Built in 1971, the monument on Mali Vis mountaintop of Kosmaj immediately became a landmark. This is first and foremost because of its imposing size and its intriguing appearance, which combines a notion of a five pointed star with that of an explosion. The monument is also of impressive size and can be seen from far away. The park surrounding the monument contains a number of smaller, boulder like monuments as well as plaques telling stories of the resistance movement in this region against Nazi occupation. As such this area quickly became a favourite place to visit on weekends both for locals and for the residents of nearby towns, including Belgrade. Restaurants and various recreational facilities were added later with the aim of creating a focal point for the whole mountain. The monument also became part of the coat of arms of the local community of Sopot; despite all the political and social changes this symbol was never changed, a fact that clearly shows that the Kosmaj monument has become the undisputed symbol of this small town. Since the start of the 1990s the monument has lost its commemorative purpose and was overlooked by the local tourist office in favour of sites such as the local Orthodox Christian monastery of Tresije. However, the visual and symbolic power of the Monument to the Kosmaj Partisan Unit keeps attracting new visitors and has in recent years been noticed by the broader public. The base of the monument was renovated a few years back while the rest of it has not been touched since 1971 meaning that there are several cracks in its concrete body.
Text by Vladimir Dulović
Function
1971Monument
2018 Monument
Ownership
1971
2018
Condition
1971
2018 Fair, neglected
Property Management
1971
2018
Form of government
1971 Socialist Federative Republic
2018 Parliamentary Democracy
Spatial Planning Agency
1971
2018
Type of heritage and protection
1971
2018 Local Monument