The monument to Czechoslovak statehood, erected on MR Stefanik Square near the Eurovea Galleria shopping center, has a difficult fate. It consists of two parts. On a pedestal 15 meters high is a bronze statue of a lion, resting his paw on the coat of arms of Czechoslovakia. In front of the snow-white column is a figure depicting Milan Rastislav Stefanik, a famous patriot who fought for the proclamation of Czechoslovakia's independence in 1918. The square on which the majestic monument now stands is named after this Slovak politician.
In 1938, both sculptures, now united into one monument, adorned Ludovita Stura Square. When Hitler arrived in Bratislava a year later, he ambiguously accepted the lion statue and uttered the phrase that led to the removal of the monument from the square: "The cat must go. " The lion was removed to a shelter, where he fell to the dust before the best times of 1988.
At that time, the city authorities were looking for a monument for a neat square in front of the narrow building of the National Museum. The lion on the column was just in place.
The statue of Stefanik by the famous Czech sculptor Bogumil Kafka continued to stand on its former site until it was destroyed in 1954 by order of the communist ruling elite. That statue we see now is an exact copy of the original monument. The two sculptures were combined into one monument in 2009.
By the way, another copy of the sculpture was installed in Prague, in front of the Stefanik Observatory. He was not only a politician, but also a prominent scientist, pilot and general of the French army. If you are interested, you can see here: https://www. shukach. com/uk/node/72610
In 1938, both sculptures, now united into one monument, adorned Ludovita Stura Square. When Hitler arrived in Bratislava a year later, he ambiguously accepted the lion statue and uttered the phrase that led to the removal of the monument from the square: "The cat must go. " The lion was removed to a shelter, where he fell to the dust before the best times of 1988.
At that time, the city authorities were looking for a monument for a neat square in front of the narrow building of the National Museum. The lion on the column was just in place.
The statue of Stefanik by the famous Czech sculptor Bogumil Kafka continued to stand on its former site until it was destroyed in 1954 by order of the communist ruling elite. That statue we see now is an exact copy of the original monument. The two sculptures were combined into one monument in 2009.
By the way, another copy of the sculpture was installed in Prague, in front of the Stefanik Observatory. He was not only a politician, but also a prominent scientist, pilot and general of the French army. If you are interested, you can see here: https://www. shukach. com/uk/node/72610
Translated automatically from Ukrainian. View original
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