The Monument to the Uprising of the People of Kordun and Banija at Petrova Gora, or Peter’s Mountain, in central Croatia, belongs to the most notorious derelict Yugoslav-era monuments. In addition to a range of emotions, the Petrova Gora monument generates more questions than answers. What happened in the surrounding woods? Why build this sculpturally and architecturally exceptional behemoth on this forested hilltop? How did one of the biggest and most impressive World War II monuments in the world end up in such a state of dilapidation, decay, and desolation?
While tourism, mostly unorganized, to the site continues to grow and the Monument increasingly features in various pop culture productions, local activists lead small-scale efforts to keep the site alive. Is this enough? What else can and should be done here? And why does it all matter?
Additional questions and some answers in the latest episode of the Remembering Yugoslavia podcast, feat. Aneta Vladimirov, Donald Niebyl / SpomenikDatabase & Sanja Horvatinčić.