WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

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WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?
Mon, 10/25/2010 - 10:41

Even though urbanisation and industrialisation in Bulgaria started as early as the turn of the 19th Century, most really large-scale projects such as thermal and hydro power engineering, road construction and general infrastructure were started by the Communists after the Second World War.

where in bulgaria are you 49-50.jpg
© Anthony Georgieff

Many of these sometimes grandiose projects were executed by the cheap or free labour of young people on "voluntary" "work brigades," and most are still in use to this day.

An interesting side effect of the construction of dams, for example, was that sometimes whole villages had to be resettled because they would be submerged by the rising waters. There are quite a few of these and sometimes, when the waters recede, bemused visitors can see remnants of the buildings surreally jutting out of lakes and reservoirs.

Perhaps symbolically, what most often remains are the village churches. We have a selection of these to bring you in Vagabond's Christmas issue, but the question now is: can you identify the dam that this lovely 19th Century church is coming out of?

We know this is a tough one, so we will give you plenty of clues. It is in central Bulgaria, almost midway between Sliven and Kazanlak, just a couple of miles off the A1 road and easily accessible by car. The name of the now nonexistent village is Zapalnya.

Where in Bulgaria are you?

Issue 49-50

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