Cat Sculptures in Ruda Śląska

Wrocław has its dwarfs, Katowice its beboks, and Ruda Śląska has cats. Several cast cats in an identical pose sit in different parts of the city, made from melted-down keys that residents brought to the town hall. More than 100 kilograms of them were collected.

History: the town that handed in its keys

The city began collecting unwanted keys in July 2013, on the initiative of the then head of its Social Communication and Promotion Department. Within the first three weeks more than 400 keys reached the town hall, and other institutions soon joined in with their own collection points. The original plan was to cast figures of cats and pigeons from the metal. The cats were cast in a Kraków foundry to a design by an artist working under the pseudonym Róża Cyrankiewicz.

The first cat was unveiled on 26 September 2014 on plac Jana Pawła II, in front of the town hall. The same day the square hosted a cat show, and visitors could adopt a kitten on the spot.

Where to find the cats

• In front of the town hall on plac Jana Pawła II – the first, "founding" cat.
• At the entrance to the Maksymilian Chrobok City Museum – this cat even has a name: Bebok.
• By one of the buildings of the Ficinus workers' estate – a historic workers' colony that is worth a stroll in its own right.

Did you know?

All the Ruda cats strike the same pose, so they're easy to recognise. Many residents had no idea they existed – in 2024 interns at the City Museum revived their story, told by the museum's historian Andrzej Godoj.

Tripto tips

The cats stand outdoors and can be seen at any time, free of charge. They make a nice mini-attraction for families: turn them into a "cat hunt" and combine the route with a visit to the City Museum and a walk round the Ficinus estate. The figures are in different districts of this sprawling city, so it's easiest to travel between them by car or public transport. Allow 2–3 hours for the whole route, including travel.