Despite the significance of November ’89, Slovakia’s capital had long lacked a dignified memorial to the courage shown by citizens at the time. That changed on Monday as a new monument commemorating the Velvet Revolution was unveiled on Námestie Slobody. The ceremony — timed for 17:11 — was accompanied by actress and singer Zuzana Mauréry performing the iconic song by Marta Kubišová.
The new memorial takes the form of a concrete podium measuring ten by six metres, symbolising the power of a crowd that peacefully resisted political pressure. Its upper platform carries 407 bronze footprints representing the protesters of 1989, and its front face is marked simply “1989.”
Despite heavy rain, several hundred people gathered on the square to witness the unveiling. One attendee — reflecting the overall mood on the square — said they were pleased with the design, adding that it reminds us that people always leave their mark, in history and in each other’s lives, and that it’s now up to us to leave the best possible mark for our children.
The memorial, conceived as a symbolic tribune, was created by architects Emanuel Zatlukaj, Branislav Lackovič, and sculptor Jakub Trajter. One of the key faces of the Velvet revolution Ján Budaj told reporters he appreciates that the monument does not tower over the square or impose a message, saying that people will carry its meaning with them all the more. The project was initiated by the civic group Pamätník, in cooperation with the City of Bratislava and a major private-sector bank foundation.
Source: STVR
