Carl-Blechen-Denkmal

The Carl-Blechen-Denkmal stands in Cottbus, a town in Brandenburg. It is located in the Carl-Blechen-Park, a green space in the Sandow district on the city’s western edge. The park itself is named after the 19th-century landscape painter Carl Blechen, who was born in Cottbus in 1798. The original bronze statue was created by artist Jürgen von Woyski and cast by the Lauchhammer foundry. It was installed in 1957 and removed in 2008 after metal thieves took the figure. The monument honours Carl Blechen’s contribution to art and local history. After the theft, a temporary bust was placed on the city promenade in 2022, but plans for a full replacement faced legal challenges from the artist’s heirs. In July 2023 a new sculpture by Steffen Mertens was unveiled in the park by the mayor, Tobias Schick. It was removed again in September 2023 after suspected vandalism. Visitors to the Carl-Blechen-Park find a quiet urban park with paths lined by trees and benches for resting. The park’s open lawns and flower beds create a peaceful setting for a walk. The new statue, when present, stands on the same pedestal as the original, marking the spot where the bronze figure once stood. The surrounding streets lead to the nearby city centre and the Spree river, offering further places to explore. The park remains a place where art and nature meet in the heart of Sandow.