The Copernicus statue in Kraków stands among the trees of the Planty, the green belt around the Old Town, in front of the Jagiellonian University. It shows Nicolaus Copernicus not as the famous astronomer but as a young student, as he was when he studied here in the 1490s, and for its first half-century it stood in the courtyard of the university's oldest building, Collegium Maius.
The Copernicus statue at a glance
- Where: in the western part of the Planty, in front of the Collegium Witkowski building, next to Collegium Novum on ul. Gołębia.
- Created: made in 1896–1898 and unveiled on 8 June 1900; moved to its present spot in 1953.
- By: the Polish sculptor Cyprian Godebski, who lived and worked in Paris.
- What it is today: a university monument on one of the busiest paths of the Planty, passed every day by students.
- Time needed: 5 to 10 minutes, or longer as part of a walk through the university quarter.
A gift for a university's 500th birthday
In the 1890s the art historian Marian Sokołowski proposed honouring Copernicus with a monument in the courtyard of Collegium Maius, on the spot of an old well dug in 1517. He persuaded the university senate, and it was decided that the statue should show the astronomer as a student of the Kraków Academy, which Copernicus attended from 1491 to about 1495. The commission went to Cyprian Godebski, who sent the finished work from Paris in 1898. It was unveiled on 8 June 1900, as one of the highlights of the celebrations for the 500th anniversary of the university's refoundation.
For decades students and visitors were photographed beside it, and the statue appeared on postcards and on stamps in 1943 and 1946. After the Second World War the art historian Karol Estreicher, who thought little of the statue, pushed to have it removed so the courtyard could be used for events and restored. In 1953 it was moved to the Planty, at first as a temporary solution, but it has stayed there ever since.
What to look for
- The figure of the young Copernicus, dressed as a student of his time, holding up an astronomical instrument and looking towards the sky.
- The pedestal with his name, standing among the trees of the Planty.
- The Collegium Witkowski behind it, a university building, and the neo-Gothic Collegium Novum next door, the university's main building.
- The students passing on the path: the monument is still in the middle of university life.
Copernicus 'evicted'
The move to the Planty caused an outcry among some professors and made Estreicher unpopular for years. According to an anecdote, one professor telephoned the city president in protest: did he know that the greatest Polish scientist had just been evicted onto the Planty? The joke stuck, and the statue's journey from a historic courtyard to a park bench became part of Kraków's university folklore.
Tips for your visit
- Combine the statue with the courtyard of Collegium Maius, a few minutes' walk away, where it originally stood.
- Visit the Jagiellonian University Museum in Collegium Maius for instruments and books linked to Copernicus's time.
- Come in spring or autumn, when the Planty's trees frame the statue best.
- Walk on along the Planty to the Main Market Square, about five minutes east.
Nearby
- Collegium Maius: the university's oldest building, with a Gothic arcaded courtyard and a museum.
- Collegium Novum: the neo-Gothic main building of the Jagiellonian University, right beside the statue.
- Main Market Square: the vast medieval square with the Cloth Hall and St Mary's Basilica, a few minutes' walk.
- Wawel Hill: the royal castle and cathedral, about ten minutes' walk south along the Planty.
See Kraków with World City Trail
Our Kraków scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 11 stops and takes around three hours, with about 47 minutes of walking, and it includes places such as the Town Hall Tower, the Cloth Hall, St Mary's Basilica and St Florian's Gate. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch or Polish.
If you prefer a different format, Kraków also has a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Kraków scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Kraków →
Play the outdoor escape game in Kraków →
Facts checked in October 2026.