Zraszacz

Story

Zraszacz is the cheekiest dwarf on the Market Square, and he knows exactly what a hot summer day needs. He perches on a fire hydrant on the southern side of the Rynek, close to the Old Town Hall, where a sprinkler sends out a cool curtain of water. Legend says he once tried to water the cobblestones so that flowers would grow between them, and the visitors were so happy to get splashed that he never stopped. Walk past on a sunny afternoon and you will hear squeals, then giggles, then somebody asking for one more go. Bring a spare t-shirt if you want to stand in the mist like a true dwarf.

History & Significance

Zraszacz appeared on the Market Square in the summer of 2015, together with a twin called Orzeźwiacz (the Refresher), who cools the northern side of the square. The website wromap.pl credits the pair to sculptors Piotr Makała and Marta Mirynowska, while the city's own dwarf list gives the author as unknown. Who commissioned him is not publicly documented, but he clearly works for everybody who crosses the Rynek in a heatwave. He belongs to the dwarf tradition that began with the Orange Alternative, the playful anti-communist movement of the 1980s whose members painted dwarfs on city walls. Since 2005 Wrocław has filled its streets with bronze dwarfs, and there are now well over 800 of them.

Inspiration

Zraszacz means 'sprinkler', and that is exactly his job: he is a working water-mist installation dressed up as a dwarf. The Market Square has very little shade, so in July it turns into a stone oven, and the city answered with two dwarfs that cool the air with a fine curtain of water. Sitting on a fire hydrant is part of the joke, because water is the one thing firefighters and dwarfs both respect. His twin Orzeźwiacz does the same job on the opposite side of the square. Together they show that a dwarf can be useful as well as pretty.

Fun Facts

• On a hot day he is the only dwarf in town you might walk away from a little bit wet.
• His name is simply the Polish word for 'sprinkler'.
• A twin called Orzeźwiacz cools the other side of the Market Square.
• Most fire hydrants are boring grey boxes, but this one has been turned into a dwarf's throne.
• Ślepak, W-Skers and Pomagajek all live within about 30 metres, so you can meet four dwarfs without leaving this corner.

How to Find This Dwarf

Go to the Old Town Hall in the middle of the Market Square and walk to its southern side. Zraszacz sits on his hydrant about 40 metres south-west of the Town Hall, so look for children jumping out of the way of the mist on a warm day. If you arrive from Plac Solny, walk about 90 metres east along the southern edge of the square. Your mission: on a hot day, stand a few steps back, count the seconds until the mist reaches you and see who in the family dares to stand closest.

Nearby Dwarfs

Frequently Asked Questions

Accessibility

Wheelchair AccessibleGround LevelOutdoor

Stands at street level on the Market Square, which is paved with cobblestones that can be bumpy for pushchairs and wheelchairs. The ground around him can be wet and slippery in hot weather, so watch your step.