La Pasionaria

This large steel megaphone is a piece of public art inspired by Spanish freedom activist Dolores Ibárruri, who was lovingly called “La Pasionaria.” She stood up for people during the Spanish Civil War and gave igniting speeches in radio broadcasts and to the soldiers in trenches using a loudspeaker.

The huge megaphone in Brussels was unveiled in 2006. It’s the work of artist Emilio Lopez-Menchero, who dedicated the sculpture to all migrants to Belgium. It calls for spontaneous self-expression and making your voice heard. The sculpture itself is a huge cone-shaped steel tube. It is 4 meters long with a horn diameter of 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) and is made of 10 mm-thick stainless steel. It is equipped with concrete stairs so you can walk up to the podium and use this loudspeaker.

As such a huge reflector, the sculpture actually works both ways. You can also get a novel experience of the Brussels sonic environment by listening to the streets through the horn. It is truly an immersive feel since you can catch sounds from close or far that get mixed up and amplified.

Whether you have something really important to announce, or you simply just want to tune in to the sound of busy city streets, this sculpture gives you that opportunity.