Nicolaus Copernicus Monument in Warsaw
| Pomnik Mikołaja Kopernika w Warszawie | |
Thorvaldsen's Copernicus Monument before the Polish Academy of Sciences on Warsaw's Krakowskie Przedmieście
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| Coordinates | 52°14′17″N 21°01′05″E / 52.23816°N 21.01797°ECoordinates: 52°14′17″N 21°01′05″E / 52.23816°N 21.01797°E |
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| Location | Warsaw, Poland |
| Designer | Bertel Thorvaldsen |
| Material | Bronze |
| Beginning date | 1828 |
| Completion date | 1830 |
| Dedicated to | Nicolaus Copernicus |
The Nicolaus Copernicus Monument in Warsaw is one of the Polish capital's notable landmarks. It stands before the Staszic Palace, the seat of the Polish Academy of Sciences on Krakowskie Przedmieście. Designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen in 1822, it was completed in 1830.
The bronze statue of a Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (Polish: Mikołaj Kopernik) holding a compass and armillary sphere was designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen in 1822 and erected in 1828–30. It was funded by public donations and by the scientist and philosopher Stanisław Staszic. The unveiling ceremony, presided over by Tadeusz Kościuszko's former comrade-in-arms, Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz. Polish clergy refused to attend the ceremonies as his book had been condemned by the Holy Office in 1616.
Staszic had originally planned to erect the statue in Toruń, Copernicus' hometown, upon hearing that Napoleon had expressed surprise during an 1807 visit to Toruń that there was no monument to Copernicus in the town. The fall of the Duchy of Warsaw (which had included Toruń) and the reoccupation of the region by Prussia had delayed the project and eventually forced Staszic to change the venue to Warsaw, which was in the Russian partition.
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