Achad Ha’am or Asher Ginsburg — 1856-1927 Ukrainian Hebrew essayist & one of the foremost pre-state Zionist thinkers. Espoused secular vision of Jewish state in Palestine. Strived for “..a Jewish state and not just a state of Jews.” Opposed Theodore Herzl;s political Zionism, therefore. Emphasized the importance of developing Hebrew and Jewish cultural in Palestine […]
One of the most import Slavic poets of the nineteenth century, Mickiewicz’s work had a profound impact on Polish national identity. Mickiewicz’s writings coincided with Poland’s struggle for independence, and his most well-known narrative poem, Konrad Wallenrod, both influenced his contemporaries and has continued to resonate through to today.
SHMUEL YOSEF AGNON 1888-1970 Polish born Israeli author awarded Nobel Prize for Literature, 1966.
Granite pillar with a tribute to Aleksis Kivi whose words are inscribed upon it in a description of the Finnish people.
Alexander von Humboldt, baby brother to philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt, was a scientist and explorer. His work would lay foundation to the field biogeography, which is the study of the distribution of species and organisms. Not much is known of his personal life, since he had a tendency to destroy personal letters. ***** Original text: […]
Romantic music composer of operas, symphoniesand choral works who used the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. 1841 to 1904.
Inset into the tall wall of the lower piazza is the bas reliefs of three prominent Italian cultural figures: Giotto (di Bondone) 1266-1337 Painter and architect. First great artist contributing to Renaissance. Michangelo (di Lodovico Buonarroit Simoni) 1475-1564 Archetypal Renaissance figure, with De Vinci, noted for architecture, engineering, painting, poetry, and sculpting. Francisco Petraca 1304-1374 […]
Inset in the lower piazza’s towering wall are bas reliefs of three Italian cultural figures: Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi 1813-1901 One of the most influential operatic composers of the 19th Century. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci 1452-1519 Renaissance polymath: anatomist, architect, botanist, cartographer, engineer, geologist, inventor, mathematician, musician, painter, scientist, sculptor, and writer. Guglielmo […]
Barauch Spinoza–Dutch of Portuguese immigrant family hence the name 1632-1677 (45 yrs) Made living as lens grinder. Great rationalist of 17th Century philosophy and one of the greatest of all philosophers to this date. Laid groundwork for 18th Century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism. Influenced Mendelssohn, Einstein, Maughmam, Borges and many, many more.
Bela Bartok 1881-1945 Hungarian pianist, one of the preeminent 20th century composers and one of the founders of ethnomusicology. Dr. Joseph Remenyi described the music of Bela Bartok as a vital symbol of the Hungarian cultural spirit, insofar as it portrays “an interplay between the emotional and ethical forces of national traditions and those of […]
DAVID BEN GURION 1886-1973 Polish born Zionist pioneer, Israel’s first Prime Minister, 1948 THEODOR HERZL 1860-1904 *** More information needed on each, including their significance and impact.
Brac white stone bench seats. Photo by Branka Malinar 2012.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN 1918-1990 American composer, conductor, author, lecturer, pianist MARC CHAG **** Each needs to be seperated and information provided. A link with music or artistic works of each.
Czech Nation Revival movement writer. Lived from 1820 to 1862. Current bust was installed in 2010 to replace the original which has been missing for many years. Current bust is bronze and was modeled by the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation’s President Paul Burik of the Czech community. Light Sculpture Works of Cleveland made the mold […]
“Ivory Silk” tree lilac (syringa reticulata) planted in memory of Carlos Bozoklian, a prominent member of the Cleveland Armenian community who played a crucial role in making the Armenian Cultural Garden a reality.
Brendan Behan 1923-1964 Irish novelist, playwright, poet and writer.
No picture The fountain is decorated with allegorical figures that represent music, literature, science, and astronomy. It has an ornamental border of jumping fish, and small carved turtles along its base. It was dedicated to the daughter of a 16th century Polish poet, Jan Kochanowski, whose death at 2-1/2 years prompted him to write a […]
Bust of King Peter the First; King of Serbia from 1903 to 1918 and King of Yugoslavia from 1918 until his death in 1921.
Bust of Michael Pupin, a prominent Serbian-American physicist and inventor. He was one of the founding members of the organization that would later go on to become NASA.
CHAIM NACHMAN BIALIK (1873-1934) European-Israeli Zionist and Hebrew Writer. Israel’s National Poet. **** Needs more information, maybe a famous poem?
