The mausoleum of former Chairman of the Council of Ministers and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party Georgi Dimitrov was demolished 24 years ago today. One of the symbols of the totalitarian regime in Bulgaria was demolished after several failed attempts. The demolition operation began on August 21, 1999. The massive building did not collapse after the first two blasts and tilted only slightly after the third. The fourth (and successful) attempt was carried out using a series of consecutive, less powerful explosions.

According to the then Deputy Social Minister Teodor Dechev, who was in charge of the safety of the operation, it was difficult to demolish the building, because it was constructed as a bomb shelter.

The mausoleum was completed in just six days. Its construction started on July, 3, one day after Georgi Dimitrov’s death. The embalmed body of the communist leader was placed in the building. After the democratic changes in the country, on July 18, 1990, Georgi Dimitrov’s remains were removed from the mausoleum and cremated.