Located in Krakow’s Market Square, very near St. Mary’s Basilica and Santa Barbara church, is an interesting old fountain topped with a statue called “Monument of an Abecedarian.”
An abecedarian is a novice, or student. It refers to someone learning the fundamentals of something, such as the alphabet. The statue is the work of Jan Budzilo and was unveiled in 1958. The fountain is centuries old.
As with the Mona Lisa, the expression on the face of the abecedarian is the subject of some speculation. Is he smug? Bored? Daydreaming? What do you think?
