Bratislava: Slavín Memorial (Slavín)

The monument was unveiled in 1960, marking the 15th anniversary of the liberation of Bratislava.

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The Slavín monument remembers the lives of the 6,845 Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of Bratislava in April 1945, many of whom are buried in six mass and 278 individual graves.

The monument was designed by the Slovak sculptor and architect Ján Svetlík and was built between 1957-60 to be officially unveiled on April 4, 1960, the 15th anniversary of the liberation. On the same day every year since, representatives of the Slovak government lay wreaths to commemorate the victims.

The central and dominant section of Slavín is a ceremonial hall tiled with marble, which is surrounded by a monumental colonnade. The entrance door is decorated with a bronze relief by Rudolf Pribiš.

Above the ceremonial room there is a monumental granite pillar, towering 39.5m, and topped by an 11m-tall sculpture, designed by Alexander Trizuljak and depicting a soldier carrying a flag and crushing the Nazi swastika beneath his boot.

A list of Slovak towns liberated by the Red Army adorn the walls of the memorial’s basement. The monument is surrounded by a park containing trees from various parts of the former Soviet Union. Slavín also affords spectacular views over major parts of Bratislava, including Bratislava Castle.