31 Creepy Monuments From The Heyday Of Communism

By All That's Interesting | Edited By Savannah Cox
Published May 20, 2014
Updated February 9, 2018

Though Francis Fukuyama cheerily declared that the world had reached “the end of history” in 1992, he was at best half right. True, the Soviet Union and its ideological model had collapsed, and the Western model of liberal democracy had prevailed. However, even as ideas come and go, the structures in which we house them tend to take a bit longer to disappear.

Such is the case with the monuments scattered across the former Soviet Union and former communist countries. Before its dissolution, the Soviet Union had an area of 8.65 million square miles, filled with approximately 290 million people. While these abandoned Soviet-era and Soviet-friendly monuments have succumbed to time and natural elements, they remind us of the transformative and lasting power of ideas — both good and bad:

Abandoned Soviet Monuments Zimnitsa
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Pillars
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Spikes
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Dome
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Tree
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Dilapidated
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Graffiti
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Angle
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Opening
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Spomenik
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Beams
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Sharp
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Star
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Stone
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Boards
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Popped
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Cube
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Triangles
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Circle
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Tower
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Landing
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Sunburst
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Hollow
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Wings
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Buzludzha Hill
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Shumen
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Soldiers
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Man
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Stairs
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Geometry
Abandoned Soviet Monuments Buzludzha

And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:

The Unbelievable Story Of The Monuments Men Who Rescued Europe's Masterpieces From The Nazis
The Unbelievable Story Of The Monuments Men Who Rescued Europe's Masterpieces From The Nazis
7 Creepy Abandoned Cities From Across The World
7 Creepy Abandoned Cities From Across The World
The Controversial History Of Ley Lines, From The Theory's Origin To Its New Age Connection To UFOs
The Controversial History Of Ley Lines, From The Theory's Origin To Its New Age Connection To UFOs
1 of 32
A communist statue in the tiny town of Zimnitsa, Bulgaria.
2 of 32
Niš, Serbia.
3 of 32
Kosmaj, Serbia.
4 of 32
Kruševo, Macedonia.
5 of 32
Jasenovac, Croatia.
6 of 32
Košute, Croatia.
7 of 32
Sanski Most, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
8 of 32
Near the town of Cacak, western Serbia.
9 of 32
Tjentište, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
10 of 32
Petrova Gora, Croatia.
11 of 32
Brezovica, Kosovo.
12 of 32
Kolašin, Montenegro.
13 of 32
Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
14 of 32
Tjentište, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
15 of 32
Makljen, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
16 of 32
Mitrovica, Kosovo.
17 of 32
Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia.
18 of 32
Korenica, Croatia.
19 of 32
Nikšić, Montenegro.
20 of 32
Kozara, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
21 of 32
Sinj, Croatia.
22 of 32
Kadinjača, Serbia.
23 of 32
Grmeč, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
24 of 32
Podgarić, Croatia.
25 of 32
The area outside Buzludzha, Bulgaria
26 of 32
Shumen monument, Bulgaria.
27 of 32
Russian soldiers facing Moscow. Varna, Bulgaria.
28 of 32
Monument to 1300 Years of Bulgaria, in the city of Shumen.
29 of 32
Monument of the Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship, Varna, Bulgaria.
30 of 32
Inside the Plovdiv Hillock of Fraternity, Bulgaria.
31 of 32
Buzludzha Communist Party Headquarters, Bulgaria.
32 of 32

All images come from Crack Two and Yomadic. For more abandoned structures, check out our post on abandoned Detroit, abandoned Olympics sites and beautiful abandoned photographs.

author
All That's Interesting
author
All That's Interesting
Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.
You might also like