Bulgaria Day 6
June 7th, 2019
Kazalock & Buzludzha Monument
On our last night in Kazanlock, we went to an abandoned church. We had expected the water from the lake to be right up to the church but, it was not to be. It was a beautiful evening with a view of the Balkan Range mountains. It was very hazy. The images reminded me of the layers in the Smokey Mountains.
There was a shepherd there with a very large flock of sheep. Too many to get all in one picture. It was interesting watching the shepherd has he walked around and whistled and the sheep all followed him.
We all walked around and photographed the church. When we went inside we had expected not to see a lot but, in the two back corners there were small alters set up. Great to photograph. Since communism fall religion has come back in a big way.
After finished the shooting the church we headed back to our hotel to get ready for our next adventure up through the Balkan Range to Buzludzha, the Shipka Monument then onto Veliko Tornovo.
Buzludzha Monument, in 1891, was the site that was chosen as the first congress of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Socialist Workers Party, which later became the Bulgarian Communist Party. in 1944 the peak became the site of fighting between the Communists and the Bulgarian fascist participants. The monument was built between 1971 and 1981 with public money. Apparently millions was spent building it.
Since the fall of communism the monument has fallen into dire straights and has been abandoned. There are security guards there to prevent anyone from attempting to enter it. It is now a very dangerous place inside. The roof has collapsed and concrete is crumbling everywhere. The graffiti artists have painted it all over. When we arrived there were 2 stray dogs there to greet us looking for food. Our driver happened to have some so they got fed. I called the monument the "Mother Ship" and the dogs the "Guards of the Mother Ship".
After Buzludzha we crossed the Balkan Range and went to the Shipka Monument.This was the site where the Bulgarian Army, with the help of the Russian Army, fought the Turks to free Bulgaria from Turkish rule. The Bulgarian/Russian defences won and that ended 500 years of Turkish rule.
We then moved onto Veliko Tornovo.
Thanks for following our Bulgaria Tour.