Communism is a political and economic ideology that has shaped the history and architecture of many countries around the world. While the collapse of communism in the 20th century led to the demolition or renovation of many communist-era buildings, there are still a number of bizarre and unusual structures that remain as a testament to this tumultuous period in history.
In this blog post, we will explore 10 weird communist buildings that showcase the unique and sometimes bizarre architectural styles of the communist era. From futuristic skyscrapers to elaborate memorials, these buildings offer a glimpse into the history and ideology of communism, and the creative and sometimes surreal ways in which it was expressed through architecture. So, let’s take a tour of some of the weirdest and most interesting communist buildings from around the world.
1. Former Ministry of Highways
The former home of the Georgian Ministry of Highways shows the fascinating communist architecture. This building was built in the 1975 and looks like creation of aliens. Nowadays we cannot really visit the place, because it is a property of Bank of Georgia. Decide for yourself how amazing was the architecture of the communists.
2. Buzludja Monument
This building used to be the home of “communist party” in Bulgaria. It was built to honor the Bulgarian Communist Party. Nowadays it is empty and the access to this landmark(ruin) is fairly restricted. Buzludja Building was built in 1981 and is close to the most important monument in Bulgaria – Shipka. The fans of the “drone photography” are the most common visitors of this landmark.
3. Ilinden Memorial
This memorial was built in 1974 in honor of the 30th anniversary of the gathering responsible for the Macedonian independence. The form of this landmark is another example of the amazing architecture that was popular during the times of the Communism in East Europe. “Must” location for tourists that are going to visit Macedonia.
4. Chisinau Circus
The former home of the Chisinau State Circus had been biult in 1981. The communist built the place with the idea to be the home of the local circus. The building was perfect for circus, but the following revolution destroyed the Moldovian economy. After the communism failed, there was no funding for this building. Nowadays the place is just a creepy ruin in the capital of Moldova.
5. Monument 1300 Years Bulgaria
This monument was built in order to honor the 1300 year anniversary of the establishment of Bulgaria. The monument is located in Shumen, Bulgaria (northeast part of the country). The complex has exactly 1300 steps that lead to the statues. For many tourists the statues look like figures from the famous “Transformers” movie.
6. Robotics Institute
The Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics is one of the biggest research complexes in Russia. It was built during the communism, in 1981. Just like the other monuments on this list, it offers amazing and in the same time weird communist architecture. Perfect example of the Soviet architecture!
7. Hotel Forum
Hotel Forum is located in the city of Krakow, Poland. It was built in 1978 as part of the futuristic communist architecture that was popular in this period. This is one of the most interesting landmarks in the city of Krakow. When I saw it, I was amused and I was asking myself: Did the creator of this building really wanted to make it look like this or he just made a mistake in the drawing plans?!
8. Hotel Salute
The best looking hotel in Kiev – Salute, was built in 1984. This amazing building is another example of the futuristic communist architecture.I had been to plenty of hotels around the world, but this one has the weirdest style of all of them.
9. Revolution of Moslavina Monument
This memorial was built in order to honor the victims of Moslavina during the World War II. It was built in 1967 in Yugoslavia (nowadays Croatia) by the Yugoslavian leader – Tito. Huge example of the communist architecture.
10. Radio Tower Bratislava
The radio tower of Bratislava, Slovakia was built in 1983. The shape of this building looks like an upside down pyramid or UFO ship. For many people, the building might seem ugly, but for the communist architecture fans the building is “one of a kind”. Decide for yourself if you like it or not!
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