Nicolaus Copernicus Bench in Olsztyn
General Information
The bronze sculpture depicts Nicolaus Copernicus seated, gazing at the sky and facing the castle where he once served as administrator of the estates of the Warmia Cathedral Chapter.
Location
The monument is located in the Old Town, at the junction of Zamkowa and Okopowa streets, near the Evangelical-Augsburg Church of Christ the Saviour, just several dozen metres from the main entrance to the Museum of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.
History and Description
The sculpture was created at the Centre of Polish Sculpture in OroĆsko by the Olsztyn-based sculptor Urszula Szmyt. The Copernicus Bench was unveiled in October 2003 to mark the 650th anniversary of Olsztyn and the 530th anniversary of the astronomerâs birth.
The figure of Copernicus, inspired by the well-known painting by Jan Matejko, is shown with long hair reaching his shoulders. He is dressed in a long coat with a fur collar and half-length sleeves. In his right hand he holds an astrolabe, while in his left he carries a rolled sheet of paper. The life-size figure sits on a brick bench with a marble seat. Informational plaques attached to the brick base provide details on Copernicusâs lifespan and list the monumentâs sponsors.
The monument is a popular tourist attraction. Visitors may take commemorative photographs, sit on the astronomerâs knees, and rub his nose âfor good luckâ.
In 2014, the residents of Olsztyn voted the Copernicus Bench as the most important monument in the city (51.7% of respondents).
Bibliography
Adamowicz Grzegorz, "Discover Olsztyn â the City of Nicolaus Copernicus", Olsztyn 2009.
PaĆșdziorko RadosĆaw, "A Bench for the Astronomer: Where Should the Copernicus Monument Stand?", âGazeta OlsztyĆskaâ 2003, no. 42, p. 14.
Sierocki RadosĆaw, RafaĆ KleĆta-Nawrocki, Jacek Kowalewski, "Practising Memory. The People of Olsztyn â An Anthropological Reconnaissance", Olsztyn 2014, pp. 344â345.