A flying saucer from the outside and a giant disco ball on the inside… Communists knew how to party.

The Buzludzha monument or the ‘House-Monument of the Bulgarian Communist Party’ is a massive concrete brute.

Built on one of the highest peaks in the Balkan mountains, the building was used for award ceremonies and 'impressing' (*cough* intimidating) foreign politicians.

Its been abandoned since 1991 after the commie downfall. If you squint at the Engels, Marx and Lenin’s mosaics you can see tears in their eyes. See above.

Like a villain's lair - think any Bond film ever - it's not easy to get to. But that view.

The writing on the entrance tells it how it is…

“ON YOUR FEET, DESPISED COMRADES!

ON YOUR FEET YOU SLAVES OF LABOUR!

DOWNTRODDEN AND HUMILIATED,

STAND UP AGAINST THE ENEMY!”

Classic Communism.

Visiting in winter's suicide, the mountainy area is covered in thick snow. Go now while it's still warm.

Fly to Plovdiv then bus or drive to Shipka Pass - the start of the Balkan mountain trail. Then it’s just a breezy 12km hike into the mountains.