The New George Patton Memorial in Pilsen Crafted from Vitkovice Atmofix Steel

7.5.2015

The New George Patton Memorial in Pilsen Crafted from Vitkovice Atmofix Steel

In the center of Pilsen on May 1st, 2015, a memorial was unveiled dedicated to the American General George Patton, whose troops entered the city on May 6th, 1945, and liberated it. The memorial was presented by the members of the Pilsen city council, Patton’s grandson George Patton Waters, politicians and representatives of the US Embassy. The memorial, crafted by the sculptor Lubomír Čermák and architects Tomáš Beneš and Václav Zůna, won an architecture contest in 2009. The subtle statue is made from two opposing meter-wide metal slabs and is meant to allude to the Arch of Triumph. The General’s silhouette is portrayed in both of the slabs bigger than life-size. The rust on the seven centimeter-thick and 9.5 meter-tall slabs is reminiscent of the armor of tanks and also reminds the visitors that more than 70 years have passed since the war. The special Atmofix steel has a „corroded“ surface covered in iron oxides that protect the metal from weather impacts. This metal has been provided by VÍTKOVICE STEEL and its logo is placed on the memorial. The visible section of the monument weighs 10.5 tons, while the underground base is six meters deep and weighs 10 tons, providing stability to the monument even in case a truck crashed into it. This work worth 2.5 million CZK is lit at night.

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