Monuments & mounds

Cat Sculptures in Ruda Śląska

Several cat figures have taken up residence in the public spaces of Ruda Śląska. The first one arrived in September 2014 on Jan Paweł II square in Nowy Bytom, right by the city hall. Later ones went to Wirek, next to the library, and to the Ruda district, by the Municipal Museum named after Maksymilian Chrobok — and so the cat became the town's unofficial mascot.

A cat funded with keys

The story of the first figure is thoroughly civic: it was financed with a collection of keys held among residents. More than 100 kilograms of keys were gathered in total, and one donor brought as much as 14 kilograms. The plaque under the sculpture carries a dedication: From the people of Ruda to the people of Ruda.

A Silesian yard in the background

The choice of hero was no accident. In Upper Silesia the cat has been a full resident of factory and tenement courtyards for generations — guarding supplies against mice, while people believed it brought good energy and health. The cat figures are compared to the Wrocław dwarfs and the gwarki statues of Tarnowskie Góry as a way of telling the town through small forms. Further animals were floated as plans: sculptures of pigeons, bred in Silesia for centuries.

In practice

Visiting is free and there are no opening hours to mind. A comfortable plan is a route through three districts: start on Jan Paweł II square in Nowy Bytom (near Wolności street), continue to Wirek and to the Ruda district with its municipal museum. At an unhurried pace the whole loop takes half a day, including a coffee in one of the local cafés.