Bulgaria Drone Minute - Buzludzha Monument, Kazanlak

Hi everyone, Today we're flying over one of the most striking and unusual structures in all of Bulgaria: the Buzludzha Monument, near Kazanlak.Perched at over 1,400 meters on Buzludzha Peak, this massive concrete structure was built between 1974 and 1981 to commemorate the founding of the Bulgarian socialist movement, and it was designed by architect Georgi Stoilov. With its flying-saucer shape and the tall concrete tower beside it, it's often nicknamed the "UFO" and once you see it from above, that nickname makes a lot of sense.Inside, the monument was once covered in elaborate mosaics depicting scenes from Bulgarian history. But after the fall of the communist government in 1989, the site was abandoned and left exposed to the elements and to vandalism. Today, it stands as a huge, weathered concrete shell, one of the most iconic pieces of Cold War-era architecture in Eastern Europe, and it's even been listed among Europe's most endangered heritage sites.There are preservation efforts underway to try to save it, but for now, Buzludzha remains this strange, powerful monument, isolated on a windswept mountaintop, completely unlike anything else you'll see in this region.Enjoy the flight.Matt