Tightrope Walker Sculpture

Bydgoszcz is a romantic city, fascinating both with its bystreets and ancient buildings and an unusual city symbol.

While earlier monuments were erected in honor of famous people or significant events, today every artist may create artwork and show it to the world, whether it is a portrayal of a notability or a collective image.

That is how an extraordinary monument appeared in Bydgoszcz. On May 1, 2004, when Poland became a member of the European Union, Tightrope Walker soared over the Brda River. The official name of the sculpture is Man Crossing the River created by the Polish sculptor Jerzy Kedziora.

Citizens fell in love with Tightrope Walker quickly. For two years, the sculpture has turned from a gimmick into a symbol of the city. Indeed, it decorates the street and attracts plenty of tourists.

Many tourists come to Mostowa Street to see this wonder. There is a thin metal cable stretched across the Brda River. It is almost invisible, and a naked young man balances on it. One of his legs stands on the cable; another one hangs over the river. He holds a pole and arrows in his hands. The figure is 50 kilograms in weight and 2 meters in height.

Those who did not see the sculpture wonder how it holds on such a thin cable and does not fall because of wind. The answer turned out to be simple: the center of gravity is below the torso, and the supporting leg is five times heavier than the whole sculpture. It gives the impression that the tightrope walker is about to fall into the river, but he has maintained his position for many years.