Polish Cavalry Monument

Polish Cavalry Monument

Pomnik Jazdy Polskiej
Coordinates	52°12′59.46″N 21°00′52.10″E / 52.2165167°N 21.0144722°E / 52.2165167; 21.0144722Coordinates: 52°12′59.46″N 21°00′52.10″E / 52.2165167°N 21.0144722°E / 52.2165167; 21.0144722
Location	Rondo Jazdy Polskiej
Designer	Mieczysław Naruszewicz, Marek Moderau
Height	16 meters
Beginning date	1983
Opening date	3 May 1994

The Polish Cavalry Monument, also known as the Millennium Polish Cavalry Monument, is a statue located at the Polish Cavalry Roundabout (Rondo Jazdy Polskiej) in Warsaw.

History

The initiative to build the monument commemorating the Polish cavalry started in 1978, and in 1981 a committee was formed to organize the construction of the monument. The monument had to stand on a slope of the Łazienkowska Thoroughfare (Trasa Łazienkowska) at the entrance to Jazdów Street, where the cornerstone was laid in 1983.

In 1984, there was a design competition for the monument and from 13 entries, the design by sculptor and designer Mieczysław Naruszewicz was chosen. The statue was cast in 1987 at the Warsaw cooperative, Brąz Dekoracyjny.

Due to unstable geological conditions, it was decided to change the monument's location. As a consequence it is now set too high on its column with its back to pedestrians and traffic.

The monument was unveiled on May 3, 1994. The sculpture shows two riders galloping on horseback: one with a Piast uhlan (spear) and the other with a saber in an outstretched hand, which symbolizes the beginning and end of Polish horse formations. To create the sculptures, Colonel Zbigniew Starak, a participant in the charge at the Battle of Schoenfeld (the last battle fought in by Polish cavalry), posed for the sculptor.

The lower part of the column is surrounded by four cast brass plaques with a list of 43 of the most important battles in the history of the Polish cavalry. Metal from army artillery shells was used in the creation of the plaques. These were designed by sculptor Mark Moderau. After 11 years, errors in the inscriptions were noted and corrected for the dates of the Obertyn, Orsza and Beresteczko battles.

Battles noted on the monument plaques

Gallery

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  Monument from the south
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  Monument from the east
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  Monument from the west
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  One of the four tables with names and dates of battles

Bibliography

• Irena Grzesiuk-Olszewska: Warszawska rzeźba pomnikowa. Wydawnictwo Neriton, Warszawa 2003, s. 183-184. ISBN 83-88973-59-2.