GNOMES!

After visiting four of Poland’s most picturesque cities and their respective Old Town squares, Wroclaw started to feel like more of the same – oh the horrors of a life of travel!

Actually, as Travis vehemently pointed out, Wroclaw’s Old Town is different than those we’ve visited before, however from behind the lens everything looks very similar. Therefore, it was a refreshing change to find 250 new subjects to shoot in Wroclaw, each more unique and charismatic than the last. I am referring to Wroclaw’s gnomes, 250 of them, that appear throughout the city perches on sidewalks, teetering on ledges, and suspended from lampposts.Although they are harder to spot than you may think and it’s quite easy to walk the same route a dozen times before spotting a gnome where you’ve never seen it before. Far from a tourist gimmick, gnomes have long held a place in Polish folklore, while their current role as a symbol of Wroclaw can be traced back to the political climate of the 1980’s. Under communist control, gnomes became the calling card of the ‘Orange Alternative Movement’, an underground protest movement that staged peaceful yet affective protests. Our guide from Free Walking Tours explained that many times the protests took the form of free outdoor concerts or events and many of the attendees didn’t even know they were secretly making a stand or supporting the cause.

The movement specifically ridiculed the government’s attempts to censor public space. Any public expression or art, including graffiti, was quickly painted over by the militia, and upon seeing this fresh “cover up” the Orange Alternative would quickly paint over the area again – with gnomes. As the movement gained popularity, the gnomes began appearing in other Polish cities as well, however they are permanently linked with Wroclaw and the Orange Alternative.

In 2001, the first gnome statuette was placed in the city. Then, in 2005 things really took off when the City Council commissioned a local artist to create five more gnomes. The adorable gnomes became so popular that local businesses became envious and began contracting other artists to produce individualized versions. Now days anyone can have a gnome created for their home our business.

It’s impossible to know exactly how many of the little guys are currently in the city, although the number is estimated to be around 250. Although seeing all of them during one visit may be a challenge, counting how many you can spot while wandering through the city, and snapping photographs of the little guys, is great fun for tourists.

The Logistics: If you’re planning a visit to Wroclaw, there is a website dedicated to the gnomes – www.kransnale.pl – that has information about their history, photos, and a downloadable map of their various locations.