A gigantic statue of a Russian soldier watches over the ancient city of Plovdiv, a prominent reminder of the Soviet period in Bulgaria.

A vast Communist-era exhibition space in the Bulgarian capital.

"Unity, Creativity, Beauty."

UNESCO-protected ancient burial ground.

This ancient theater, restored in the 20th century, lives on as a venue for dramatic and musical performances.

A collection of art from Bulgaria's time as a communist state.

A striking symbol of the Bulgarian capital.

A flamboyant five-story building in Bulgaria resembles a crawling snail.

A Bulgarian monument to Russia's role in World War II is constantly being painted in pop culture protest.

This historic black and white monastery is one of Bulgaria's architectural jewels.

This massive concrete sculpture is said to be the heaviest communist monument on Earth.

An abandoned saucer-shaped monument in the Bulgarian mountains.

Rebuilt several decades ago, its striking murals prevent it from being reconsecrated as a church.

The social hall of this former factory is a Communist-era time capsule.

A decaying, yet still functioning, work of communist architecture.

A large concrete replica of a 12th-century figurine.

Lodged in the wall of this driving school is a Zastava 750, one of the region's most popular cars.

This outcropping was once home to a medieval monastery destroyed during the Ottoman conquest.

An idyllic traditional timber village on a picturesque hill was built for a film.

Beautifully carved tombstones fill this unmarked graveyard, uniquely situated near the village's famous stone wine cellars.

This symbol of Yugoslav liberation decorated with 620 carved heads of mythical creatures is now a forlorn relic of another time.

Abstract monuments express sorrow and resilience at the site of a horrific massacre in Nazi-occupied Serbia.

Curious carved stones and bird-like wings are a symbol of Serbian resilience and freedom on the site of a WWII massacre.

A Red Cross memorial museum at the site of the Niš concentration camp that operated for four eventful years during World War II.