Bulgaria’s ‘Fake’ Castles Fail to Inspire Tourist Boom

“It’s weeping – a weeping fortress,” conservation architect Stella Duleva told BIRN, describing the white substance leaking from the newly-restored walls of the 4^th-century Roman fort of Trayanovi Vrata in Bulgaria.

“It had survived 16 centuries, and now it’s been ruined by 2 million euros,” she added.

Sitting atop a mountain pass between ancient Thrace and Macedonia, the fort is one of 120 heritage sites that Bulgaria’s government chose to restore as tourist attractions between 2011 and 2015, using its own money and nearly 90 million euros from the EU’s Regional Development Fund, ERDF.

While some sites, like the Roman villa of Armira, near Ivaylovgrad, are praised for their careful restoration, many others have provoked ridicule for their overblown reconstruction work and kitschy appearance, earning nicknames such as “cardboard castle” and “cheese fortress”.

Conservationists warn that much of the “restoration” work has damaged rather than preserved centuries-old landmarks, without attracting the hoped-for tourism boom. Even one of the scheme’s cheerleaders has suggested that funds have been misused.

Now another tranche of European funding, known in Bulgaria as “Operational programme ‘Regions in Growth’”, is due to become available this year. Under it, at least 100 million euros will be allocated to develop more tourist attractions.

The EU and Bulgarian authorities have conceded to BIRN that lessons need to be learned from the earlier programme, but are still backing the latest spending spree.

Expert groups, including the International Council of Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS, warn that the urge to absorb more EU money and make new additions to historic ruins, is “forging history” and “irreversibly destroying heritage sites”.

Minister justified ‘fakery’ as help for tourism:

The medieval fort of Krakra near Pernik has been dubbed the “cardboard castle” because of its Polymer concrete additions. Credit: New Life for the Past, a contemporary art project by Dimitar Solakov, 2015-2016

Back in 2011, the government’s plan was advertised as part of a new, “sustainable tourism” policy, which would bring thousands of visitors to the country and provide an economic uplift.

Though mostly funded from the EU, the scheme itself was designed by the government, and operated by the Ministry of Regional Development.

One of the most controversial results from the investment plan is the fort of Krakra at Pernik.

For more read the full of article at The Balkaninsight