Polish Cavalry Monument

The Polish Cavalry Monument, also known as the Millennium Polish Cavalry Monument, is a statue located at the Polish Cavalry Roundabout (Rondo Jazdy Polskiej) in Warsaw.

History
The initiative to build the monument commemorating the Polish cavalry started in 1978, and in 1981 a committee was formed to organize the construction of the monument. The monument had to stand on a slope of the Łazienkowska Thoroughfare (Trasa Łazienkowska) at the entrance to Jazdów Street, where the cornerstone was laid in 1983.

In 1984, there was a design competition for the monument and from 13 entries, the design by sculptor and designer Mieczysław Naruszewicz was chosen. The statue was cast in 1987 at the Warsaw cooperative, Brąz Dekoracyjny.

Due to unstable geological conditions, it was decided to change the monument's location. As a consequence it is now set too high on its column with its back to pedestrians and traffic.

The monument was unveiled on May 3, 1994. The sculpture shows two riders galloping on horseback: one with a Piast uhlan (spear) and the other with a saber in an outstretched hand, which symbolizes the beginning and end of Polish horse formations. To create the sculptures, Colonel Zbigniew Starak, a participant in the charge at the Battle of Schoenfeld (the last battle fought in by Polish cavalry), posed for the sculptor.

The lower part of the column is surrounded by four cast brass plaques with a list of 43 of the most important battles in the history of the Polish cavalry. Metal from army artillery shells was used in the creation of the plaques. These were designed by sculptor Mark Moderau. After 11 years, errors in the inscriptions were noted and corrected for the dates of the Obertyn, Orsza and Beresteczko battles.

Battles noted on the monument plaques

 * Cedynia 972
 * Psie Pole 1109
 * Legnica 1241
 * Płowce 1331
 * Grunwald 1410
 * Obertyn 1531
 * Orsza 1564
 * Byczyna 1588
 * Kircholm 1605
 * Kłuszyn 1610
 * Trzciana 1629
 * Beresteczko 1651
 * Warka 1656
 * Alsen 1658
 * Podhajce 1667
 * Chocim 1673
 * Wiedeń 1683
 * Parkany 1683
 * Zieleńce 1792
 * Samosierra 1808
 * Lipsk 1813
 * Stoczek 1831
 * Grochów 1831
 * Walewice 1863
 * Rokitna 1915
 * Krechowce 1917
 * Jazłowiec 1919
 * Koziatyn 1920
 * Komarów 1920
 * Korosteń 1920
 * Krojanty 1939
 * Mokra 1939
 * Bzura 1939
 * Wólka Węglowa 1939
 * Kock 1939
 * Montbard 1940
 * Tobruk 1941
 * Monte Cassino 1944
 * Falaise 1944
 * Moerdijk 1944
 * Ancona 1944
 * Bolonia 1945
 * Borujsko 1945
 * 1000 years of the Polish Cavalry