Wroclaw - The city of dwarfs

A perfect example of recently “manufactured” successful tourist attractions that complete the medieval image of an enchanting town – the dwarfs of Wroclaw.

Impossible to miss while strolling down the streets of the old city, over 100 such small statues (20-30 centimeters, not even knee high) brighten up your day. Each of them does something else, so there’s no chance of finding two identical creatures: eating, sleeping, shopping or protesting – all done in a miniature size, to make everything even more entertaining.

But where have these dwarfs come from? Local guides say that their origin dates back to the anti-communist resistance called the “Orange Alternative”, which aimed to mock the authorities in a peaceful manner. To be more precise, where the police would paint over the anti-communist slogans on the walls, the “orange supporters” would draw a dwarf in a funny manner. There have also been a couple of parades on the main streets of the city with hundreds of people dressed up as dwarfs or Santa Claus. On what grounds would you arrest these people? So, mission accomplished!

For the whole “collection”: click here.

What makes this even more interesting is the involvement of local businesses. So, if at first, in 2005, there were only 20 such statues, in time, certain bars and institutions made orders for more, to better suit their commercial purpose. The countdown has, consequently reached 147… and is still going!

So, in front of an Italian cantina, we find a smiling dwarf with pasta in his fork, at Pizza Hut another one has succumbed in his plate, the guards at the police station are accompanied by a dwarf in armor and a tourist dwarf(camera and backpack included) seems to be asking for directions in front of a souvenir shop. And it doesn’t stop there – at almost every shop in the city, you can buy a map, locating all the statues.