Crossing the River –
an Artistic Icon on the Brda
“Crossing the River” is a spectacular sculpture that has attracted the attention of tourists and Bydgoszcz residents for over two decades. The creator of this extraordinary work is the well-known artist Jerzy Kędziora, and the figure was hung over the Brda River on May 1, 2004 to mark Poland’s accession to the European Union – making it a symbol of an important moment in the history of the country and the city.
The sculpture depicts a young man balancing on a rope stretched between the banks of the Brda. The phenomenon of this work lies in the deliberate shifting of the center of gravity below the level of the rope, which allows the figure to maintain balance, even though it weighs only about 50 kg.
The “Crossing” is accompanied by a symbolic swallow fixed on the rope – in German Schwalbe – which refers to the name of Andrzej Szwalbe, an outstanding Bydgoszcz native and founder of the Pomeranian Philharmonic.
The sculpture is charmingly located just above the Brda, near the Jerzy Sulima-Kamiński Bridge, and is one of the most recognizable contemporary symbols of the city. A walk in this direction is a great spot for romantic photos, aesthetic viewing of the Brda panorama, and discovering Bydgoszcz’s urban art in an unexpected form.
