Monument to Chirp the Sparrow

The Monument to Chirp the Sparrow stands before the entrance to the Tropical Greenhouse of the Botanical Garden in Źródliska park, at al. Piłsudskiego 61. It is one of the small sculptures on the Łódź Fairy Tale Trail, which commemorates characters from films made by the Se-ma-for Studio of Small Forms of Film.

What the sculpture depicts

Chirp sits in a nest built in the fork of branches of a low tree. The entire composition is about a metre high, the sparrow itself measures 30 cm, and the casting weighs 65 kg and is reinforced inside with stainless steel, because the forms are very slender. The sculptors created them with filigree detail to convey the lightness and sketch-like character of the cartoon. The nest itself looks different from the serial, where the bird had its home on the lower floor of a stork's nest.

Who made it and when was it unveiled

The sculpture was created by Magdalena Walczak and Marcin Mielczarek, and the artistic design of the character was prepared by Ireneusz Czesny and Jerzy Stępień. The unveiling took place on 21 March 2013, the first day of spring according to the calendar and the day after World Sparrow Day. The ceremony was attended by Łódź's mayor Hanna Zdanowska and Se-ma-for studio director Zbigniew Żmudzki, and creative workshops for children were held that day at the Film Museum.

The origins of Chirp

The first episodes of the series The Adventures of Sparrow Chirp were made at Łódź's Se-ma-for in 1983, so on the day the monument was unveiled the character was turning thirty years old. The series was made using classical drawing techniques, and the voice of the title character was provided by Jan Kobuszewski. The sculpture in front of the Greenhouse is thus a tribute to animation that was created several kilometres away for many years, rather than a memorial to a historical figure.

The sculpture on the Łódź Fairy Tale Trail

The trail consists of ten small monuments placed around the city, each at a location suited to the character. Chirp was placed near the Greenhouse, among the impressive trees of Źródliska park.

Two months after Chirp, on 18 May 2013, Maurice and Hawranek were unveiled before the entrance to the zoological garden, characters from a puppet series about two forest folk.

Earlier, in November 2012, Three Bears were placed at the southern end of Piotrkowska Street, characters from a puppet series from the nineteen-eighties.

In 2015, Ferdinand the Magnificent appeared in front of Galeria Łódzka, the first sculpture on the trail financed by a private investor.

Practical information

• Address: al. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego 61, before the entrance to the Greenhouse, Źródliska park.
• Getting there: by tram or bus to the area around 1863 Insurgents roundabout, then a few minutes on foot; the sculpture stands on the outside of the Greenhouse, so reaching it does not require a ticket.
• What to expect: sculptures the size of a child, set low, good for photographs with small children. Viewing takes a few minutes and is best combined with a visit to the Greenhouse or a walk through the park.
• A trail stamp for Łódź Fairy Tale is available at the Greenhouse and at Łódź Tourist Information at Piotrkowska 28. The opening hours of both places are subject to change, so check them on the institution's website before your visit.