Litoměřice to replace Soviet monument with red beech tree

The Litoměřice municipal council has decided to replace the removed Soviet Army monument, ‘Honor and Glory to the Soviet Army’, with a large red beech tree in Jiráskovy sady.

Although the design by the Sendler-Radilová landscape architecture studio was the second-ranked option in an architectural competition, the council chose it over the first-place winner, a bronze sculpture by Štěpán Beránek. Officials cited budgetary constraints regarding the winning sculpture and noted that the tree is a non-political solution. The proposal also received significant public support, garnering 78 votes during a public hearing.

The original monument had stood in the park since 1975 and was removed in June last year following long-standing discussions. In addition to planting the tree, the city plans to make further adjustments to the area, including rearranging benches and stone blocks.