Nicolaus Copernicus Monument
4.8 (31)attraction
4.8 (31)Outside the Adler Planetarium, this recast of Warsaw's famed bronze honors the astronomer and Chicago's Polish roots.
Description
Erected in 1973 for the astronomer's 500th birthday, the monument carries a dramatic lineage. It is cast from Bertel Thorvaldsen's 1830 Warsaw original, a work that survived wartime damage and averted Nazi plans to melt it down before its postwar restoration.
This Chicago recasting was produced by former Polish Underground Army member Bronislaw Koniuszy. Set along the lakefront near the Museum Campus, the bronze honors the scholar who developed the theory that the Earth revolves around the sun while serving as a symbol of pride for Chicago's Polish community.
