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    Bulgaria

    Buzludzha: The Weirdest Building in the World

    September 23, 2017

    Plotted in the center of Bulgaria on top of a mountain may be the weirdest building in the world. Its name is Buzludzha. It is the destination of backpackers and urban explorers alike. It is the subject of amateur horror movies, photography explorations, and ski movies. It is the ex-communist party’s Bulgarian headquarters. Here is my experience.

    We were in the beautiful city of Veliko Tarnovo (highly recommended) and decided to rent a car to visit Buzludzha (tours are also available but cars are more fun and cheaper with more people).

    Buzludzha is located between the two main cities of VT (noted above) and Plovdiv. It takes about 2 hours to get there by car. It is also possible by public transportation to get there, but I think it is hard – we picked up some hitchhikers who were doing it by public transportation.

    The approach to the site is a winding road through a forest that opens to the mountain-top that reveals the behemoth of Buzludzha. 2 iron fists holding a flame (which actually looks just like an ice cream cone) welcome you to its entrance. Then, you can walk up about 500m to the entrance, or drive around the back and take the driveway. However, the walk up is pretty fun as you bask in the glory that is Buzludzha’s ridiculousness.

    You enter by dropping about 7m down a hole in the ground, wind through some dark and flooded rooms and up some stairs and you are in the center of the dome (UFO part). As long as you are not going at night or the dead of winter, there is likely to be other tourists visiting the site who can help you find the hole and get in and, maybe, out.

    Once inside you will see the relics of old communist Bulgaria and its leadership. There are murals still holding on to the walls surrounding the primary auditorium as well as on the roof. There are hallways and rooms, now covered in dust and asbestos, to explore. It really is amazing in a bizarre and haunting way.