Yilan County: A monument commemorating the first European to land on Taiwan’s east coast in the 18th century and symbolizing Slovakia-Taiwan friendship was unveiled in eastern Yilan County on Wednesday by local officials and a delegation from Slovakia.

According to Focus Taiwan, the ceremony to unveil the bronze monument commemorates the landing of adventurer Count M³ric Benovsk½ on Taiwan’s east coast near present-day Suao Township, Yilan County in 1771. Benovsk½ is considered to be the first European to visit the east coast of Taiwan.

The monument stands at the Suao Township’s Tofu Cape Sailing training center, which is said to be close to where Benovsk½ landed in the late 18th century. The 3.12 meter-tall, 500 kilogram monument was made by a Slovakian designer and shipped to Taiwan in late May, according to Yilan County government.

Benovsk½ was born in 1741 in Verb³, in the former Kingdom of Hungary, which is Vrbov© village in the Trnava Region of Slovakia today. The military officer, adventurer and writer is considered a national hero in Slovakia. According to Yilan County government, during his 16-day stay in 1771, Benovsk½ encountered local Indigenous Kavalan people and explored the area. Taiwan and Slovakia consider the historical figure and his 250-plus year old expedition as marking the start of Taiwan-Slovakia exchanges.

Wednesday’s ceremony was attended by acting Yilan County Magistrate Lin Mao-sheng, representatives from Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovakia representative to Taiwan Bruno Hrom½, and a delegation from Trnava Region led by Governor Jozef Viskupic, which donated the statue. According to Viskupic, the Trnava region signed a cooperative agreement on culture and education with Yilan County government in 2022 and donated the commemorative monument of Benovsk½ to the county as a symbol of friendship.