Adam Mickiewicz Monument in Kraków

The Adam Mickiewicz Monument stands on the eastern side of the Main Market Square, between the Cloth Hall and the mouth of Sienna Street. Krakovians call it simply "Adaś". It is 10 metres high and for more than a century has been one of the most photographed places in the city and a spot for arranged meetings.

Who designed the Mickiewicz monument in Kraków

The designer was the sculptor Teodor Rygier, and the monument was cast in the Roman firm "Nelli". A competition for a monument to the national bard was held in Kraków in 1880-1890, and visions were submitted by, among others, Jan Matejko, Walery Gadomski and Pius Weloński. The choice of Rygier's design provoked criticism and numerous polemics in the press. The construction cost 164,000 Austrian florins, collected mainly from public contributions.

The unveiling ceremony took place on 26 June 1898, on the hundredth anniversary of the poet's birth. The plinth bears the inscription "Adamowi Mickiewiczowi Naród" (To Adam Mickiewicz, the Nation).

What the monument looks like

The poet stands alone on the pedestal, and the plinth carries four allegories: the Fatherland, Courage, Learning and Poetry. The stone elements were made of Kośmin granodiorite from Piława Górna in Lower Silesia. The whole stands right next to the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), so the monument is hard to miss on a walk across the Market Square.

Destruction and reconstruction

The monument was destroyed on 17 August 1940 by the German occupiers. After the war, in 1946, its elements were found at a scrapyard in Hamburg. The reconstructed monument was unveiled again on 26 November 1955, on the hundredth anniversary of Mickiewicz's death. In databases you therefore come across two dates, 1898 and 1955: the first refers to the original, the second to the reconstruction.

Traditions around the monument

According to the description in Wikipedia, the monument has become a favourite meeting place for Krakovians and tourists. Several customs have taken root around it:

• laying flowers on 24 December, the bard's name day,
• presenting Kraków nativity scenes (szopki) as part of a competition,
• celebrating sporting successes,
• school-leavers hopping on one leg during their studniówka balls,
• exercises by soldiers moving to the reserve.

What to see nearby

The monument lies in the very middle of the Main Market Square. A few dozen metres away stands St Mary's Basilica, and less than 300 metres away in a straight line the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi. It is about 800 metres from here to Wawel Royal Castle.

Practical information

• Location: Main Market Square, eastern side, between the Cloth Hall and Sienna Street, Old Town.
• Admission: the monument stands in a public space and can be viewed without a ticket at any time.
• You usually pass it while sightseeing in the square, so it is good to combine it with a walk to St Mary's Basilica.