Wojtek the Soldier Bear Memorial

People just have to rub the nose of Wojtek as a sign of affection.This is such a lovely story that couldn’t happen today.A bear working with a military battalion, arrives from Poland and spends his final days at Edinburgh Zoo, I hope he was very well cared for.It’s a great statue and story, well worth a visit, it sits in Princess Park and has the castle looking down on him.

Lovely memorial to Wojtek and his comrades. Passed by it while attending the Edinburgh Christmas market and the Christmas lights added to the statues appeal

I don't remember visiting this place specifically, however what I think is that I may have passed through this place while going by bus or walking through the princess street after getting down from bus, because this place is very close to princess street only. Hence the GPS or the location of my mobile picked up this place and it is asking for a review. However I would definitely visit this place with my kid, in the near future.

The story of Wojtek is an unusual one. An orhaned brown bear cub in Iran, traded for some tins of food to the Polish army by a small boy who was keeping him as a pet. The army adopted him, plied him with beer and cigarettes, taught him to carry heavy crates of ammo and gave him a name, rank, service number and paybook so he could move across borders with the rest of the corps. When the war was over much of the Polish men stayed in Scotland because of Soviet regimes and Wojtek was rehomed in Edinburgh Zoo where he lived happily, visited often by his army friends, until he died aged 21 in 1963

Beautifully detailed statue of a Syrian Brown bear that worked with Polish forces during WW2 carrying ammunition boxes and became a corporal with the 22nd Artillery supply company during the Italian campaign

everything I could have wanted and more. easily one of the top 10 Scottish soldier bear memorials I've seen in my life

Get a pic with Wojtek Cool park w great views of the castle. A few steps away from the street down into the park. There are quite a few statues in the area.

I visited this bear last Saturday, while walking through the park.Clearly plenty of space for Social distancing.There is lots of great photos opportunities at this site, and if you take 5 minutes to read the information, it completely tells the story.Would recommend 100%, and would revisit 100%.

Cute monument, one could use to check it out in order to take a walk in the park behind it with an amazing view at the Castle