Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino in Warsaw
Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino in Warsaw is a 12-meter memorial in Warsaw’s central Śródmieście district, near the National Archaeological Museum in the Warsaw Arsenal and the entrance to the Krasiński Gardens. Designed by sculptor Kazimierz Gustaw Zemla and architect Wojciech Zabłocki, it is made of reinforced concrete covered in white Carrara marble and weighs 220 tons. The composition features a headless, wounded Nike tied to a tall column, with Monte Cassino Hill, the Virgin Mary, and scattered helmets visible inside the base. The pedestal includes the Monte Cassino commemorative cross, emblems of five Polish military units, a Polish eagle, and an urn with the ashes of the heroes.
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Identification | |
| Title | Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino in Warsaw |
| Type | Memorial monument |
| Style | Postmodernism |
| Original Polish title | Pomnik Bitwy o Monte Cassino w Warszawie |
Historical context | |
| Subject | The Battle of Monte Cassino |
| Commemorates | The Polish contribution to the Battle of Monte Cassino and the fallen in the battle |
| Historical context | After the fall of the People's Republic of Poland in 1989, Polish soldiers in the armies of the Western Allies could also be publicly commemorated |
Creator | |
| Designer | Sculptor Kazimierz Gustaw Zemła and architect Wojciech Zabłocki |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Funding | Contributions from veterans of the 2nd Polish Corps and grants from numerous institutions |
| Associated army | The Anders Army |
| Associated person | General Władysław Anders |
| Competition purpose | A monument commemorating the Polish contribution to the Battle of Monte Cassino |
| Competition announced by | The Association of Polish Architects (Stowarzyszenie Architektów Polskich) |
| Competition announced | June 1995 |
| Selected by | The Social Committee for the Construction of the Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino in Warsaw |
| Site selected | December 1994 |
Location and ownership | |
| Location | Square by the Krasiński Garden in Śródmieście, Warsaw, Poland, near the National Archaeological Museum in the Warsaw Arsenal |
| Placement | On a square between Anders Avenue and the gates of the Krasiński Garden, on the axis of the entrance to the State Archaeological Museum in the Warsaw Arsenal |
| Nearby landmark | National Archaeological Museum in the Warsaw Arsenal |
| Nearby memorials | Two smaller memorials are located near the monument |
| Nearby memorial 1 | A plaque with the image of General Władysław Anders |
| Nearby memorial 2 | A monument of gratitude to the people of Persia (now Iran) who sheltered over 120,000 Polish refugees escaping from the Soviet Union with the Anders Army in 1942 |
| Comparison monument | Monument of Gratitude to the Iranian People |
Physical characteristics | |
| Pedestal height | 2 meters |
| Foundation stabilization | Six-meter piles were driven into the ground to stabilize the soil under the 70-ton column |
| Height | 12 meters |
| Main column weight | 70 tons |
| Weight | 220 tons |
Materials | |
| Material | Reinforced concrete covered with white Bianco Carrara marble |
Technique | |
| Construction | A 70-ton column forms the tallest element of the composition |
Appearance | |
| Main figure | A headless, wounded Nike (Victory) emerging from a shattered column and tied with a sash |
| Base contents | A hill covered with a shroud, a figure of the Virgin Mary, and scattered helmets |
| Pedestal decoration | The Cross of Monte Cassino, the emblems of the five Polish military units that took part in the battle, a Polish eagle, and an urn containing the ashes of the heroes |
| Inscriptions | There are inscriptions on the front and back of the monument |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Relic | An urn with the ashes of heroes is placed under the shroud on the pedestal |
| Emblems | Coats of arms of five Polish units that took part in the battle |
| Religious imagery | The Virgin Mary is depicted in the base |
| Pedestal symbol | The Cross of Monte Cassino |
History and restoration | |
| Unveiling date | 30 May 1999 |
| Unveiled by | Irena Anders, widow of General Władysław Anders |
| Ceremonial escort | Representative Company of the Polish Army and an honor guard of the Polish Army |
| Presidential representation | Ryszard Kalisz, acting Head of the Presidential Chancellery, represented the President of Poland |
| Commemorative occasion | 55th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino |
| Creation date | 1999 |
Significance | |
| Purpose | A memorial to the Polish contribution to the Battle of Monte Cassino |
| Battle anniversary referenced | 55th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino |