Works on the refurbishment and equipping of the Memorial Room for fallen defenders of Dubrovnik in the Sponza Palace are entering the final phase.
The Memorial Room is being renovated in a manner that dignifies the commemoration of the lost lives of brave Dubrovnik defenders and encompasses the entire narrative of the city's wartime suffering and its inhabitants, according to the architectural project by Nikolina Jelavić Mitrović, an interior designer acclaimed for her award-winning museum displays and exhibitions.
A layer of steel plate flooring depicting Dubrovnik and marked with aggressor hits has been installed. In the central part of the room, three bronze-made stones connected with steel beams have been incorporated. Plates with the names of defenders are placed on the stones, with wooden panels containing photographs of the defenders and short biographical texts being added. Satin glass is also installed on the plate, behind which a lamp reminiscent of a candle's light is placed.
Each stone contains 60 positions for defenders, totalling 180 positions across all three stones. In total, 160 fallen Dubrovnik defenders with regulated status at the Ministry of Veterans of the Republic of Croatia are depicted, with 20 empty positions for potential future additions.
Furthermore, western and eastern wall cladding made of patinated bronze plates are being installed for an interactive video wall featuring photographs and biographies of defenders, information about the Homeland War, destruction, and the city's restoration, as well as films and animations.
All necessary installations have been carried out, with the installation of lighting and multimedia equipment planned. The room is adapted for persons with disabilities, for the deaf, hard of hearing, and visually impaired individuals.
According to the agreed deadline, the expected completion of works on the Memorial Room's arrangement is the first half of April. The arrangement of the memorial room coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the opening of the Memorial Room in its current location within the Sponza Palace.
