Comparison

I hasten to show you this post now before you forget what I showed you in the previous one. Because I ended it with the promise to show you pictures of this city. For comparison. And to explain the contrast. For an explanation of the previous post at all.
In the previous post I showed you a Bulgarian regional city with a variety of architecture in its center - from old houses from the late 19th and early 20th century, to modern buildings with glass facades. Of course, all this, all these words, definitions and pictures must be considered in the context of the particular country and its economic, financial and cultural capabilities. I mean, the Bulgarian ones, which are not great for sure.
But still this city, its architecture impressed me. And as I told you, maybe because only 15 kilometers from it is another city, a miracle of its time (economically and architecturally), but...

15 kilometers and one thinks that one will find oneself in the same setting, in the same atmosphere.

Nope.

These two cities have nothing in common. And there is a reason for that. Haskovo is an old and well-established settlement that was so important in the past and during Turkish slavery that its name actually means 'special village'. And the city that I show you here, this economic and architectural marvel - Dimitrovgrad, was built only in 1947 on the basis of three villages.

So its architecture cannot be compared to that of Haskovo.

What makes the biggest impression is the lack of old buildings.

I mean, the traditional beautiful old buildings of rich people built in the late 19th century are missing.

Otherwise, you know well the buildings built around the middle of the last century.

I have shown you some of them before (they are all in very bad condition and are located in the center and close to it).

And some other typical buildings from our well known communist past:

You could probably also remember the municipal building from 1965:

Of course, there are some beautifiers. Here and there. Old and not so old. But it is not the same.

(I think these installations are actually the only decoration here that gives the city center a little more modern look. I thought they were lamps, but they don't seem to be.)

There are also still some (very few) more or less preserved old buildings.

(this building again houses a bank)

There are also some modern buildings.

(You probably remember my post about this building - the main bus station.)

But as for modern buildings that contain more glass in their construction, here in this city, they are not very numerous.

And since we are talking mainly about the buildings in the center, I can only think of one such building.

So, that's nothing, compared to the next city.

On the one hand, I understand the lack of many modern buildings here. This is a monumental city, whose appearance may need to be preserved. On the other hand, comparing this city with the neighboring one, no matter how much I like it from a historical and instructive point of view, I am no longer sure that I like it so much. And this is not really due to the lack of modern or due to the lack of very old buildings. But...
I've said it before, I'll say it here and now (and I'll probably say it again, because I've taken and continue to take too many pictures here for the purposes of my reflections). Lack of maintain, lack of desire to maintain these monumental and beautiful historic buildings is the reason I can't like this one town here.
Well, that wasn't the main topic of this post. 😌


	Soul's Detour is a project started by me years ago when I had a blog about historical and not so popular tourist destinations in Eastern Belgium, West Germany and Luxembourg. Nowadays, this blog no longer exists, but I'm still here - passionate about architecture, art and mysteries and eager to share my discoveries and point of view with you.