Communist leaders were known to enjoy high-end luxury, and Bulgaria’s Todor Zhivkov, the prime minister from 1962 to 1971, was no exception. One such opulent display of power was the Bankya Residence, which sported a sauna, indoor swimming pool, and landscaped park, among other features. Built in the 1970s as a sanatorial complex, the Residence took advantage of the thermal properties of Bankya, whose mineral waters and mountain air had made the town a health destination for centuries. But Zhivkov seems to have taken a liking to the facility, with…
