Idiotic monuments have become de rigeur in Łódź, so here’s one that actually merits its existence. Unveiled on December 12, 2009, and depicting a Polish eagle rising proudly above a set of bars, this 550,000 złoty monument is dedicated to all those who died and suffered under communism. Designed by Wojciech Gryniewicz, a particular point of interest is the building it stands in front of; under German occupation this high school was once the seat of the local Gestapo, and from 1945 till 1956 operated as home of the internal security services.