When brothers Rudolf and Oldřich Zikmunds opened a new filling station at the corner of Račianska and Jarošova in Bratislava’s Nové Mesto back in 1943, they couldn't have known that it would be declared a monument one day.
The brothers, one of the first operators of filling stations in Czechoslovakia, owned almost 400 stations in 1927.
“The station had been one of the last petrol stations from the first half of the 20th century preserved in Slovakia before its demolition [in 2020],” Zuzana Zvarová from the Bratislava Institute for the Protection of Monuments (MÚOP) said.
The station in decline, in addition to artworks, memorials and other historical buildings, was one of 23 objects in Bratislava added to the list of the city’s monuments at the end of last year.
“The purpose of the list is to remind people of the importance of the landmarks, events and personalities that were part of the history of our city,” MÚOP head Ivo Štassel said.
Since 2011, when the list was approved by Bratislava councillors, the number of monuments on the list has increased to 572, excluding recent additions.
New Bratislava monuments (2021):
- Historical petrol station, 1943, Račianska St., Nové Mesto
- Dove of Peace, 1984, Dolnozemská St., Petržalka
- Desire to Fly, 1989, 10 Hálova St., Petržalka
- Peace, 1985, 1 Osuského St., Petržalka
- Message of Peace, 1982, Budatínska St., Petržalka
- Historical station Propeller, 1930, Rázusovo Embankment, Old Town
- Encounter, 1990, 16 Hálova St., Petržalka
- Historical industrial object from the late 19th century, 31 Mýtna St., Old Town
- former Pruger-Wallner Garden, 1926, Havlíčkova St., Old Town
- Astronaut, 1963-66, Hečkova St., Rača
- Sun Horse, 1966, Račianske Mýto crossroads, Nové Mesto
- The Injured, the 1960s, Krajinská St., Podunajské Biskupice (park)
- The Seated, 1963, Krajinská St., Podunajské Biskupice (park)
- Girl, the 1960s, Krajinská St., Podunajské Biskupice (park)
- Welders, the 1960s, Vlčie Hrdlo, Ružinov
- Pasienky Swimming Pool, the 1960s, 4 Junácka St., Nové Mesto
- Kolkáreň (Bowling Alley), 1962, 31 Trnavská Rd., Nové Mesto
- Nové Mesto Railway Station, 1952, Tomášikova St., Nové Mesto
- Hviezda (dormitory), 1977-78, 38 Kukučínova St., Nové Mesto
- Šprinclov Majer (farm), 1727, Rybničná St., Vajnory
- Displacement of Hungarian Families Memorial, 1947, Vetvárska St., Podunajské Biskupice
- Displacement of Slovak Families Memorial, 1952, 2 Žatevná St., Dúbravka
- Former factory "Patrónka" (1st Jewish transport from Bratislava), Mlynská Dolina, Karlova Ves
