An interesting bronze model stands on Rázus Embankment near the well-known Propeller building beside the Danube by which many tourists enter Bratislava. It depicts almost the entire city of Pressburg in 1765, with city walls still standing but suburbs already expanding, and stands on a block faced with four stone slabs that bear relief logos of the Rotary Club Bratislava Danube, Bratislava Self-Governing Region, Staré Mesto District, and City of Bratislava. 

The "lower" section of the model represents the Danube riverbed and features several explanatory elements. On the far left is a plastic cartouche that depicts St Stephen’s Crown, the city’s coat of arms, alongside two engraved inscriptions. The first inaccurately cites the well-known Latin words “Vitam et sanginem” [sic], translated as “Life and blood”, shouted by members of the Hungarian Diet during a memorable session in Pressburg on 11 December 1741 to declare their willingness to sacrifice even their own lives for their queen. The second provides basic information about the model: 

“Bratislava during the reign of Maria Theresa in the second half of the 18th century.” 

On the right is the engraved text: 

“A bronze model of Baroque Bratislava during the reign of Maria Theresa in the 18th century, when the coronation city was at the height of its splendour. A preserved model from the collections of the Bratislava City Museum served as inspiration. Initiated and installed in 2019 by: Rotary Club Bratislava Danube and Let's Beautify Slovakia civic association.” 

Beneath the Slovak text are German, Hungarian, and English versions. There follows an engraved schematic site plan with ten numbers, the meanings of which are explained in a four-language legend. On the far right, text in Braille is enveloped above and below by seven engraved logos representing: the Rotary Club Bratislava Danube, Let's Beautify Slovakia civic association, City of Bratislava, Bratislava Self-Governing Region, Staré Mesto District, Bratislava Tourist Board, and Bratislava City Museum. 

The model was created by Mgr. art. Richard Zozulák, who drew inspiration both from a 1913 plaster model by Adolf Stephanie held at the Bratislava City Museum, which was scanned for the purpose of creating the copy, and from scale models of Trnava, Prešov, Trenčín, and foreign cities. 

The creators and initiators of the bronze model originally planned for it to be installed in Primatial Square; its current location was proposed by Zuzana Aufrichtová, then mayor of the Staré Mesto District. 

Ceremonial unveiling of the work, which was funded in part by a public online collection, took place on 10 October 2019. 

Following various instances of damage, the bronze section of the relief was professionally restored at the Department of Restoration at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design. In parallel, the original cladding on the pedestal was replaced with a continuous metal covering to better protect the pedestal from damage. Unlike the original matte cladding, however, the glossy silvery cladding does not blend well with the central piece, a relief made of patinated bronze. 

PB, ZD

Research status as of 10. 10. 2024.