The abandoned buildings here can be as intruiging as the restored ones. On U.S. buildings, you can typically find a cornerstone recording the year in which it completed and something about its history, but I cannot find anything comparable on Bratislava buildings.
I've been fascinated with what appears to be an abandoned hospital on Bezručova and Gajova, just opposite the beautiful Art Nouveau Blue Church. A small sign on one of the doors directing visitors to the Lekaren (pharmacy) makes me think it was a hospital. The plain concrete structure suggests it was built in the 1950s, but perhaps it was earlier.
Especially intriguing about this building are two statues on either side of what was apparently the main entrance. They have a ponderous Soviet Realist feel to me, but both have small plaques saying 1936 -- and the Communists did not take over here until 1948. Is it a coincidence that 1936 was the start of the Spanish Civil War? Were the statues originally located somewhere else and moved here later?
Here is a close-up of the one on the right. The small plaque on this says "R. Ban 1936."
Here is a close-up of the one on the left. The plaque reads "L. Majersky 1936."
Sometimes I see what appears to be an abandoned building, but on closer inspection discover that it is still used for flats or offices. Not this one! Here is the other entrance on the north side of the building. The entire place has broken windows, boarded-up doors, and no evidence of occupancy.I have googled every which way to try to learn more about this building, and especially those statues. If anybody reading this has some information, shoot me an e-mail or post a comment.
NOTE: Click on any image on this blog to see it full-size.
3 comments:
hi,
the building u seek information on is hospital as u correctly guessed. It was built in 1932. Formerly (before 1948) it served as office building for insurance for the working class. Authors of this building are A. Balan and J. Grossman. As you wrote it looks like communist architecture but its not entirely true. Its functional design from the era of first republic (1918-1939), which was popular at that time. Socialist stalinistic realism was popular douring the 50s...Ideal example in Bratislava is Mlada Garda student campus. Stalinistic and comunist architecture from the 50s took example from historism. If you are interested in bratislava architecture from 1918-1950 I suggest the little book: Sprievodca po architektúre Bratislavy (1918-1950) by Š. Šlachta and I. Dorotjaková.
Btw. I was born in that hospital in 1984. :)
and, great blog! Keep up the good work.
Hi,
It really made my day that somebody else has noticed this building. I am absolutely fascinated by the gloomy atmosphere it radiates at night, and the way random windows are slightly open, gives it a ghostly feel (it goes well with the upside down crosses on the blue church). I recommend having a quiet walk around the building when its dark, and with not many people around. I've also noticed that somebody appears to live in some of the underground rooms, where the morgues used to be - the light and a tv set were on, when I walked past there one evening. Its also amasing that it manages to remain unused in what is one of the most expensive locations in the city - which I like as it manages to disrupt the rapid development feel of the city.
I was also disappointed on many occassion, that a lot of people don't know which building I am talking about, when I mention it - I know they walk past it on a regular basis.
Anyway, I just meant to agree with you that the building is very interesting.
Ivan
Hi, Julie, Ladislav Majerský was a Slovak sculptor living from 1900 to 1965. He was author of more similar sculptors around the city and also of smaller medals. Erich
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