Maaleht writes that Tapa will be the last town in Estonia to receive a downtown Freedom Monument. The future monument will replace the statue of Kalevipoeg in Kirikupark (Kalju Reitel, 1991), which has been accused of being depressive. The competition for the new monument was won by young architects Henri Kopra and Iiris Tähti Toom.
Maaleht writes:
“The Tapa rural municipality announces in a press release that it has conducted a competition together with the Union of Estonian Architects to find the most suitable solution for the War of Independence memorial in the Kirikupark of Tapa. The winning entry was the monument design Iron Root, which bears a tree motif. The authors are Henri Kopra and Iiris Tähti Toom from Spatialist Studio OÜ.
“The jury was particularly impressed by the tree motif and the plasticity of the idea.
“The idea of roots is associated with strength, while being attached to the earth and protecting it is associated with survival. The tree motif has a powerful impact and is also an internationally recognisable symbol. Compared to the others, this is a focused and most inward-looking work. The depth of thought is sympathetic – it symbolises a struggle that has endured over time and this work conveys continuity,” the jury concluded.”
The sculpture will be installed in Kirikupark in place of the footless monument to Kalevipoeg, which will be moved in front of the local library.
Kalju Reitel’s sculpture called Estonia Awakens was unveiled in the park of Tapa Jakob Church on 6 September 1991 and is dedicated to the granting of self-government to the town.
Tapa has not been entirely without a War of Independence memorial until now, the modest war memorial is located in the town’s old cemetery and is not very well known. There is also another memorial to the War of Independence – the burial place of the War of Independence invalids with a memorial pillar.”