Wawel Dragon (statue)
Bronze dragon statue that breathes fire on demand.
Installed in 1972, the statue is capable of letting out fire from its mouth on demand. Usually it does so every 15 minutes.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Bronisław Chromy
- Height
- 600
- City
- Kraków
Facts from the source article.
Legend
According to Polish mythology, the Wawel Dragon made its home in a cave at the base of Wawel Hill beside the Vistula River. One well-known legend places the story in Kraków under King Krakus, the city’s legendary founder. The beast terrorized locals by wrecking their homes and devouring their young daughters. In desperation, King Krakus offered his daughter Wanda’s hand in marriage to whoever could slay the dragon. A cobbler named Skuba accepted the challenge. He filled a lamb with sulphur and left it near the cave, where the unsuspecting creature ate it. The dragon then became so unbearably thirsty that it drank from the Vistula until it burst. King Krakus kept his promise and married Wanda to Skuba. An older version from the 12th century, written by Wincenty Kadłubek, tells a different story: the dragon was defeated by Krakus II and Lech II, two sons of King Krak.
Statue
The bronze Wawel Dragon statue, created by Polish sculptor Bronisław Chromy, stands 6 meters tall on a large limestone boulder. Completed in 1969, it was placed in its current spot in 1972. Earlier concepts for the statue included a standard water fountain, and later a design that would have it partly submerged in the Vistula River, but both were rejected. Instead, the dragon was built to breathe fire. A recent upgrade allows the flames to be activated by SMS text message, with a 15-second minimum between bursts. The service gets at least 2,500 requests daily. When no texts are sent, the dragon breathes fire automatically every five minutes, fueled by natural gas. The statue is seen as a classic part of modern Kraków and a major draw for visitors, especially children.
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