Zikusia

Story

Zikusia is Wroclaw's most distinguished pharmacist — a bronze lady dwarf in a white lab coat, perched at ul. Świdnicka 48 with a blister pack of pills in one hand and a mortar-and-pestle shelf at her side. Legend among the city's dwarfs holds that she once mixed a remedy so powerful it cured the Chochlik Odrzański of his mischievous streak for an entire winter — though no one can quite confirm whether he chose to be cured or simply feared a second dose. Either way, Zikusia has kept her post ever since, dispensing invisible prescriptions to anyone who pauses long enough to notice her.

History & Significance

Zikusia was placed at ul. Świdnicka 48 in Wrocław, sponsored by Ziko Apteka, one of Poland's major pharmacy chains. She was sculpted by Grzegorz Łagowski, a Wrocław-based artist responsible for a number of the city's most characterful dwarf figures. Her placement on the busy pedestrian stretch of ul. Świdnicka put her squarely on the most-travelled route in the city centre, alongside dozens of other bronze residents.

Inspiration

Zikusia was commissioned by Ziko Apteka, a pharmacy chain with a location at ul. Świdnicka 48. The dwarf directly reflects the sponsor's profession: her white pharmacist's coat, reading glasses, blister pack, and apothecary shelf make her instantly recognisable as a healthcare professional. The name 'Zikusia' is an affectionate diminutive derived from 'Ziko', the brand name — a playful way for the pharmacy to put a friendly face on its corner of Świdnicka.

Fun Facts

• She is one of the few female dwarfs (krasnalki) in Wrocław's entire collection, making her a minor celebrity among dwarf-hunters.
• Her name is a witty diminutive of 'Ziko', the pharmacy brand that funded her creation.
• Sculptor Grzegorz Łagowski gave her reading glasses — a nod to the careful attention every pharmacist must pay to small-print dosage instructions.
• Zikusia stands on one of the busiest pedestrian streets in Poland, meaning she is passed by thousands of visitors every single day.
• A small plaque beneath her records her 'birth date', a rare detail not found on all Wrocław dwarfs.

How to Find This Dwarf

Head to ul. Świdnicka 48 — that's just south of the Market Square (Rynek), a five-minute walk from the central tram stop at Świdnicka. Look for the Ziko pharmacy sign at street level; Zikusia stands just outside the entrance, small but unmissable once you know to look down. She is also reachable on foot from the Galeria Renoma department store, about 200 m further south along Świdnicka.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Accessibility

Wheelchair AccessibleGround LevelOutdoor

Placed on a flat pavement in front of the Ziko Apteka at ul. Świdnicka 48. The surface is level and fully accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.