Bratislava will finally receive Velvet Revolution memorial

The memorial was designed to serve as a stage for rallies in case of need.

Visualisation of the Memorial of Democratic Revolution 1989.Visualisation of the Memorial of Democratic Revolution 1989. (Source: Emanuel Zatlukaj, Branislav Lackovič and Jakub Trajter. )

Thirty years have passed since the Velvet Revolution and Bratislava still has no distinct memorial commemorating this key moment in Slovakia’s history.

This will change next year when a memorial marking the events is built on Námestie Slobody Square (Freedom Square). The memorial facing the building of the Government’s Office will have a low platform design with hundreds of bronze shoeprints.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

“It might seem late and it is probably late, but some decisions simply need time,” Bratislava Mayor Matúš Vallo told The Slovak Spectator.

SkryťTurn off ads

The idea of a memorial came from the Initiative for the Memorial of Democratic Revolution 1989.

“We want to remember that power comes from citizens, who rose up on the streets and squares of Slovakia against illegitimate state violence, for human and civil rights and freedoms,” said Ján Budaj, one of the Velvet Revolution leaders who is behind the initiative.

The city council approved the idea of the memorial in 2014. Afterwards the initiative promulgated an open architectural tender for the design. Earlier this year, a jury chose the winner out of six designs that advanced from the first round. The winners are architects Emanuel Zatlukaj and Branislav Lackovič and sculptor Jakub Trajter. They based their proposal on the shoeprints of protesting masses as a universal symbol of civil protest, neither stepping back nor descending to violent revenge, thanks to which the revolution was named Velvet Revolution.

SkryťTurn off ads

The jury has acknowledged the winning proposal for its non-pathetic horizontal form, which is not disturbing and instead fits the architecture of the square. By its design it avows the memorial Gate of Freedom in Devín marking victims of the Iron Curtain.

Hundreds of shoeprints

The memorial will be built on the square that held the first large rally of students. The Public Against Violence (VPN) movement as a civic platform opposing the official regime was introduced on November 20, 1989. From here, they marched to Hviezdoslavovo Square. Here VPN representatives presented their first statements and requirements.

The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Subscribe now for full access

I already have subscription - Sign in

Subscription provides you with:
  • Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk
  • Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail)
  • PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper, The Slovak Spectator, emailed directly to you
  • Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk

Top stories

Janka, a blogger, during the inauguration of the first flight to Athens with Aegean Airlines at the airport in Bratislava on September 14, 2023.

A Czech rail operator connects Prague and Ukraine, Dominika Cibulková endorses Pellegrini, and Bratislava events.


Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad