When we first came across this monument, I thought that it was still being built. Then, I thought, "What an interesting and different style for a public monument."
I was wrong both times. This is the 1300 Years Bulgaria Monument. It was built in 1981. The building was done in eight months, so the monument could be completed in time for the opening of a party congress. Shortly afterwards, the stone sheathing started falling off. To prevent harm, after the Berlin Wall came down, the city surrounded the monument with a fence.
Since it was built while the communists were still in power, it had symbols and figures from Bulgaria's past and (brilliant) communist future -- from bottom to top are the "scholars" and Tsar Simeon who represent Bulgaria’s golden age; a mother grieving for her children as a tribute to the fighters who died for the freedom of the country; finally the worker who is looking at the future of the People's Republic of Bulgaria.
Some people would like to see the monument completely removed; others would like to see it restored. A recent court case approved the tear down plans -- the figures will be moved to the Museum of Socialist Art.