Cross at Bruszeń

The Cross on Brusznia is an impressive 30-meter-high structure situated on a hill in Kielce, commemorating a key event from the night of January 22–23, 1863, when the January Uprising insurgents planned an attack on Russian soldiers. It was erected in June 2017 as the sixth cross in this location, following previous ones that did not withstand the test of time due to natural damage such as storms or material degradation. The first cross was provisional, and the next four were made of wood. In 1916, to mark the 53rd anniversary of the January Uprising, a stone mound was built and a birch cross was erected, which was later replaced by a larger wooden cross consecrated by Father Jan Mauersberg. Knocked over by storms or dismantled, the cross was not only a monument but also a site for scouting ceremonies, including the first clandestine meeting of the Gray Ranks in 1940. In 1988, scouts erected a 19.67-meter-high fir cross, and in 2003, on the initiative of the Piłsudski Association, a commemorative plaque was unveiled to honor the heroes of the uprising. The cross was toppled by a storm in 2007, but a year later, on the 90th anniversary of the first cross, a new 24-meter cross was erected, and the crown of thorns, an element of the earlier 1917 cross, was restored. Thus, the Cross on Brusznia is not only a historical symbol but also a testament to the enduring memory of the insurgents' heroic efforts and important events in local history.