Jan Czekanowski Monument in Szczecin

The Jan Czekanowski Monument takes the form of a bench: the figure sits on a travelling trunk, dressed as travellers in Africa were in the second half of the 19th century. It commemorates the Polish anthropologist and ethnographer, distinguished for his research in Africa, who spent the last period of his life in Szczecin and died here. It stands on one of the paths of General Anders Park in the city centre.

How it came about

The monument was funded by scientific and cultural institutions of Szczecin and by private individuals. The largest contributions came from the University of Szczecin, the Szczecin City Hall, the Polish Africanist Society and the Nowak Africa Association. It was made in Africa by the artist Yossouf Toure from Burkina Faso, known as Derme. The sculpture was flown to Berlin, from where it came to Szczecin, and it was unveiled in May 2012.

What it looks like

The whole is kept in black and gold. The trunk is modelled on travel equipment from the late 19th century, and on it are plaques with the names of the companies and institutions that contributed to the monument. The sculpture has no plinth or fence, so you can sit on a free spot on the trunk and take a photograph. According to the Wikipedia entry, it is the first monument in Szczecin in the form of a memorial bench.

Practical information

• Location: General Anders Park in the centre of Szczecin, by a park path.
• The monument stands outdoors and is accessible at any time.
• It is about a kilometre from the Port Gate.