Princess Daisy's Bench, Pszczyna

On the Market Square in Pszczyna, a few steps from the castle gate, a bronze Princess Daisy sits on a bench – leaving a free seat beside her for anyone who wants a photo. The monument was unveiled on 1 May 2009, and miniature versions of it have become the town's most prestigious award, nicknamed the "Pszczyna Oscar". The bench is a good excuse to get to know one of the most colourful women ever to live in Silesia.

A bench from an art workshop

The sculpture was designed by the local artist Joachim Krakowczyk during one of the Pszczyna Art Plein-Airs, and the bronze was cast by the Gliwice Technical Equipment Works. The princess, in a gown with puffed sleeves, sits at one end of a curved bench whose sides are carved as lions – one hand rests on a lion's head. The monument has no plinth and stands at eye level with passers-by – which is why the bench quickly became one of the most photographed spots in the centre. The monument is also linked to an annual shooting tournament held by the Pszczyna Marksmen's Brotherhood (Bractwo Kurkowe).

The "Pszczyna Oscar"

Miniature casts of the bench are awarded by the mayor of Pszczyna for outstanding achievements and services to the town and region. Miniature number 1 went to Prince Bolko von Hochberg, Daisy's grandson. By 2012, eleven had been presented.

Who was Daisy?

Mary Theresa Olivia Hochberg von Pless, née Cornwallis-West, was born on 28 June 1873 at Ruthin Castle in Wales. On 8 December 1891 she married Prince Hans Heinrich XV von Hochberg, one of the richest aristocrats in the German Empire, and became mistress of the castles of Książ and Pszczyna. She was considered one of the great beauties of the Edwardian era, and her brother George was Winston Churchill's stepfather.

Daisy was known for her charity work: she gave Christmas parties for several thousand poor people, worked as a Red Cross nurse during the First World War, and during the Second World War sent food parcels to prisoners of the Gross-Rosen concentration camp. She left widely read memoirs describing life at the courts of Europe. She died on 29 June 1943 in Wałbrzych.

Tripto tip

The bench stands on the Market Square and is accessible free of charge at any time. For an unhurried photo, come in the morning before the square fills up. The visit takes a few minutes, but fits easily into a longer walk: right next door are the Castle Museum in the former Hochberg residence, the castle park, the Princely Stables and picturesque Bankowa street. In late May the town holds the Daisy Days festival with concerts, exhibitions and installations on the square.