Tadeusz Kościuszko Monument in Kraków

What it is

This bronze equestrian statue, designed by Leonard Marconi and completed by his son-in-law Antoni Popiel, stands near the entrance to Wawel Castle in Kraków. The original was cast in 1900 but could not be erected until 1920-24, after Poland regained independence following World War I. The Germans destroyed it in 1940 during the occupation; the current statue, a gift from the people of Dresden, was recreated in 1960.

Why it matters

The statue's history mirrors Poland's own turbulent history: delayed by Austrian authorities during the partitions, destroyed by Nazi occupiers, and rebuilt as an act of postwar reconciliation. Kościuszko himself led an uprising against Russia and Prussia before the final partition of Poland, and his remains lie nearby at Wawel Cathedral.

Look closer

• Why might the Austrian government have refused permission for this statue for twenty years?
• What does the statue's destruction and later rebuilding as a gift from Dresden tell us about how nations use monuments to repair relationships?
• Why would a monument to Kościuszko be placed so close to his tomb at Wawel Cathedral?