THE MAUSOLEUM OF ANDREJ HLINKA

The Mausoleum of Msgr. Andrej Hlinka was built in 1939. The construction, an initiative of the town of Ružomberok, fulfilled both the law requiring recognition of his achievements, and acted on a resolution of the Slovak Assembly requiring construction of a permanent memorial to him. It is located under the site of the former Presbytery and the Illeshäzy School. The original idea for a memorial hall for those who lost their lives in the First World War was transformed into the current architectural concept by Kazimir Olejník, Jozef Švidroň and Jozef Glončák. The area around the Mausoleum was architecturally planned in order to create a ceremonial approach. This was done through a staircase now known as the School Stairs, which is lined on both sides with a decorated pillared banister. It was designed by Jozef Uhlár and Štefan Martoník. A major renovation took place from 1990 to 1991. Nowadays it is a reverential place and a symbolic site representing the location of the final resting place of Andrej Hlinka.