Pantheon "Bratska Mogila"-common grave Plovdiv

Overview

Bratska Mogila (Pantheon "Bratska Mogila"-common grave ) is a memorial complex in Plovdiv, dedicated to those who fell for the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule and during the Balkan Wars, the First World War and the Second World War. It is located in the eastern part of the park "Recreation and Culture" in Smirnenski district, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The authors of the project are architect Lubomir Shinkov, architect Vladimir Rangelov and the sculptors Prof. Lyubomir Dalchev, Ana Dalcheva and Petar Atanasov.

The first competition for Pantheon "Bratska Mogila"-common grave was announced in 1955 and was won by architect Lubomir Shinkov and architect Matei Mateev, with a project located on Nebet Tepe. The project is not being implemented. In 1955 a new competition was announced. It fails due to lack of candidates. 2 more competitions have been announced.

In 1968, the Municipal People's Council elected to create a project for the memorial a team consisting of: architect Lyubomir Shinkov - manager, architect Vladimir Rangelov and the sculptors Prof. Lyubomir Dalchev and his students Ana Dalcheva and Petar Atanasov. At that time Ana Dalcheva was already the wife of L. Dalchev.

Until 1971 a technical project was prepared by the team of arch. L. Shinkov and the construction works have started.

The construction was carried out by Ivan Atanasov and Atanas Atanasov. Due to the official opening, the construction remained unfinished. There is a lack of artistic lighting and musical sound. It is built of concrete, limestone (Vratsa stone) and bronze.

On September 9, 1974, Todor Zhivkov unveiled the monument on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the September 9 coup.

Since 1989, the monument has been destroyed several times, and the metal elements of the sculptures are stored in the complex's repositories.

In 2010 Zdravko Dimitrov, mayor of "Zapaden" region in Plovdiv (2007 - 2011) took the initiative for the reconstruction of the monument in a closed art center and concert hall. In 2012 the same Zdravko Dimitrov, now in his capacity as regional governor proposes that the memorial be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. These ideas have not been implemented. The memorial has not been declared a cultural heritage monument and remains endangered outside the registers of protected cultural values.

The monument symbolizes a Thracian mound, and seen from above resembles a stylized stone wreath. The 90 m long sculptural composition is dedicated to the struggle for the Liberation from Ottoman rule, the Unification of Bulgaria, the September Uprising and the partisan movement in Bulgaria. "Eternal fire" was burning in the middle of the monument.