A video showing a test of the rebuilt Družba fountain in the centre of Bratislava has appeared on social media, giving a small taste of what the fountain on Námestie Slobody Square will look like when it starts operating properly again.
The fountain will be ceremonially put into operation, after 16 years out of action, on Saturday June 24. It is the biggest fountain in the city. This will be accompanied by a whole-day programme as part of the city’s culture summer.
“We have renovated the iconic fountain from the engine room through new piping, pumps and surfaces to the lime blossom,” the Bratislava’s city council said on social media.
The renovation of the fountain is just part of the planned refurbishment of the whole square. The place, which pedestrians previously preferred to avoid after dark, will become a space for social and cultural events and gatherings.
The priority for the project was to increase the safety and liveability of the square. The modifications include greenery, furnishings and the removal of barriers to make it comfortably accessible for people with reduced mobility.
Fountain merged with square
The square is dominated by a large fountain with a 12-tonne sculpture of a lime blossom, symbolising peace and friendship between nations. Built between 1979 and 1980, the fountain is the work of architects Virgil Droppa and Juraj Hlavica and sculptor Juraj Hovorka. It has not operated since 2007. It was recently restored and cleaned, re-gaining its original metallic shine.
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