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This paper will look into the interconnections between the common imaginary of the built socialist symbols and the perception of the built environment in the post-1989 romanian context. The attention will be directed towards the case of socialist built propagandistic symbols such as those introduced by the industrial architecture and their impact on the current patrimonial endorsement of the 20th century industrial legacy. This is analyzed through the specific case study of hunedoara, a former metallurgic town in transylvania. During communism, hunedoara steelworks became an example of 'monumental industrial architecture,' despite its multi-layered industrial development dating from the 19th century, while during the post-1989 period, under the visible effects of deindustrialization, it was labelled as a symbol of 'romanian decay.' This case study not only proves how vulnerable the industrial legacy is in romanian context, but brings into debate issues such as the post-1989 territorial transformations and the disappearance of derelict industries, especially when labelled as 'misfortunes' of a political built legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]