Kutuzov Monument, Bolesławiec

A dark obelisk about 10 metres tall, guarded by four lions, stands by the old town walls of Bolesławiec. It commemorates the Russian field marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, Napoleon's nemesis, who died here in 1813. The monument was designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, and the lions by Johann Gottfried Schadow – the two most celebrated artists in Berlin at the time.

History

In spring 1813 Kutuzov was leading the Russian army westwards and urging Prussia to join the fight against Napoleon. In Bolesławiec (then Bunzlau) he fell ill and died. On the orders of King Frederick William III a monument was raised in 1819 in the town where he died. Schinkel's authorship is confirmed by a record at the Berlin iron foundry. The obelisk originally stood on the market square, but needed repairs as early as 1822. In the late 19th century it was moved to the promenade by the walls – sources give 1892 or 1893. The Russian and German inscriptions, and the identity of the man honoured, helped it survive 1945 and the post-war removal of German traces from the town.

What to see

• Four inscribed faces – two in German and two in Russian, recording Kutuzov's deeds and honours.
• The lions at the base, designed by Schadow, creator of the quadriga on Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
• The setting – the obelisk stands among greenery beside a stretch of medieval town wall, along which runs a ring of parkland.

Kutuzov's traces in town

The house where the field marshal died stands at ulica Kutuzowa 14. From 1945 to 1991 it housed a museum run by Red Army units stationed in the town. In practice it enjoyed extraterritorial status, and when it closed part of its collection was taken to Russia. The building later passed to the Ceramics Museum. Local tradition also links Kutuzov with the Russian soldiers' cemetery in Bolesławiec, where some of his remains are said to rest – a tradition rather than a documented fact.

Tripto tip

The obelisk is on ulica Bolesława Kubika, a few minutes' walk from the market square. It is accessible at all times and free; 10–15 minutes is enough to read the inscriptions and see the lions. Combine it with a stroll along the walls and a visit to the nearby basilica – a natural route through the Old Town.