1630

Among the many stone sculptures decorating the historic Town Hall in the centre of Bardejov, one is particularly curious. It is a small, approximately 30 cm tall figure of a boy with his head between his legs and his bare backside facing the square. According to legend, it was created by a stonemason as revenge after the town failed to pay him for his work. Before completing the building, he placed the figure on the Town Hall as a provocative gesture aimed at the town authorities. This tiny detail, easily overlooked by visitors, has brought humour, irony and human defiance to the dignified Renaissance architecture for centuries. The sculpture later became the inspiration for the “Shit happens!” project and a symbol of a different perspective on Bardejov’s history.