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All Slovakia Bratislava Fountain of Union

Fountain of Union

The largest fountain in Bratislava.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Added By
nic mcclure
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Back when the fountain worked.   Hyro84/public domain
The Fountain of Union.   nmcclure85 / Atlas Obscura User
Water flows again!   claire ab958492 / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
The Fountain of Union.   Mister No/cc by 3.0
  scamb66 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

At the center of a city square in Bratislava stands a gigantic relic of the Communist era. It’s called the Fountain of Union, and it’s the biggest fountain in all of Slovakia.

The fountain was built between 1979 and 1980. It was designed so that water would flow from an underground tunnel before bursting into the air, creating an impressive, yet peaceful spectacle. It takes the shape of the linden flower, a sacred plant in Slavic mythology.

But things aren’t quite right with the enormous fountain. It stopped being maintained after the fall of the Soviet Union, allowing water to seep into and damage its underground control spaces. The water stopped flowing in 2007, and the fountain has been dry ever since. It has been estimated that repairing the fountain would cost one million euros.

Yet though water no longer flows from its depth, the fountain is still worth admiring. It’s as if the fountain has been transformed into a stagnant sculpture; a piece of art that speaks to the city’s Eastern Bloc past.

Update: The water is flowing! Families playing in the hot summer evenings.

Related Tags

Fountains Soviet Architecture Soviet History

Know Before You Go

It’s in the city center, so it's easy to access. You can walk by to view it at any time.

Community Contributors

Added By

nmcclure85

Edited By

claire ab958492, scamb66, Kerry Wolfe, rbenn250

  • claire ab958492
  • scamb66
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • rbenn250

Published

September 24, 2018

Updated

July 10, 2024

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Sources
  • http://slovakia.travel/en/freedom-square-in-bratislava
  • http://mestskezasahy.sk/95/portfolio_item/druzba-fountain/
  • https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Námestie_Slobody
  • https://www.welcometobratislava.eu/socialist-architecture-bratislava/
Fountain of Union
Námestie slobody
Banská Bystrica
Bratislava
Slovakia
48.152124, 17.111726
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