Today I'm going to take you for a walk in an important place. Because any urban center, so called, is the main place in a settlement, isn't it? This is the most representative part, its representative business card, so to speak.
The whole city can be judged on it. Or not.
Maybe the mayors are trying to cheat through it, right? They can arrange it in such a way that it looks magnificent (to present ourselves well to foreigners) while the rest of the city looks miserable.
But isn't it the same even with state capitals? (capitals as a representative city of a country) I have personally heard of countries where the capital is wonderful, neat in every respect, but there is nothing outside of it - there are no asphalted roads, people barely survive, etc.
But let's put those side thoughts of mine aside. Today the walk is along the central street in the city of Dimitrovgrad. I finally got to it, after already showing you so much of this architectural wonder of the last century.
However, before I go on, and while I'm still showing you these first pictures of this city's paved and car-closed, pedestrianized main street, I'll open a parenthesis.
I remember the city center in my hometown, which, as I told you, is smaller than the one here. It was paved with cobblestones, there was a small square in front of the municipality, but there was no pedestrian area where people could walk in peace, away from the clatter and noise of automobiles. A pedestrian zone was created much later, I can't even remember when, it was after I no longer lived in this city for a long time. They just closed off one street to cars that led to this paved center with a monument in the middle, as well as the municipal building, the city hotel, etc.
Therefore, nowadays I don't even know if the pedestrian zone is some kind of requirement, an urban planning standard for every city that must be respected and available.
But here we are, in the pedestrian zone of the monumental city of Dimitrovgrad. And there's certainly plenty to see here too. This time from a representational point of view. Because the city center is always polished, right? 😊
I have shown you this fountain once - surreal art that speaks volumes.
I have actually shown you some of the buildings here.
Also part of the arrangement and decorations of the place. These here are just leftover pictures that aren't that important.
Because what is important and the end point of today's walk is the real center of the city
or this square.
To tell you the truth, in all my visits to this city, this square amazes me every time. Not just because of its looks. I like the look of it, actually.
I like this grandeur and pomp that is emphasized here, as well as in the architecture of other parts of the city. It can't help but be emphasized here, since we are talking about the city center.
The fountain here is like a lake, but this is not surprising, since in the past this city had many water pools and huge parks (there are today too, but not in the form of then).
The play of water is impressive. It's been impressive in the past too, for sure.
Look, I have traveled abroad and in many other cities, but as I told you, Bulgaria is not that well known to me.
However, when I say that something is magnificent or impressed me in Bulgaria, I say this from the Bulgarian point of view, based on the things I have seen in this country, and not based on Germany, Belgium or any other well-established Western European country.
But I wanted to tell you something about the monument placed in the middle of all this splendor. It's what really surprises me the most here.
Although created in 1986 (still under communism), this monument is called "The Three Muses". It is also called: Column of the Arts, not a monument. And the square is called "poetry square" 😃
In my humble opinion, all these words, names, figures, personifications and associations are far enough away from the essence of communism to be a reality in its time. But it's still a fact. A column of arts with figures of muses rises in the most communist city in Bulgaria.
And here, in one corner of the square, a modern building is hidden, the meaning of which I don't want to comment on.
Let's say that this is what brings the modern spirit to this old square,
besides the modern decorations on it
like these attractive lamps and the three-dimensional inscription with the name of the city.
Copyright: @soulsdetour
 | 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. |