Verwoeste Stad

Verwoeste Stad (Destroyed City), created by Russian-French artist Ossip Zadkine, is an artwork that reflects the feelings of Rotterdam after the German bombings of World War II.

The bronze sculpture, standing 6 meters tall, rests upon a 2-meter natural stone base.

It portrays a human figure in a dramatic pose, featuring a significant hole in the torso and raised arms, symbolizing the wounds of war.

Zadkine designed the sculpture in response to the impressions he gathered from the devastated cities of Le Havre and Rotterdam.

Verwoeste Stad swiftly became a symbol among the people of Rotterdam, representing the impact of the Germans’ actions on their beloved city. It was officially declared a national monument in 2010.

The sculpture has acquired various nicknames from Rotterdam’s inhabitants, including “Stad zonder Hart” (City without a Heart), “Zadkini,” “Jan Gat” (Jan’s Hole), and “Jan met de Handjes” (Jan with Small Hands).

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