Estonia Memorials

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

OK, this will be the fifth attempt at uploading just one, simple picture.

Taken in mid-March, this is the main Estonia Memorial in Tallinn, close to the port where the last voyage began.

 

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

Whey-hey, I did it! Posted me first picture! There'll be no stopping me now!

Cheers,

Boz

 

[Senan Molony]

Congrats, Boz!

(If you promise not to upload your Bosnia pix, I won't upload my Kosovo ones...)

That is also the most abstract shipwreck memorials I've ever seen.

 

[Inger Sheil]

Abstract, but I quite like it. The symbolism of the Katkenud liin ("Broken Line") monument is stark and simple. Thanks for posting that, Boz - I don't think I've seen many images of it.

 

[Fiona Nitschke]

I've not seen it before, so thanks for sharing.

Its abstract simplicity is definitely a strong point, and the symbolism works on several levels. It's a work that to me conveys more than a traditional, figurative approach would.

Iain, I've googled to find out more about it, but didn't discover whose work it is. Do you know?

 

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

Thanks all,

The memorial from below. I slipped all the way down the bank with many laughs at my expense.

And me, before the great fall, well insulated due to my blubber.

The plaque just behind me bears the names of a number of victims. Whether they are just the Estonian victims or all 852, I don't know, but there didn't look as if there were 852 names there. I have another close-up photo of that which I will upload.

It's a very large monument and very striking in it's unconventionality (is that a word?). It does not even appear on our tourist map and we had to ask the girl at the hotel if there were any memorials to the disaster. She described it as like a "broken rail". We looked at each other, a bit puzzled. Then, of course, we saw what she meant.

Fiona, I also cannot find any mention or pictures of the memorial anywhere. Inger amazed me by producing a name for it!

Senan, I'm off to Bosnia again next weekend, so I shall have an updated assortment of photos to show you. I'm taking the ones I snapped 10 years ago back to Bosnia to give to the people who were in them. It's going to be an interesting trip.

Cheers,

Boz

 

[Senan Molony]

Back to the starry most, eh Boz?

Now there was a proper "broken rail" between two communities.... now nicely rebuilt and a symbol of the renewal.

Mostar is technically the capital of the Herzegovina bit, but sure they're all the one nation now, right??

Give my love to Sarajevo.

 

[Inger Sheil]

quote:

The memorial from below. I slipped all the way down the bank

Boz, it wouldn't be one of your expeditions if there wasn't an incident like this involved!

How did you find out about the 'Broken Line'? I know you have an interest in the Estonia, but it doesn't seem to be one of the more publicised memorials.

 

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

Morning Inger,

The only memorial I found online is situated on an island off the Estonian coast. We felt sure that there would be a memorial in Tallinn itself and sure enough, the girl on reception at the hotel pointed it out on the map, in a park on the very northern tip of the Old City.

By the way, if you ever have the chance to visit Tallinn or Estonia, jump on it. It is beautiful.

Cheers,

Boz