Born in 551 B.C., Confucius was a philosopher who made an indelible mark on Chinese civilization, and his teachings have had a profound influence on Asia and the world. Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, justice, and sincerity.
Series of crab apples extending up the sidewalk from the fountain toward East Blvd level. Donor plaques at each tree’s base honor Joan Murphy Cavanaugh; James P and Catherine Conway; Thomas A & Mary T. Callahan Crowley; Anna Heffron Davis; Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernia; Lonnie Davis McCauley; Helen Talty; Michael Talty.
Inscribed on the prominent wall at the western edge of the Czech Garden is the Slovak National Anthem, Hej Slovane: “Hey my brothers, stop so that they will get lost and Slovaks will revive!” When the Czech Garden was dedicated in 1935 Slovakia was a part of the Czechoslovak state, even though the Slovaks had […]
Details of Dante Sculpture in Italian GardenDante Alighieri bronze sculpture portraying the 13-14th century Italian poet, writer, literary theorist, philosopher and political thinker as he might have appeared in his 30’s. Seated on Renaissance style chair with “Divine Comedy” in one hand and pen in the other. Sculpture’s base has excerpts from the “Divine Comedy” […]
Dedication text of the sculpture on the eastern face of the granite sculpture base. Photo by: Bill Jones 2012
Phase 1 of the 2012 Albanian Cultural Garden on MLK Jr. Drive at the rail bridge near I-90. Prominent feature is the bronze statue of Mother Teresa; a native Albanian. The statue is centered in a round plaza with plantings around it. Future plans call for additional areas going up the hillside toward East 88th […]
Designed as replicas of columns at the Parthenon.
Sculpted eagles holding Czech shield on pillar bearing marble plaque at southern entrance to the Garden. Pillar and sculpture by Frank L. Jiroush, dated 1935. Plaque is replacement added in 1997. Plaque text: Czech, Cultural Garden, Bohemia Moravia, Silesia, Homeland of Teachers, Statesmen Martyrs, Musicians and Artists, This Garden is dedicated, to our beloved Czech, […]
Eastern face of the Dante sculpture’s base with excerpt from the Divine Comedy along with related small sculpture related to text. See separate text listing.
AHAD HA-AM (ASHER GINSBERG) 1856-1927 Russian born Hebrew essayist, founder of Cultural Zionism advocating for a secular Jewish state *** Needs detail on each person on the plaque
Edna O’Brien Born 1936. Contemporary Irish novelist and short story writer. “The Country Girls Trilogy”, including her first novel, opened a controversial window into the thoughts of women and O’Brien’s perceptions of the evolving role of women in contemporary society.
ALBERT EINSTEIN 1879-1955 German physicist, philosopher, author, awarded Nobel Prize in Physics, 1921 **** No information provided for Frued or Salk
A physician and folklorist, Elias Lonnrot was born in 1802 and died in 1884. In the 1820s, he began to collect and study materials related to Finland’s oral tradition, folklore, and its ancient linguistic practices. In 1831, the Finnish Literature Society was founded and Lonnrot became the Society’s first secretary. His work led him to […]
Emma Lazarus New York City 1849-1887 (38 yrs) Poet, novelist, playright. Adapted my German poems to English, among them Goethe and Heine. Most famous for her poem, The New Colossus, which is on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Important forerunner for Zionism. Lazarus advocated for the creation of a Jewish homeland about 13 […]
Sculpted by Mihaly DeKatay of New York the bust and pillar were dedicated in 1954.
Endre Ady quote on his bust’s pillar: When all deserted, when I bore my soul crumbling violently the Lord took me in his embrace, unforeseen, silently.
Two bronze tablets were mounted on the columns that frame the East Boulevard entrance to the Italian Garden. On one tablet are the names of 100 Italians, the Italian coat of arms, and a map of the country. On the other is a symbolic figure of Italy presenting America with the fruits of her cultural […]
A noted musician and composer, Bloch was the first Director of the Cleveland Institute of Music. **** Needs more info… noted musician and composer of what?
Stone,retaining wall extending from original wall along MLK Jr. Drive, past the new (2010) entrance and around the new Lennon fountain. Matched to original wall’s stone.
One of the guardian figures watching over the garden’s entrance, this statue was a gift of Cleveland’s sister city Taipei, Taiwan.