'Big Seated' sculpture (Würzburg, Germany)

December 1969 Issue

'Big Seated' sculpture (Würzburg, Germany)

Gazing into the sky while seated on a stairway between the Würzburg Cathedral (Dom St. Kilian) and the Museum am Dom in the Bavarian city of Würzburg, Germany, is a life-sized iron statue that looks more like a mummy than a man. Known as the “Big Seated,” this statue was the subject of our December mystery photo.

Several years ago, after the short flight of stairs was added to improve the square's appearance, city planners realized that the stairs posed a safety hazard and ordered the museum to add a railing. Not wanting to ruin the aesthetics, the museum instead asked German artist Maria Lehnen to create a statue, which was then placed in a central spot at the top of the stairs. It's been said the bound-up man represents a way of following the letter of the law but not its spirit.

Fourteen correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in the December photo, and SIGNE HAUGEN of San Carlos, California, won the drawing. We thank Wanda Bahde of Summerfield, Florida, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Willis Frick, San Clemente, CA; Thomasina Gurule, Jamestown, TN; Nancy Hamilton, Red Lodge, MT; WINNER: Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Stephen Jeffries, Centennial, CO; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Edward Pinsky, Montrose, NY; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Pam Ross, Louisville, KY; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Linda Vargo, Laguna Beach, CA.