Slavín

The Vyšehrad cemetery in Prague is also known as Slavín

Slavín
Slovakia
Slavín war memorial and cemetery for fallen Soviet Army
For World War II
Unveiled	April 3, 1960
Location	48°09′14″N 17°05′59″E in Bratislava
Designed by	Ján Svetlík
Total burials	6,845 Soviet soldiers

Slavín in Bratislava is a memorial monument and cemetery for Soviet Army soldiers who fell during World War II while liberating the city of Bratislava in April 1945 from the occupying German Wehrmacht units and remaining Tiso government supporting, Slovak troops. It is situated on a hill admidst a rich villa quarter of the Capital and embassy residencies close to the centre of Bratislava.

This grandiose monument and cemetery of soldiers of the Soviet Army who were killed in deliverance of Bratislava during the Second World War, has been designated the National Cultural Monument. On top of the 39.1 meter high pylon stands an 11 meter high sculpture of soldier by A. Trizuljak. The bronze caisson door of the memorial auditorium is decorated with reliefs by R. Pribiš. The monument was dedicated in 1960 on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the deliverance of the city by the Soviet army. In the close cemetery are buried 6845 soldiers. Exactly 63 years after the war, this monument represents the city Lucenec as one of the important cities by acquirement of freedom and the peace. On its walls we can see legend of cities with dates of their deliverance.

It was constructed between 1957 and 1960 on the site of a field cemetery, and opened on April 3, 1960 on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the city's liberation. The monument was constructed similar in kind to the Palace of Culture and Science in Stalinist architectural style. In 1961 it was declared a National Cultural Monument. Its designer was Ján Svetlík.

The site consists of:

• A solemn staircase
• A cemetery with graves (6 mass graves, 278 individual graves) of 6,845 Soviet soldiers who fell while liberating Bratislava
• The central solemn hall with various statues, inscriptions, and a symbolic sarcophagus made of white marble. It also features a 39.5 m high obelisk topped with a statue of a Soviet soldier, and on the outside walls are inscriptions of the dates of liberation of various places in Slovakia during 1944-45.

Other facts about Slavín :

• This monument is situated in Malé Karpaty , and it is very often attended because of its beautiful view.
• In the area of Slavín are also more statues of Slovak famous artists, such as Jan Kulich, Tibor Bártfay and Jozef Kostka.
• In 2005 Vladimir Putin, Russian president, visited it during his meeting with G. W. Bush in Bratislava.
• There is day of Bratislava's liberation on 4 April ,when people and president show their honor to fallen Soviet soldiers.

Panorama from Slavin Memorial