Beeld Bronzen Haan

Updated June 11, 2025

## Beeld Bronzen Haan (Maastricht): the small bronze with a big backstory

Monseigneur Nolenspark in Maastricht holds an unassuming yet historically interesting artwork: a bronze rooster by the Austrian sculptor Maria Bratusch. Locally listed as “Haan”, the piece entered the city’s collection after a 1956 exhibition of Viennese art in Maastricht and has stood in the green belt of the Stadspark (often described specifically as Mgr. Nolenspark / Henri Hermanspark) since the late 1950s.

> Essential facts (verified)
> – Artist: Maria Bratusch (Austria)
> – Medium: Bronze
> – Year acquired/placed: Purchased after a 1956 exhibition; in situ by 1958
> – Location: Monseigneur Nolenspark / Henri Hermanspark, Maastricht (approx. 50.84337, 5.69191; Jekerkwartier)
> – Status: Listed as a municipal monument by the City of Maastricht
> Sources: municipal monument list; sculpture databases and local history publications.

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### Why this rooster matters

Roosters appear all over European art and architecture as emblems of vigilance and daybreak. Maastricht’s Bronzen Haan is not a generalized decorative piece, though—it carries a specific post-war provenance. The city intentionally bought it during a 1956 “Viennese art” exhibition; in other words, it was a curatorial choice at a time when Dutch cities were rebuilding collections of public art to animate parks and promenades. That decision—and the year 1958 cited on photography and records—anchors the work within Maastricht’s mid-century push to weave sculpture into daily public life.

As a municipal monument, the Haan sits in the same protected fabric as other works around the Stadspark ribbon: a landscape of lawns, bastion remnants, the Jeker stream, and a cluster of 20th-century public sculptures. If you’re cataloging Maastricht’s open-air art, this makes the rooster a keystone entry—compact, representative, and well-documented.

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### Where exactly to find it (and why you’ll see “two” park names)

You’ll encounter the Haan in Mgr. Nolenspark / Henri Hermanspark, contiguous sections inside Maastricht’s broader Stadspark zone. Local sources—and even captions on archival photos—use both names; don’t let that confuse you. They refer to adjacent park areas within the same green belt just south of the historic center (Jekerkwartier). The municipal monument record pins it to Van Heylerhofflaan / Mgr. Nolenspark, while photo documentation cites Henri Hermanspark in 1958. In practice, you’re in the same sculpture-rich corridor.

Wayfinding tip: Enter the Stadspark from the Jekerkwartier side and follow the paths toward the Nolens/Hermans sections; you’ll pass other artworks and traces of the city walls. Several walking guides describe this park chain and its mixture of nature, fortifications, and statuary.

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### Artist + acquisition notes you can cite

– Maria Bratusch is consistently credited across independent databases and neighborhood histories as the sculptor. Multiple sources repeat that Maastricht purchased the work during a 1956 Viennese art exhibition hosted in the city—an unusual, documented acquisition story for a small park sculpture.
– The object appears in Wikimedia Commons with a dated photograph and caption (“Henri Hermanspark … 1958”), supporting the placement timeframe. Commons
– The rooster is formally recognized on the Municipal Monuments list (Jekerkwartier entry “Bronzen haan,” with coordinates and artist attribution). This is critical for heritage and conservation status.

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### Practical visit planning

– Map & coordinates: 50.8433667, 5.6919095 (Monseigneur Nolenspark, 6211 KB Maastricht). This drops you into the correct park belt in Jekerkwartier.
– Contextual pairing: Combine the Haan with a slow loop of the Stadspark—bridges over the Jeker, fragments of the fortifications, and other small bronzes. Independent walking resources note how statues punctuate the lawns and watercourses here.
– Accessibility: Paths through the Stadspark are generally level, with multiple access points from the old town and nearby lanes. (Always verify current works or closures with the municipality.)

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### Important status update to be aware of

Local media reported disappearances/theft incidents involving the Bronzen Haan in 2019 and again in September 2024, when the city said it assumed the work was stolen from Hermanspark. Because small bronzes are vulnerable, the status of the original casting can change (recovery, recasting, or replacement). Before publishing directions for readers to see the piece, check the municipality’s latest notice or local press for the current situation.

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### Photo verification & naming variations

A 2010 image on Wikimedia Commons shows the sculpture in place and credits Maria Bratusch (1958). Modern category pages and sculpture registries list it under “Haan”, sometimes adding (Monseigneur Nolenspark, Maastricht), and Dutch-language pages may mention Henri Hermanspark. Use these variants when searching official datasets or archives. Commons

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### Nearby stops to round out an art-and-history loop

– Stadspark bastions & wall traces: The green belt overlays parts of Maastricht’s defensive past; short detours reveal masonry and viewpoints.
– Other park sculptures: Local lists aggregate public art in Maastricht, handy if you’re building a thematic walk (modern bronzes, memorials, reliefs).

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## Editorial notes on accuracy & currency

– Attribution, year, and park siting are cross-checked across a Dutch sculpture database, neighborhood history, a municipal monument list, and an archival photograph caption.
– Current on-site availability is not guaranteed due to 2019 and 2024 disappearance/theft reports. Verify with the City of Maastricht before promising readers they will see the original in situ.

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### Bottom line

If you’re documenting public art in Maastricht, the Bronzen Haan belongs in your guide for its clear provenance (Viennese exhibition purchase), municipal protection, and long life within the Stadspark chain. Treat the exact on-site status as fluid—confirm before you go—but keep the entry: its story is part of how Maastricht built an everyday sculpture landscape in the decades after the war.

This article avoids speculation. All claims above are backed by the cited sources; where the situation may have changed (physical presence of the sculpture), we’ve flagged it explicitly.

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