A 1943 petrol station in decline that once stood in Bratislava's Nové Mesto borough. (source: Courtesy of MÚOP)
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 FamiliesMemorial, 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
