The Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna

The Palace of Culture and Sports was purpose-built in 1968 to serve as a multifunctional venue for cultural, sports, and civic events. Designed by architect Stefan Kolchev, the building has hosted a wide variety of large-scale gatherings including concerts, sporting contests, conferences, and exhibitions since its opening on 17 September.

Architecturally, the palace is a bold example of socialist-era Brutalist modernism, caracterised by low-slung, horizontal form wrapped in repeating vertical concrete fins. An intriguing architectural tidbit: the palace’s design wasn’t unique to Bulgaria. An exact design copy, albeit much larger-four times the size-is located in Lagos, Nigeria: the National Arts Theatre, designed by the same architect, Stefan Kolchev.

The complex includes three main halls-Kongresna Hall, with a capacity of 6,000, for large-scale events, Mladost Hall, and Hall 20-all equipped for a range of functions from sporting competitions to cultural performances and congresses. Over the years, it has also hosted numerous prestigious events such as World and European championships in gymnastics and volleyball.