Children enjoy the relaunch ceremony of the Družba Fountain in Bratislava on June 24, 2023. (source: Facebook/Bratislava - hlavné mesto SR)
Družba Fountain, a prevalent feature of Námestie Slobody square in Bratislava, is gushing water again after 16 years following its official relaunch the past weekend.
The work of art with a 45-metre diameter, the largest fountain in the city, underwent a complex renovation after 40 years. Its main feature, a linden blossom that symbolises friendship and peace between nations, was cleaned. New nozzles were installed and the engine room of the fountain was modernised. Old cascading pools were freed of barriers.
“After its modernisation, the fountain invites people to play with water,” said Bratislava mayor Matúš Vallo. “During hot days, it also makes the local microclimate more pleasant,” he added.
The entire fountain can operate in three different spray modes – dry, classic and cascade mode.
Three modes of operation
Dry mode: fountain off/out of operation - at night and off-season.
Classic (wet) mode: the most common mode during operation – with dry segment edges and a low water level (up to 7 cm).
Cascade mode: festive mode referring to the original cascade concept of the fountain, the segments are filled to the brim and the water cascades from the upper to the lower segment.
The appearance of the square has also changed, becoming a more suitable place for public events. As people walk on the square, they may, for example, notice that the cracked granite pavement has been replaced with cast terrazzo. This granite was recycled and is now part of the terrazzo. There are more trees, new lights and benches as well.
In the autumn, the second phase of the square's reconstruction will begin. More trees will be planted, more paved areas will be repaired, and a playground for children will be created.
The fountain was created between 1979 and 1980. The public space was designed by a group of sculptors and architects, namely Juraj Hovorka, Karol Lacko, Tibor Bártfay, Virgil Droppa and Juraj Hlavica.
