Soviet square

Soviet Square was promptly renamed Floriánske námestie after the fall of Communism in 1989 in Bratislava. Blumentálska is the street on the right of the church.

It is a decidedly unimpressive small park surrounded by traffic and tram lines. This was an odd location in the first place, given that Blumentálsky Church from the 19th century is standing guard at the north side and given the Soviet hostility toward organized religion.

An old statue (or possibly a fountain) is being restored behind this commercial facade. This work has been underway for many months, and there is no indication when it will be finished.

Here's a peek under that commercial veil at the restoration work. I couldn't spot any identifiers or attributions, so I don't know its story.

I understand this had been the site of a mass grave for Red Army soldiers who died in 1945 defeating the Nazis, until they were moved to the Slavin monument in 1960. This Slovak-language marker, slightly askew from its base, is the only remnant of that history.

NOTE: Click on any image in this blog to see it full-size.