The old Bulgarian historic buildings were mainly ruined during two periods – first, during the communist dictatorship (1944-1989) and then in the last 30 years, after the fall of the regime.

The modern Bulgarian state, after the establishment of its independent existence as the Third Bulgarian Kingdom, in 1878, attracted many architects and builders from Europe, mainly from the Austro – Hungarian Empire, Germany, Czech Republic and Italy.

The most significant Bulgarian architects were graduates of prestigious European architectural Universities. Cities, both big and small, were quickly becoming prosperous and thus exhibiting models of European architecture.

Prince Ferdinand Karl Leopold Maria, Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (who later became King), was member of the German aristocracy. He quickly transformed Bulgaria, (which at the time was an old fashioned Ottoman province), into a prosperous European state.

In just a few decades, the center of the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, was being compared to the beauty of Vienna.

After the fall of the country to the Soviet occupation and the imposition of a Communist regime, the European architectural jewels were declared “retrograde” and “ideologically harmful”. Many of them were demolished and replaced with a Stalinist style architecture.

In the 1970s, the communist dictator Todor Zhivkov declared the centers of the big cities as “too bourgeois”. His order was to completely demolish the buildings in the big city centers and to replace them with socialist style buildings in concrete, with sharp edges, symbolizing the strong message of “equality” of the socialist regime.

Unfortunately, after the fall of the communist regime in 1989, the attitude towards the old European architecture didn’t change much. The newly formed “building mafia” needed (and still needs) big central spots for their modern, high floor, office buildings, thus the massive demolition continues. The modern buildings, constructed at the vacated locations, do not fit with the surrounding environment and landscape.

Similar destiny is befalling the historic monuments from the Middle Ages and antiquity, such as those remaining from Thracian times. The remains of old antique fortresses are being “restored” by rebuilding them with new materials, in complete violation of their authenticity, in order to justify the multimillion euro funds from the European Union. On the other hand, old medieval churches containing priceless murals are left to ruin, without maintenance and care.

Although the European Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage was ratified in Bulgaria in 1991, its provisions are not being applied.The Bulgarian Law on the Protection of Cultural Heritage is not adhered to at all, due to wide corruption at all levels of society.

The Bulgarian government is not promoting its cultural wealth in Europe or worldwide.

As a result, its history and culture are being erased. Various sites considered as Landmarks, as well as old monuments, are in danger of disappearing forever. There is risk that this unique heritage could be lost for the future generations, not only for Bulgarians and Europeans, but also for the worlds cultural heritage.