Pond with a Fountain by the Barbican
Kraków Fountains
Fountain, Stare Miasto district. A small figure-of-eight pond between the Barbican and Sławkowska Street was laid out in the Planty park in 1904 as a Japanese-style composition: with an arched bridge, a small island with birch trees and a fountain. Above the pond stands the Monument to the Harpist (Bojan) from 1886, a work by Pius Weloński made in Rome, commemorating the poet Bohdan Zaleski. It has stood in its present place since 1904.
History
This small figure-of-eight pond was laid out in Planty Park in 1904, between the Barbican and Sławkowska Street. It was designed in a Japanese spirit, with an arched footbridge, a little island with birch trees and a fountain. Above the pond stands the Harper Monument, also called the Bojan monument, commemorating the poet Bohdan Zaleski. Pius Weloński devised its concept, and the bronze cast was made in a Roman workshop. It was unveiled in December 1886 at the corner of Szpitalna Street and moved to its present site in 1904, in connection with the construction of the water basin in Planty Park.
Did you know?
The monument depicts Bojan, a blind old man playing the gęśle, accompanied by a child listening intently to the music. The money for it was donated by Konstanty Wołodkowicz.