Victory Column of the War of Independence

Victory Column of the War of Independence

The Victory Column of the War of Independence is located in Freedom Square in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, and was unveiled on Victory Day, June 23, 2009. This monument was erected in honor of those who fell during the Estonian War of Independence, allowing the Estonian people to commemorate all those who fought for freedom and independence. The column stands 23.5 meters tall and is composed of 143 glass plates. The Freedom Cross at the top of the column represents the highest national award established in Estonia in 1919 to honor all who contributed to the War of Independence.

The idea to build the Victory Column of the War of Independence emerged as early as 1919, before the war had ended. During the War of Independence from 1918 to 1920, 4,000 Estonians were killed and 14,000 wounded. In 1936, legislation was passed to construct a national war memorial, but preparations were interrupted by World War II and the subsequent Soviet occupation. After Estonia regained independence in 1991, the issue of building a national monument to commemorate the War of Independence was raised again. In the spring of 2005, the Estonian parliament decided to erect a victory column in Freedom Square in Tallinn to commemorate the war. In 2006, a design competition for the column received over 40 submissions, with the winning entry “Libertas” created by a joint team including Rainer Sternfeld, Andri Laidre, Kadri Kiho, and Anto Savi.

War of Independence Victory Column

Why Go: Estonia’s Most Impressive Monument

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Estonia[Estonia]

Province/State: Harju County [Harju County]

City: Tallinn [Tallinn]