The column stands in the northern section of Szczytnicki Park, in the vicinity of ul Różyckiego. A wooden structure crowned with a statue representing the Prussian King Frederick William II statue is said to have been erected after the monarch's demise after 1797. In 1806, the statue was destroyed in a fire. A year later, a brick column 21 metres in height was built on the site. The statue was mounted on the column's apex. The cylindrical structure was fitted with an inner ladder and a small terrace which nonetheless never served as a vantage point. The monarch's figure disappeared during World War II, and the column itself, which was called Trajan's Column, was left dilapidating throughout the years. "The work to restore the column began in mid-October and is carried out by the Opole-based company RAM. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year," says Małgorzata Szafran from the Wroclaw City Office Press Department. Some of the plasters will be hacked off and the resulting cavities will be replenished, the terrace will be restored, the floor will be laid out, the door will be replaced and the inner ladder and the terrace balustrade will be painted. The missing stone and metal sheet details will also be added. The surrounding area will also undergo transformation: the alleys will be rearranged, new benches will be added, and a lawn will be planted. The Frederick William II figure will not be restored as part of the project. The investment is estimated at approx. 320 thousand PLN.
The column is one of many historic sites in Szczytnicki Park to undergo thorough conservation. Last year a toilet was restored at the entrance to the park in the vicinity of ul Różyckiego.
Photograph: Hermann Krone; retrieved from: www.dolny-slask.org.pl,
