Beklemeto Pass or Troyan Pass ( Bulgarian: Троянски проход) is a mountain pass in the Bulgarian Balkan Mountains at 1520 meters above sea level. On one of the peaks above the pass there is a monument named “Arc of Liberty”. It is dedicated to the victory of the Russian army in January 1878 capturing the pass, leading to the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman regime. The monument also commemorates the Bulgarian – Russian unity following World War II.

Designed by architect Georgi Stoilov and sculptor Velichko Minekov, its height is 37 meters. The wonderful Communist-Brutalist structure contains staircases on both “legs”, leading to a complex of connected spaces on the upper horizontal part. From there, a ladder leads to the roof, from which a magnificent view of the Balkan range (“Stara Planina”) can be seen.

Naturally the climb is not an official part of a visit to the site, thus exploring the monument from the inside out is a wonderful urban exploration.

This documentation is a call for preservation and maintenance of this unique monument, which is part of the Bulgarian history and a fine architectural piece.

Photos of the monument