Badass Buzludzha

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I wouldn't blame anyone for wondering why I'm writing about UFO's now, because that's honestly the first thing that came to mind when I saw this photograph taken for National Geographic. 

It is unfortunately not a UFO, but rather the Budludzha Monument in Bulgaria. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere too....

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So anyway....this monument. Yes. It was opened in 1981, after 7 years of construction, by the communist government of Bulgaria to commemorate the secret meetings to establish an organised socialist party in 1891, and designed by architect Guéorguy Stoilo. It has unfortunately been left to ruin now and is in pretty bad condition. For a better idea of what it looks like inside (because I know I couldn't get my head around the first photo the first time I saw it), here it is in normal weather conditions.

The ceiling reads "Proletariat of every country, unite!"

The building also boasts work by 20 of Bulgaria's foremost artists of the time, the interior surrounded by mosaics of ideological figures like Lenin, Stalin and Bulgarian members of the socialist movement:

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Opened only in 1981, it really is in quite a terrible state, but for an idea of what it once looked like, there are these photos (the last being taken during construction):

Buzludzha History

Somewhat hard to imagine when looking at the state of it now! It is a shame to let such a wonderful monument fall to ruin (this is going to be a main theme throughout this blog!), but every year there is a socialist gathering here, and with any luck, there may be some movements to try and preserve what is left of this amazing place. 

There will be plenty more posts on socialist style buildings in the future, as I find it quite fascinating. It has the strange quality of being so damn ugly and brutal that it is really quite pleasant to look at. A seeming contradiction!

C. M. Forbes House, Portland, Oregon

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So my Pinterest has gone crazy the last week or two with people liking and repinning the picture of this amazing house, and I can't blame them because I could look at this house all day. Honestly, LOOK AT IT.

Built in 1887 in the Queen-Anne style for C. M. Forbes, a partner in a furniture store, and later owned by Graham Glass. The above photo was taken in 1892 by the way.

An old postcard of the house

There is unfortunately very little information on this house, but, and it pains me to say, it was demolished sometime in the 1930's or so. And just to make life a little more hard, it was replaced by a high rise. It is extremely sad that such a building was demolished (as are so many), and I'm sure that the fact that there is photographic evidence makes it all the more tragic, but hopefully more effort can be put in to saving buildings like this in the future. I hope you have a great Thursday midnight while I cry in bed while clutching a photo of this house. Well... that got depressing fast. 

A photo of King-s Hill. The top of the Forbes House can be seen on the left.