Podcast | The Palace of Culture in Pernik regained its luster with the support of the EU

The Palace of Culture in Pernik is not just a building, but a symbol of the cultural life in this Bulgarian city. Built in the middle of the last century, the Palace has been the scene of countless theater productions, concerts and cultural events that have shaped Pernik's cultural identity. The building is thus one of the most recognizable architectural jewels in the city.

In recent years, however, it has begun to lose its luster. So, in order to preserve its functionality and function as a cultural hub, the municipality of Pernik began a large-scale renovation of the Palace last year.

The structural elements had become old and obsolete, a state of affairs that did not suit the Palace of Culture", commented Stefan Krastev, the deputy mayor of Pernik, during the latest episode of the "Transition of Opportunities" podcast series.

Part of the renovation activities were financed with European funds under the "Regions in Growth" Operational Program. The remainder was provided through loan financing from the Sustainable Cities Fund. The municipality also has financial participation.

Although in our country the grant-in-aid tends to be small, I believe that if there was no motivation and opportunity to use this (European) funding, such a project would really have been difficult to implement. The European Union's support for cultural life is robust," the deputy mayor pointed out.

During the renovation, energy efficiency activities were carried out, the old wooden windows installed in 1957 were replaced with wooden glazing, the roof was repaired, all electrical installations were replaced, the sanitary facilities were renewed and an accessible environment with ramps for people with mobility difficulties was provided.

Europe recognizes the importance of such historic buildings and promotes their restoration to stimulate the development of local communities."

According to the deputy mayor, such buildings enliven the city with various cultural events and have the potential to support the economic development of local communities. What's more, the Palace has been the setting for a number of Hollywood productions, and this also attracts tourist interest. The renovation of the Palace shows how European funds can be used effectively to improve the cultural infrastructure in Bulgaria. 

You can hear more about the challenges faced during the implementation of the project and how it will contribute to the development of the city in the next episode of the "Transition Opportunities" podcast, part of the project with the same name, financed with European funds.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Managing Authority. Neither the European Union nor the Managing Authority can be held responsible for them.

Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov