofia, dedicated to St. Clement of Ohrid (Св. Климент Охридски). The interior of the church was adorned with many frescoes, while the exterior was enriched by a narthex, decorated with columns, from which the bell tower rises. Since liturgical singing was also studied in the Seminary, a large balcony called ‘emporium’ was reserved for the choristers. The garden around the temple was also very well cared for. In the centre of the garden, a stone spring can still be seen, from which water gushed out to quench the thirst of visitors.

Unfortunately, humidity and water infiltration are slowly destroying the frescoes, and uneven ground is creating dangerous cracks by tilting the main walls. Visiting the abandoned church evokes mixed feelings. On the one hand, the quiet and peaceful silence accompanied only by birdsong. On the other hand, the empty church and the probing glances of the many forgotten saints show that everything is perishable, even the buildings that were meant to serve God.

BUZLUDŽA [BG]

Exploration #181. The official name of the Buzludža monument is “Monument House of the Bulgarian Communist Party”. It was built on the Hadzhi Dimitar Peak (until 1942 known as Buzludža Peak), which is close to the geographical centre of Bulgaria. It is the largest ideological monument to the communist regime in Bulgaria. After the political changes in Bulgaria in November 1989, the new government had no interest in this symbol of communism and it was abandoned.

The monument commemorates a secret assembly of socialists from different Bulgarian areas, on 2 August 1891, to form an organized socialist movement, the Bulgarian Social Democratic Party. This assembly was an initiative of the socialist leader Dimitar Blagoev and this new party (from 1894 the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers’ Party) was in fact a forerunner of the Bulgarian Communist Party, founded in 1919. But there are two more reasons why this spot is important for Bulgarian history. On 18 July 1868, the famous revolutionary Hadzhi Dimitar led his rebels in a final battle against the Ottomans, fought at Buzludža Peak. And on 25 January 1944, Bulgarian partisans ambushed here fascist forces engaged in training exercises, ending up in a fierce fire fight, during which several partisans lost their lives.
The decision to build this monument was taken by the Bulgarian Communist Party on 11 March 1971. Its construction began in January 1974 and was financed with donations and the sale of stamps, in total worth more than 14 million Bulgarian Leva (nowadays about 35 million USD). The monument, a round domed building with a 70m high double pylon, was designed by a team led by the architect Georgi Stoilov. The structures were designed by professor engineer Dobromir Kolarov. The Monument House of the Bulgarian Communist Party was unveiled on 23 August 1981 by party and state leader Todor Zhivkov.

To build a stable foundation for the monument, about 9m of the peak had to be levelled; 15,000m³ of rock was dug out, reducing the height of Hadzhi Dimitar Peak from 1441 to 1432m. A total of 70,000 tons of concrete, 3,000 tons of reinforced steel and 40 tons of gilded glass were used for the construction, involving more than 6,000 builders and workers. At the top of the double pylon, on its wide sides, are two irregular 5-pointed stars, made of red glass and measuring 6.5 x 12m (the largest in the world). The stars had lighting fixtures; at darkness, they could be seen from far away.

The round domed building consists mainly of the ceremonial hall with a corridor around it, covered with a copper roof of about 2500m². The round ceremonial hall is decorated with mosaics with a total area of 510m². The hall is surrounded by a corridor with large glass windows, and 14 mosaics covering the walls. More than 60 artists needed about 18 months to create the interior artistic design. All mosaics together cover a surface of about 920m². In the ceiling of the hall, one can still see the mosaic ‘Proletarians from all countries, unite!’, with the communist symbol hammer and sickle.

After the political changes in Bulgaria in November 1989, the new government had no interest in this symbol of communism and it was abandoned. Soon afterwards, the last employees left and the doors were locked. In the following years, the monument deteriorated. It became subject to theft, vandalism and weather influences. The building began to crumble, glass was broken, mosaics, ornaments and other elements of the monument’s structure were torn down. Everything in the building worth stealing, was stolen, including the copper covering the roof.
Several initiatives to preserve the monument had been undertaken throughout the years, not with much success. The latest initiative started in 2019 and after investigation, a Conservation Management Plan was made and it was indicated that the monument could be saved. In 2020, works started to stabilize the surviving mosaic panels. These conservation and preservation efforts are still ongoing.

These photo are from my visit in March 2017 (fog and snow) and March 2018. Nowadays the monument is being renovated.  

ETERNAL REST [BG]

Exploration #47. Drizzle and fog create the perfect setting for urban exploration as we head into the Bulgarian mountains to visit an abandoned Orthodox monastery. Reached after a steep and winding climb, the site once stood among the largest monasteries in the country. Repeatedly looted and rebuilt over centuries, part of the complex was finally abandoned in 1991 after a landslide caused severe damage.

Our destination is a small church built in 1891, located within an old cemetery. While the church itself is sealed, access to the underground crypt is still possible. Inside, rows of human skulls rest on wooden shelves, accompanied by bones and wooden boxes containing additional remains. Each is marked with inscriptions listing names, dates of birth and death, monastic roles, and honors.

The crypt is haunting, unique, and remarkably untouched a rare example of an abandoned religious site that has escaped vandalism. After documenting the crypt and the surrounding abandoned monastery buildings, we leave the site under the same fog and drizzle.

THE SMALL THEATRE [BG]

Exploration #12 . This was an unexpected exploration. I and my fellow traveler were wandering in a small Bulgarian town looking for a beer when our attention was caught by this building. It was a big structure with a well-finished garden and with nice pillars at the front entrance. Looking throughout a window we discovered this was an old theatre, now completely abandoned. Quickly we sneaked inside to explore and to make a couple of pics.

The theatre was strongly vandalized, anyway it would have been rather elegant for its time, with nice curved balconies all long its upper perimeter. There are not many information about the story of this theatre but probably after the fall of communism there was no interest for the locals for a theatre or a cultural building of similar sorts in this really small town.