- Address: Václavské nám., 110 00 Nové Město, Czech Republic
- Author: Josef Vatslav Myslbek
- Year of foundation: 1912
On the main square of Prague there is a horse monument to St. Wenceslas (Pomník svatého Václava). It is considered one of the symbols of the capital of the Czech Republic and is depicted on many souvenirs of the country. Sculpture is located in front of the building of the National Museum . It is of great interest to tourists, so every day several hundred people visit the square.
General information
The monument to St. Wenceslas in Prague was created by a famous Czech sculptor named J.V. Myslbek (1848-1922) in 1912. His co-authors were designer Zelda Klouchek, who decorated the pedestal with a unique ornament, and architect Alois Driak, who helped in the design. Bronze casting was carried out by the company Bendelmayer (Bendelmayer).
The sculpture is made in the style of monumental realism. It took about 30 years to build it. The official opening took place in 1918, October 28, and a few years later the statue was granted the status of the National Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic. Originally it was installed in the environment of 3 statues, and in 1935 the 4th was added. They were presented in the form of Czech Saints:
- Voitekh;
- Procopius of Sazavsky;
- Ludmila is the grandmother of Wenceslas;
- John, who in due course was replaced by Anyeka (Agnes).
In 1979, around the sculpture, an original bronze chain was installed. At the beginning of the XXI century, the administration of Prague restored the monument to St. Wenceslas: it had a sensor camera built in.
History of creation
Until 1879, on the site of the modern monument, there was a baroque horse monument dedicated to Prince Vaclav, who was moved to Vysehrad. In the liberated space, it was decided to erect a new statue, for which in 1894 a contest was announced. 8 Czech sculptors were able to take part in it.
In his project, J.V. Myslbeck portrayed the prince in the form of a commander and a soldier dressed in full combat dress and fearlessly looking afar. In the process of work, the sculpture was reworked several times.
Who is Vaclav?
The future saint was born in 907 in the family of Przemysl. His education involved a grandmother, who was a zealous Christian, so the boy grew very religious. Prince Vaslav became in 924 and ruled only 11 years. During this time he managed to build a church of St. Vitus and in every possible way helped the church.
The prince died because of his religiousness. He was a highly moral and pious man, and demanded from his subjects to live according to the canons. The pagans opposed this rule and conspired with the brother of Vaclav, who also killed the monarch. He was buried in the Prague church.
The prince was canonized, and local residents wrote legends about him, describing the kindness and justice of the ruler. Today Saint Wenceslas is considered the patron of the Czech Republic.
Description of the sculpture
The monument is presented in the form of a composition, where the prince sits on a horse, in his right hand he has a large spear, and in the left - a shield. He himself is dressed in chain mail with a cross. The statue is placed on a pedestal on which the inscription is engraved: "Svatý Václave, vévodo české země, kníže náš, nedej zahynouti nám ni budoucím", which translates from the Czech language as "Saint Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia, our prince, help us, do not let perish to us and our children. "
Interesting Facts
- The monument to Vaclav in Prague is a popular meeting place. Many appointments are often made here, and many excursions start from the square.
- Czech sculptor David Black created a parody of this sculpture and called it "Inverted Horse". His work caused a protest among the population. Now it is located in the passage of Lucerne .
- To this day, no lifetime images of the prince and his family have survived, so the face of the sculpture is created solely by the imagination of Myslbek.
How to get there?
You can reach Prague's main square by tram lines Nos. 20, 16, 10, 7 or by buses Nos. 94 and 5. The stop is called Na Knížecí. Also here are the streets Štěpánská and Václavské nám.