Monument to the Heroes of Warsaw

This statue depicts a woman lying down, rising with a sword held aloft in her right hand and her left hand raised. It's a massive 10-ton sculpture, measuring seven meters in height and six meters in length. Its granite pedestal bears the inscription: "To the heroes of Warsaw from 1939 to 1945" (Bohaterom Warszawy 1939−1945).

The Gliwice Technical Equipment Plant cast the sculpture, facing a significant challenge in creating the 1000 kg sword. A unique design of internal steel bars reinforces the sword, allowing it to sway up to 15 cm in the wind. The monument was transported in two sections from Silesia to Warsaw's Gdańska station, just north of its final location.

The Metropolitan National Council of Warsaw made the decision to build the monument on July 30, 1956. The initial competition in February 1957 attracted 196 submissions globally, but failed to yield a winner. A second competition in January 1959 included the previous contest's winners and honorable mentions, resulting in 106 submissions. The winning design was "Warsaw's Nike" by sculptor Marian Konieczny, alongside architects Zagremma and Adam Konieczny.

Unveiled on July 20, 1964, at Theatre Square in front of the Grand Theatre (near the rebuilt Jabłonowski Palace), the monument's construction was funded through public donations and the Social Capital Reconstruction Fund.

In the early 90s, during the renovation near Theatre Square, there was a need to relocate a certain monument.

On November 14, 1995, this monument was temporarily moved behind the Jabłonowski Palace's reconstruction site. Marian Konieczny, the original designer, was tasked with adjusting it to the new site. A major point of contention arose over the pedestal's height. Konieczny envisioned the monument towering, set on a 20-meter high pedestal, but officials suggested a more modest 6.5 meters. Eventually, they settled on a 14-meter high plinth.

Marta Pinkiewicz-Woźniakowska took on the task of designing the new base. Given the monument's placement on a sloped embankment made of rubble, constructing a sturdy, deep foundation was crucial. The base, crafted from reinforced concrete, was designed to mimic natural stone.

Finally, on December 15, 1997, the sculpture was installed atop its new pedestal in the chosen location.