Oh as if we hadn’t been spoiled enough. STN (Smooth talking Neil) had arranged a very special day for us, travelling from Tryavna to Kazanlak to see some most interesting historical sites that larger vehicles could never reach.
Our focus today related to the Communist era, but before we made headway there was another surprise. Toncho had replaced our brake master cylinder and made a few tweaks, and all the hard work carried out while we relaxed and chatted over breakfast made a positive difference. Sweet Pea had got over her/his/its (we must keep on trend with these matters) troubles and was in fine fettle even on the most steep roads which had previously given gyp.
We were heading up (and down) the many steep hills with hairpin bends aplenty. Sweet Pea had not minded the downhill parts (Neil insisted we gave the Trabies a break by keeping off the brakes downhill as much as possible) but until the latest mechanical changes, didn’t like the uphills. Well who does?
So on to our first stop, the Shipka Monument of Freedom. This tall tower was built to commemorate the fall of 500 years of Ottoman occupation in Bulgaria. At the Shipka peak 5,000 Russian soldiers and 2,500 Bulgarian volunteers (called Opalchentsi) fought and defeated an estimated 40,000 Ottoman troops in 1877. The liberation is celebrated on 3 March each year. The 32 metre tall tower today is a museum.
We then jumped into Neil’s wagon for our next memorable stop… and there was a reason. We were heading up, up and up an extremely pot-holed small road. It was difficult to drive a car along this journey, let alone a coach (or our Trabies). Hence, few groups reach here, although bikers like the challenge. We spoke to several who were enjoying it as part of their long-distance journeys across Europe.
The place we were heading for was Buzludzha, a Communist conference centre high up in the mountains. If this didn’t reflect power over the vast landscape, nothing would. The building was something out of the space age.
Architect George Stoilov was approached in 1961 to produce a monument to mark 70 years since the founding of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party, later known as the Bulgarian Communist Party. His plans were not used at the time, but he was approached again some years later.
Stoilov made changes to his original plans, which were accepted. He was influenced by the Brutalist style of architecture and by Le Corbusier, amongst others. He wanted to produce a timeless monument, including ancient and futuristic concepts. The, currently dilapidated, monument is certainly impressive and must have been breath-taking in its heyday, if not because of the steep steps to reach it.
Today it is in a very poor state with graffiti, broken glass, and evidence of trophy hunters, but images of the original interior displayed outside the building show outstanding workmanship including many mosaics. Access is not possible. The architect would have been horrified to see it in this state. There is something about the building’s magnificence (whatever its history) that screams “save me”.
Much debate has been carried out about whether it should be demolished (because of what it stood for), or if it should be renovated because of its architectural significance. Without living its history, I am for the latter. It is such a magnificent building that why not turn it into something positive?
According to signs at the site, renovation is planned, sponsored by the Getty Foundation and ICOMOS (the International Council on Monuments and Sites) which works to save historic buildings of significance. Some people we spoke to still have their doubts as to whether work will ever go ahead, but this building is of such architectural importance alone I hope so.
Then, reunited with our Trabies, we headed down and down and down to Kazanlak at the foot of the Balkan mountain range, and within the Valley of the Roses. This town is at the centre of rose oil extraction in Bulgaria and, most unusually, it has a museum dedicated to the flower and rose oil production.
The museum is so unique John and I just had to visit. It is located in a circular building. Visitors perambulate around the ground floor where information boards and historic equipment are located, finishing with a walk around the central garden, of roses of course. Within the building there is a constant smell of rose oil.
The displays provided information about roses and the oil from ancient times. Even Ovid, Vergil and Cicero are said to have praised the fragrance and beauty of the rose. Bulgaria, today, is one of the biggest producers of rose oil. Kazanlak lies within the Valley of the Roses, an area 95 miles long by 7 miles wide, south of the Balkan mountains.
The quality of rose oil depends on the combination of climate and soil, making Kazanlak particularly suitable. Just one kilogram of rose oil is produced from up to 3,500 petals of Rose Damascena.
And as if to complete our most enjoyable journey Sweet Pea was coming up roses having completed our first day with no hysterics. Sweet.
Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2022
Sue
Don’t know if you were aware that in the 60s and 70s secret Communists called other secret Communists ‘fellow travellers ‘and while we’ve heard about Stn and Toncho what about your fellow travellers?
Well I had wondered when they broke into fluent Russian occasionally and could always read the menu, but I don’t think we need worry as our wonderful and funny ‘fellow travellers’ were likely to still be in nappies in the ‘60s and 70s’.