Kościuszko Mound in a slump; needs support

Krakow’s Kościuszko Mound is in need of extensive renovation, its caretakers say.

The evaluation was made after the Kościuszko Mound Committee’s surveying technology revealed that the structure is slumping to one side, and computer models predicted that the collapse would continue.

Restorers estimate renovation costs at around 15-20 million PLN, which they hope to obtain from Norway or the European Union. A start date has not yet been set, but the project will probably take at least a year and a half.

The plan is to demolish the upper part of the mound (which is not original) and use layers of reinforcement structures similar to those on the sides of some highways in order to preserve the mound’s intended shape. They also want to replace the faulty drainage system and finally rebuild the top.

The mound, one of four in Krakow, was constructed in 1823 in honor of Tadeusz Kościuszko, a military leader who contributed to efforts of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth against Russia and Prussia and also fought on the side of American revolutionaries against the British.

Previous significant renovations occurred in 1997 and 2010, when the mound was damaged by heavy rains.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *