Czarownice Tekla i Martynka

Story

High above Szewska street, between the two brick towers of St. Mary Magdalene Church, a narrow footbridge hangs in the air, and two tiny witches live on its railing. Tekla, says the legend, was a girl who loved fun and fine clothes more than work, until her angry father's curse set her to sweep this bridge every night. A young witch, Martynka, took pity, and with the help of the wizard Michael they both walked away free. Now the two sit together on the balustrade, tiny against the brick, watching the Old Town from the second-highest spot most visitors can name.

History & Significance

Wromap.pl credits Grzegorz Łagowski and lists the pair at Szewska 10, at the church, about 191 m from the centre of the Market Square, noting that access may be restricted. The bridge itself, known as the Witches' Bridge or Penance Bridge (Mostek Pokutnic), connects two towers of St. Mary Magdalene Church. A tourism page says it is 47 m high and was rebuilt in 2001 after being destroyed several times, including in a firework accident and at the end of World War II. The unveiling date of the dwarfs is not given in the sources I found. The tradition behind Wrocław's dwarfs began with the Orange Alternative, a playful protest movement of the 1980s whose members painted dwarfs on city walls; since 2005 the city has filled its streets with bronze dwarfs, and there are now hundreds of them.

Inspiration

The dwarfs illustrate the local legend of the Witches' Bridge. Two sources agree on its outline: Tekla, a vain girl, was condemned to sweep the bridge at night, and a young witch named Martynka helped her escape through the wizard Michael. It is a cautionary tale about vanity.

Fun Facts

• The bridge is called both the Witches' Bridge and Penance Bridge (Mostek Pokutnic).
• A tourism page gives its height as 47 m.
• It connects the two towers of St. Mary Magdalene Church and was rebuilt in 2001.
• In the legend, Tekla has to sweep the bridge every night as a curse.
• The dwarfs are Tekla and Martynka, made by Grzegorz Łagowski according to wromap.pl.

How to Find This Dwarf

Look up at the church at Szewska 10. The two witch dwarfs sit on the railing of the footbridge between the two towers, high above the street, so bring a zoom lens or binoculars. Wromap.pl notes that access may be restricted. Back on street level, Motocyklista is 6 m west, Klucznik is 25 m west and Złotek is 53 m west.

Nearby Dwarfs

Frequently Asked Questions

Accessibility

Outdoor

The dwarfs are on a high footbridge between the church towers, so from the street you can only see them from below. Wromap.pl says access may be restricted; I could not confirm whether or when the bridge is open to visitors, nor how many steps there are.