Kościuszko Mound in Kraków

The Józef Piłsudski Mound, also known as the Mound of Independence and the Mound of Freedom, is located on Sowiniec in the Wolski Forest in Kraków and is the highest mound in Poland. Built on the summit of the Sowiniec Range, the mound was initiated by Lieutenant Franciszek Supergan in 1934 to mark the 20th anniversary of the departure of the First Cadre Company of the Legions from Kraków. After Józef Piłsudski's death, it was decided to name the mound in his honor. Construction lasted from 1934 to 1937, and soil from World War I battlefields and from the island of Graciosa, where Major Pilot Ludwik Idzikowski died, was placed inside. The mound was designed by Franciszek Mączyński and supervised by engineers Stanisław Kuźmiński and Kacper Marchewka. After World War II, the communist authorities of the Polish People's Republic attempted to obscure the mound from the city's landscape, and in 1953, its summit was destroyed using a tank. In 1980, the Committee for the Care of the Mound was established, which contributed to its restoration. Today, the mound is a site of national remembrance, surrounded by the Sowiniec Clearing, with amenities for visitors. It stands approximately 35 meters high with a base diameter of 111 meters, making it an impressive feature of Kraków's landscape. An interesting fact is that during heavy rainfall in 1996 and 2010, the mound suffered significant damage, highlighting the need for its ongoing maintenance. The Józef Piłsudski Mound is not only a symbol of the struggle for independence but also a place where history meets nature, making it a popular attraction for both locals and tourists.