Cottbus celebrates the return of the snail rider after a long restoration!

Cottbus celebrates the return of the snail rider after a long restoration!

Franz-Mehring-Straße, 03046 Cottbus, Deutschland - A special event is about to be done at the Spreebrücke in Cottbus: On July 23, 2025, at 11 a.m., the famous sandstone sculpture "Putte with snail", better known as "snail rider", will be established again. The return of the charming figure after its destruction on New Year's Eve 2023/24 not only marks a restoration, but also a message against vandalism and for the importance of art in public space. According to Niederlausitz currently has taken advantage of around 1.5 years, with all the missing parts and from stonemasons Maik Brunzel were lovingly restored.

The city has experienced a worrying increase in vandalism cases in recent years that harm not only art but also social identity. Again and again, works of art are damaged or even stolen, as the incidents around bronze sculptures show in other cities. Annegret Laabs, director of the art museum in Magdeburg, emphasizes that awareness of art in public space is disappearing and the police often have little success with the search for perpetrators. These problems were dealt with in detail in a recent article by mdr .

The importance of art in public space

The "snail rider" is much more than just a sculpture; It symbolizes the commitment of the community for art and culture. Art in public space should not be seen as a matter of course. It promotes cooperation and offers society a space for discussion and reflection on current topics. In this way, art becomes an important part of urban life that reflects emotions, thoughts and values. This is also shown by a study by Dresden.de , which underlines the role of contemporary art in cities.

Another example is the preparations for the European Capital of Chemnitz 2025, where the Purple Path is planned, an art project that combines municipalities in the Ore Mountains. Creative projects try to promote awareness of art again and to work to ensure that art becomes a place of identity and dialogue. Despite all the challenges, such as the increasing privatization of public spaces and the associated financial bottlenecks, the hope for creative coexistence in the cities remains alive.

a call to support

In order to permanently give art in public space, the city of Cottbus has set up a donation account. This should serve not only for maintenance, but also to promote other projects that enrich the cityscape. The required information is provided:

• intended use: FB41 donation
• Account of the Stadtkasse Sparkasse Spree-Neiße
• iban: DE06 1805 0000 3302 0000 21
• bic: weladed1cbn

The challenges are great, but the return of the "snail rider" is a ray of hope and shows that community, creativity and a common cultural heritage can overcome all obstacles. The call to support is also a call to get involved and become part of this exciting journey.