Michał Bałucki Monument in Kraków

The bust of Michał Bałucki stands in Planty Park, in the small square behind the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre and the Church of the Holy Cross. It commemorates the Kraków playwright, who died in 1901.

How the monument came about

The initiative to commemorate the writer came from the Kraków Artistic and Literary Circle, and the idea appeared right after his death. The bust was originally meant to stand in a more prominent place, in front of the theatre, but conservative circles in the city objected. The present site next to the Church of the Holy Cross was indicated in 1910 by the Planty Commission. The unveiling took place in 1911, on the tenth anniversary of Bałucki's death.

Authors and later history

The bust was made by Tadeusz Błotnicki and the base by Piotr Cekiera. Commissioning the two parts from two different artists drew objections, and the site and appearance of the monument also caused controversy. For over a dozen years before 2017 the bust was threatened by a leaning tree that touched the sculpture, so the city moved the monument aside by about a metre. During conservation a bullet mark was discovered in the metal, probably from the period just after 1945. The conservators left it in place after cleaning and securing it.

Nearby

The monument lies on the walking route around the Old Town, right next to the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre. Within a few hundred metres there are also St Florian's Gate and Planty Park, in which it stands.

Practical information

• Location: Kraków, Planty Park, the square behind the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, next to the Church of the Holy Cross.
• The monument stands in an open park space, accessible at any time.