Triumph of arcs

Nowadays, Europe falls behind the fast Americas and Asia in the areas of research, science and originality as well as in several other areas. It finds itself on the edge of the contemporary world´s news and events. A land called Slovakia suffers from similar secondary stigma. Country equal to the great ancestors of the externally united EU actually copies and inherits decisions from the distant centre. Even in the far-from-centre located country itself there is a strong polarisation between unconventional western and eastern poles. The rich west (comparable to other areas in Europe) outweighs the desolate and desperate east. If pushing away to the outskirts of a small country was not enough, the town called Košice, symbol and metropolis of the eastern part of Slovakia, concentrates its life in the historical centre - old town, and the ring of suburbs surrounding the centre is being placed into position of satellites. Slums forever squared.

Ťahanovce suburbs is a dynamically developing north-eastern part of Košice. Village called Ťahanovce, neighboring the suburbs, was according to the original ground plan about to share its name as well as the estates with the suburbs. Building "stop" inflicted upon the village (cancelled in 1990), was meant to be the first step towards the creation of a modern suburban area that would comprise the area of 2 contemporary suburbs (on the northern bank of the river Hornad). Cornerstone of the suburbs was laid down in May 1985. Until 1990 (until the construction followed the original plan), there were 13000 inhabitants living here, most of the northern branch of the future part of town was built.

The construction of the southern part never began and probably will never begin. The vision of a mega-suburbs will though be visible forever via radial road stretched along south side of the northern part (originally meant to divide the southern part from the northern one). Radial road is projected for dense traffic, besides two-lanes in both directions there is a lane for the future tramline. At the end of the radial road there is a huge upperbridge built to ease the future crossing of a road with future dense traffic for pedestrians.

 

As a result of southern-part-construction close-down, this pedestrian <b>upperbridge</b> is unused. This is so because it is located almost at the end of the radial road with just a few blocks of flats around and therefore without need of a complex traffic assistance. In the silent suburban dead air region the upperbridge leaves majestic impression, its seldom use suggests careful treatment similar to that of historical buildings.

 

Košice is not a part of any world-conquering superpower that would celebrate its successes in gaining power over world by building monuments. Košice can on the other hand be a significant creative conqueror that uses wit and wisdom instead of weapons in its campaign. The frame of our upperbridge suggests L'Arc de Triumph, whether the two most famous in Paris, or the smaller ones in Barcelona, London or other European cities. Of course, these nations have built these arcs as rewards for their remarkable battles or for the victories over hardly-conquered lands. What is then the reason why Košice have its arc?

It is possible to construct monuments of Victory even without the actual victories. Furhtermore, it is possible to build a Victory monument that would commemorate the Victory over Victories. In the post-postmodern present it is possible to state that There are no triumphs, only arches remain.