Sofia’s Hidden Bunkers Reimagined
A team of experts in architecture, speleology, art, and urban studies is exploring Sofia’s forgotten underground — bomb shelters, tunnels, and dungeons — with a bold idea: to turn these dark, hidden spaces into vibrant cultural hubs, CE Report quotes BTA
“Our aim is to give them new life as places for exhibitions, clubs, museums, or escape rooms,” said Adriana Dikancheva, a member of the team. Inspired by the “invisible” layers of the city, the group wants to both preserve history and create modern social functions for these spaces.
Their project, Sofia – Dungeons, Bunkers, Secrets, launched last year with lectures, screenings, and tours, attracting over 150 participants. A former bomb shelter in South Park has become a pilot site, where they plan to use 3D scanning and interactive tours to visualize its transformation.
On April 28, a public discussion at Toplocentrala will showcase footage of these underground areas and explore their cultural potential.
The team looks to examples from Budapest and Germany, where bunkers have been successfully repurposed as museums. “Even forgotten places can become living spaces, if there’s will, imagination, and effort,” said Dikancheva.
