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WWI Memorial on the battlefield of hill Kaštielik

WWI Memorial on the battlefield of hill Kaštielik

The hill was very important defensive point of austro-hungarian army during WW1. Thousands of soldiers lost their lives in heavy battle, that took place on Kaštielik in february and march 1915. Since then local people call it „the hill of death“. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the end of the 1st World War, the project of small memorial place was completed. The main goal was for memorial to be in symbiosis with surrounding nature of carpathian forrests, and to remind visitors the fallen soldiers of Kaštielik battle. 

The main motif of the memorial is Ww1 warfare between austro-hungarian and russian army, that took place above the village Mikulášová, on the hill Kaštielik in 1915. Symbolic point of clash (stone monolith) is surrounded by 39 wooden columns, that are designed in two color schemes representing two armies standing against each other. The ratio of columns is 1:2 which equals the actual ratio of armies (in favour of attacking russian army). Visitors standing in the centre of the memorial can pay their respect in the symbolical heart of the battle. Thanks to historical research the names of the cities, in which the soldiers fighting on Kaštielik were recruited, are known. They are written on the wooden columns.    

 

Slovakia,

Type of WWI-heritage

  • War monument

Dimensions

State of repair/preservation

The monument is in good condition.

Historical WWI Context

The territory of today’s Slovak Republic was directly affected by the WWI battles from autumn 1914 till spring 1915. Military operations took place on the territory of two counties in the North-Eastern Slovakia (Prešovský self-governing region with following counties: Bardejov, Humenné, Medzilaborce, Snina, Stropkov and Svidník). The military operations took place in difficult territory of Carpathian Mountains. The Austro-Hungarian army and Russian army were involved in these battles. In March and April 1915, the German army was also involved in the battle. Military operations that took several months resulted in more than 50,000 soldiers dead. The soldiers of former rival armies are buried in approximately 200 military cemeteries. The largest number of these cemeteries is located on the territory of the above six regions, where the military operations took place. In addition, the military cemeteries were created near the military hospitals or concentration camps at the front background. Such military cemeteries are located on whole territory of today Slovakia, especially near the large cities.

State of legal protection

Not protected

Owner

Village Mikulašová

Kind of cultural use of WWI

Opening

Public

Entrance Fee

No entrance fee

Information regarding cities, villages, other touristic attractions (non-WWI) nearby

Public Transport

Bus stop in the village:

cp.hnonline.sk/vlakbus/spojenie/

Further information sources

Further information can be found on the following link:

www.kvhbeskydy.sk

Museums Private Collections

Location

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