Nicolaus Copernicus Monument, Montreal, Bronze monument at Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, Montreal, Canada.
The Nicolaus Copernicus Monument is a bronze work beside the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium that depicts a scholar holding a celestial globe and gazing upward. The figure stands on a sturdy base, with the whole composition appearing thoughtful and commanding.
The work was created in 1966 as a reproduction of a celebrated sculpture from 1830 and made its debut during Montreal's Expo 67. This connection between a European artistic tradition and Montreal's world fair shaped the monument from its start.
The monument connects Montreal's scientific heritage with an astronomer whose discoveries reshaped how we understand the cosmos. Visitors can sense how this figure inspired the scientific thinking that shaped the planetarium next door.
The monument sits in the Space for Life complex next to the planetarium and is easy to reach on foot. The outdoor location means you can visit anytime, regardless of the operating hours of nearby buildings.
The monument was created through careful plaster molding supervised by a specialist from Denmark's Thorvaldsen Museum. This partnership between Montreal and a European institution shows how seriously the city approached artistic heritage.
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