Beetle Monument in Szczebrzeszyn

"W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie" ("In Szczebrzeszyn a beetle buzzes in the reeds") – this line from a poem by Jan Brzechwa is known to every Polish child and every foreigner who has tried to master Polish pronunciation; it is the country's most famous tongue-twister. Szczebrzeszyn decided to celebrate it: in front of the town hall stands a two-metre bronze beetle playing the violin, and a second, wooden one stands at the foot of Castle Hill.

Two monuments

The monument on the market square (pl. T. Kościuszki) was unveiled in July 2011. It was designed by the sculptor Zygmunt Jarmuł and cast in the Kraków studio of Karol Badyna. The insect, in a top hat and long frock coat, holds a violin and bow – it stands right in front of the town hall, so you can't miss it.

The wooden sculpture stands by a spring near the historic mill at the foot of Castle Hill. The first was unveiled in September 2002; students of the Zamość art school carved it, under Jarmuł's guidance, from a lime trunk 3 metres tall and a metre wide. In October 2018 the weathered sculpture was replaced by a new one, also by Jarmuł.

A fact for the curious

Entomologists soon noticed that the bronze "beetle" actually looks like an insect of the order Orthoptera – a bush cricket or locust – rather than a beetle. Nobody minds: what matters is that it plays music, as in the poem, and it has become the most photographed spot in town.

Tripto tip

The square is small and parking is easy. Photos are best early in the morning or late afternoon, when there are fewer people. Allow 10–15 minutes for the monument and another half hour for a walk to the wooden sculpture by the spring. The synagogue, the Orthodox church and St Nicholas' Church are a few steps from the square, and the Szczebrzeszyn Landscape Park with its loess gorges starts all around.