Stone Cross in Bytom-Łagiewniki

The stone cross in Bytom-Łagiewniki is a medieval sculpture 57 centimetres high, entered in the register of movable monuments of the Silesian Voivodeship. It is probably one of the oldest monuments in Bytom.

Is it really a penitential cross

A plaque with text from 1997 calls the object a stone penitential cross from the early Middle Ages. A penitential cross is a cross put up as part of a settlement between a killer and the family of the person killed, but this name is often applied to all stone crosses and is an unjustified synonym. In the case of the Łagiewniki sculpture the reason for its erection is not known.

What the sculpture looks like and where it comes from

The sculpture has the form of the letter T, resembling an anvil. According to Dr Edward Głuchowski it was made of sandstone from the Kłodzko area, according to other sources of granite. On its surface diagonal cross marks can be seen. Dr Janowski considers them solar signs, which were placed on the bellies of animal sculptures. These marks may suggest a pagan provenance of the sculpture and indicate that it survives as a fragment. The dating is disputed: the plaque speaks of the early Middle Ages, but according to other sources the sculpture was probably made later, while the same researcher even suggests the 4th century.

Legend and history of the monument

A folk legend links the sculpture with Sts Cyril and Methodius, although there is no information about their presence in Łagiewniki. The object stands on a brick plinth with a plaque from 1997. In July 2011 it was splashed with yellow paint, and in the same year it was cleaned.

Practical information

• Address: Sts Cyril and Methodius Street (ulica św. Cyryla i Metodego), Bytom-Łagiewniki. The cross stands in a public space.
• The sculpture is small, so it is more a stop than the goal of a whole trip. In the area lie Żabie Doły, and a little further Prezydent Shaft.