Memorial of Slovak National Uprising, Brno

The Memorial of the Slovak National Uprising stands on náměstí SNP (Slovak National Uprising Square) in the southern part of Brno's city centre, on an open plaza between the road and a nearby service building, across from a former library and cinema. It is the oldest monument in the Czech Republic dedicated to the Slovak National Uprising of 1944 — the armed insurgency mounted by the Slovak resistance movement against Nazi Germany and the collaborationist Slovak Republic regime.

What does the memorial commemorate?

The sculpture, known as "Heroes of the 1944 Uprising," refers directly to the Slovak National Uprising, which broke out on 29 August 1944 with its command centre in Banská Bystrica. It was one of the largest armed resistance actions in occupied Central Europe: insurgents held out for almost two months before German forces crushed the revolt by the end of October 1944. Despite its military defeat, the uprising became a lasting symbol of anti-fascist resistance in Slovak national memory, and 29 August is now observed in Slovakia as a public holiday.

When was the memorial created, and by whom?

The monument was handed over to the city on 27 August 1974, to mark the uprising's thirtieth anniversary; the ceremony was organised by the then Brno City National Committee. Its author is Ladislav Snopka, an academic sculptor and laureate of the Klement Gottwald State Prize, one of the highest artistic honours of the Czechoslovak postwar period. The choice of location was deliberate — the square where the memorial stands is itself named after the Slovak National Uprising, reinforcing the symbolic link between the public space and the sculpture it hosts.

Has the memorial been restored?

Yes. In 2013, on the initiative of the city of Brno, the monument underwent restoration work carried out by the company Marston. The conservation effort helped preserve the sculpture's condition nearly forty years after its unveiling, despite the weathering typical of an exposed, open-air square location.

Why is this spot worth a stop?

The memorial is one of the few remaining physical traces, in Brno's public space, of the shared Czech-Slovak memory of anti-fascist resistance. For visitors interested in twentieth-century history, it links the city's local topography — the square's name, its neighbouring former cinema and library — with the broader history of the Second World War in Europe. This is not a conventional tourist attraction with visitor infrastructure; it functions more as a quiet stop for those looking for traces of history woven into the everyday fabric of the city.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the memorial located? On náměstí SNP in Brno, in the square's southern part, on an open plaza between the road and a service building, near a former library and cinema.

Who designed the memorial? Ladislav Snopka, an academic sculptor and laureate of the Klement Gottwald State Prize.

When was the memorial unveiled? On 27 August 1974, on the thirtieth anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising.

What does the Slovak National Uprising symbolise? The armed resistance of the Slovak resistance movement against Nazi Germany and the collaborationist Slovak regime in 1944 — now marked as a public holiday in Slovakia on 29 August.

Has the memorial ever been restored? Yes, the city of Brno commissioned a restoration in 2013, carried out by the company Marston.