Not so long ago, no one would have thought that the baroque Neptune, which adorned Nowy Targ Square for decades, would ever return to its place. And yet! The sculpture, thought to have been lost since the turmoil of war, was unexpectedly found recently in a Lower Silesian village. The dismembered work of art was then transported to Wrocław, to be finally returned to its former place. The city authorities decided that the statue of Neptune would be reconstructed in its historical form, using authentic 18th-century fragments.
From the palace park to the municipal depository
The story began with an archival reference in an old newspaper. Tomasz Sielicki, a historian with a penchant for urban legends, came across a note suggesting that the original statue of Neptune had ended up in the park next to the palace in Wielowieś Średnia. The clue turned out to be correct. In the dense bushes, under a layer of moss and earth, the archaeologists came across scattered fragments: a hand with a trident, mermaids, tritons and the remains of a shell. Upon inspection, it became clear that this was not the statue destroyed during the siege of Festung Breslau in 1945, but an earlier original – a Baroque version of the fountain that had been replaced by a copy over time. At the end of the 19th century, the damaged sculpture was simply taken out of Wrocław. It survived for decades in its new location until it was knocked down by a gale. A discovery in 2022 changed everything.
Neptune with Breslau in the background
Although Neptune arrived on Nowy Targ Square in the 18th century as an ornament to the city’s fountain, he did not immediately gain the public’s sympathy. On the contrary. The figure of the naked deity, only partially covered by a wavy robe, aroused indignation. Some even saw it as the devil incarnate. Vandals destroyed the sculpture so often that the city had to hire a special guard. Over time, however, the attitude of the citizens of Wrocław towards Neptune changed. Nicknamed “Jurek with a pitchfork”, he became a local hero. He appeared in stories, patronised New Year’s Eve parades and his pedestal served as a makeshift rostrum. On postcards from the era, Neptune appeared almost as often as the town hall.
Reconstruction in accordance with the original
The found fragments of the statue were transported from Wielowieś Średnie to Wrocław and are kept in the depository of the City Museum, where they underwent research and conservation work. They became the starting point for a petition to rebuild the fountain submitted by the Wrocław History Lovers Association. The city authorities deliberated for a long time: should they opt for a contemporary reinterpretation or return to the historical appearance of the fountain? Eventually, the second option prevailed and Neptune will return to Nowy Targ, true to the original. The sculpture will stand in the centre of the square, which has recently acquired a new, greener face.
Technical details and cost estimates are still being finalised, but one thing is certain: Neptune will return. Not as a copy and not as a modern variation, but as a reconstructed story of Wrocław, whose spirit has survived more than it seemed.
Source: wroclaw.pl
Read also: Places, Squares, Parks | Monument | History | Sculpture | Wrocław | Interesting facts
