Monument to Juliusz Słowacki in Miłosław

The Juliusz Słowacki Monument in Miłosław, the first of its kind on Polish soil, was unveiled on September 16, 1899, to mark the 50th anniversary of the poet’s death. It was funded by Józef Kościelski and crafted from cream-colored marble by Władysław Marcinkowski. Situated on a gentle hill and surrounded by a lawn, the monument’s centerpiece is a bust of Słowacki mounted on a square column. To the left stands an arched bench with a full backrest, while to the right, a figure of a girl in traditional folk attire leans against the column. The composition is completed by small columns holding a stone torch and an urn, symbolizing life and death. The monument quickly became a site of significant cultural and patriotic events. During the unveiling ceremony, renowned writers, including Henryk Sienkiewicz and Włodzimierz Spasowicz, delivered speeches, and artists such as Julian Fałat and Leon Wyczółkowski were among the attendees. Unfortunately, during the German occupation, the monument was dismantled, and the bust was not returned to its place until 1952. In 1984, a re-unveiling ceremony was held to mark the 85th anniversary of its founding, and in 1998, the restored monument was unveiled again to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Spring of Nations. A patriotic ceremony took place in 1999 for the 100th anniversary of the original unveiling, followed by a reenactment of the historic event in 2019. The monument not only honors the great poet but also stands as an important part of the region’s cultural heritage and a witness to Polish society’s resilience through historical turmoil.