A monument to the founder of the Serbian medieval state, Stefan Nemanja, was ceremoniously unveiled on Sava Square in Belgrade.

The solemn unveiling was attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, Chairman and Serb member of BiH Presidency Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Višković and President of the NARS Nedelјko Čubrilović

The bronze monument is the work of the famous Russian sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov.

Its height is 23.5 meters above ground and five meters below, it weighs about 80 tons, and the pedestal, in addition to bearing the lighting, is an open-air museum.

The assembly started in August last year, involving about ten Russian workers under the supervision of Oleg Laskarev, along with domestic workers.

Special symbolism lies in the fact that Stefan Nemanja holds a sword in his hand, instead of a cross as was originally planned, because he created the Serbian state with a sword.

Mounted around the sceptre of the monument are fragments of a Byzantine helmet with mosaics on the inside that represent parts of Stefan Nemanja’s life.

The plateau around the monument is paved with stone cubes more than 100 years old, which were found during the works in the immediate vicinity of Sava Square.

Source: RTRS