Jump to content

Józef Piłsudski Monument (Belweder)

Coordinates: 52°12′48.56″N 21°01′36.42″E / 52.2134889°N 21.0267833°E / 52.2134889; 21.0267833
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Józef Piłsudski Monument
The monument in 2019.
Map
52°12′48.56″N 21°01′36.42″E / 52.2134889°N 21.0267833°E / 52.2134889; 21.0267833
LocationBelwederska Street, Downtown, Warsaw, Poland
DesignerStanisław Kazimierz Ostrowski
TypeStatue
Material
Height
  • 4.5 m (total)
  • 3.5 m (statue)
Opening date8 November 1998
Dedicated toJózef Piłsudski

The Józef Piłsudski Monument (Polish: Pomnik Józefa Piłsudskiego) is a gunmetal statue in Warsaw, Poland, within the Downtown district, placed next to the Belweder Palace, near the intersection of Belwederska Street, Ujazdów Avenue, and Bagatela Street. It is dedicated to Józef Piłsudski, a military officer and statesman who served as the Chief of State of Poland from 1918 to 1922, the Prime Minister of Poland from 1926 to 1928, and in 1930, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Polish Armed Forces and the Marshal of Poland. The monument was based on a sculpture made by Stanisław Kazimierz Ostrowski, prior to the Second World War. It was unveiled on 8 November 1998.

History

[edit]

The monument was proposed in 1997 by writer Jerzy Waldorff, and the year later, the idea was approved by the local municipal authorities. It was dedicated to Józef Piłsudski, a military officer and statesman who served as the Chief of State of Poland from 1918 to 1922, the Prime Minister of Poland from 1926 to 1928, and in 1930, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Polish Armed Forces and the Marshal of Poland. The design was based on the sculpture made by Stanisław Kazimierz Ostrowski, prior to the Second World War. It was cast in gunmetal from melted artillery shells, that were donated by the Ministry of National Defence. It was unveiled on 8 November 1998, in the presence of Jerzy Waldorff, Marcin Święcicki, the mayor of Warsaw, and Jadwiga Piłsudska, Józef Piłsudski's daughter.[1][2]

Characteristics

[edit]

The monument is placed next to the Belweder Palace, near the intersection of Belwederska Street, Ujazdów Avenue, and Bagatela Street.[1]

The gunmetal statue depicts Józef Piłsudski wearing a military longcoat and a maciejówka cap, standing while resting his arms on vertically placed sable. Next to him, is a pedestal with an engraving of an eagle with a crown, from the coat of arms of Poland. On top of it is placed the bulava of the Marshal of Poland. The statue has the heigh of 3.5 m. It is placed on a 1-metre-tall marble pedestal. It fueatures Polish inscriptions that read "Marszałek Józef Piłsudski" (translation: Marshal Józef Piłsudski), and "Swemu Obrońcy w 1920 r. – Warszawa" (translation: To its Saviour of 1920, Warsaw).[1]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Irena Grzesiuk-Olszewska: Warszawska rzeźba pomnikowa. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Neriton, 2003, p. 203. ISBN 83-88973-59-2. (in Polish)
  2. ^ Andrzeja Stawarza, Karol Mórawski (editors): Warszawa: o czym mówią pomniki i kamienie. Warsaw: Museum of Independence, 2000, p. 232. ISBN 9788387516154. (in Polish)