Saint Maximilian's Bench

Saint Maximilian's Bench is a bronze sculpture that allows visitors to sit alongside the patron saint of Zduńska Wola. The monument depicts Maximilian Kolbe seated with a suitcase at his feet, ready for travel, and the back of the bench shows the heads of prisoners in camp stripes - a memory of his martyrdom at Auschwitz. The work was unveiled on 10 October 2025 on Plac Żelazny at the entrance to the railway station.

Author and realisation

The bench was designed and created by sculptor Sławomir Micek from Kielce, a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. The project was selected through a participatory budget competition run by the city of Zduńska Wola in 2025, where it received 325 votes and came second in the residents' voting. The realisation of the project, chosen by the local community, underscores the importance that Zduńska Wola attaches to honouring its most famous son.

Unveiling ceremony and religious context

The unveiling of the bench took place in the presence of city president Konrad Pokora, sculptor Sławomir Micek and numerous residents. The ceremony was led by Fr Dariusz Kaliński, canon. Simultaneously with the unveiling of the monument, the Zduńska Wola City Museum opened an exhibition titled "In the circle of the family of Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe", which expands knowledge of the saint's life and his loved ones.

Significance for Zduńska Wola

Zduńska Wola is the city where Maximilian Kolbe was born. The saint was canonised in 1982 as a martyr of love for his heroic deed at Auschwitz, where he gave his life for a fellow prisoner's family. The bench is not merely a monument, but an invitation to reflection and conversation. Its dimensions allow one person to sit, creating an intimate, personal moment of contemplation. Its placement at the station, the main entrance to the city, makes Saint Maximilian the first greeting for arrivals.

Practical information

• Address: Plac Żelazny 3, 98-220 Zduńska Wola, at the entrance to the railway station
• Access hours: open area, accessible year-round, at any time of day
• Getting there: city centre, next to the railway station, easy pedestrian access
• What to expect: bronze sculpture for contemplation, memorial place of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, connection with the nearby City Museum