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Wenceslas Square – The monument of St. Wenceslas
The monument of St. Wenceslas is one of the view points of Wenceslas Square in Prague. It comes from the workshop of the noted Czech sculptor Josef Václav Myslbek who spent more than thirty years working on it. His joint authors were the architect Alois Dryák and sculptor Klouček. Let´s learn more about one of the symbols of the Czech nationhood and the patron of the Czech Land, St. Wenceslas.
All about Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí) read here
Historical hindsight
The original equestrian statue of the Czech patron was transferred to Vyšehrad in Prague in 1879. From that time there were several attempts to create a new statue of St. Wenceslas. The public competition was announced in 1894 and the winner was Josef Václav Myslbek. He started his work in 1887 and he was occupied with precise performance of the details.
How is the statue conceived?
The author embodied the image of a fighter to the patron and later the statue was replenished with four statues of the standing saints. You can recognize his grandmother St. Ludmila, further St. Vojtěch (Adalbert), St. Prokop and St. Anežka (Agnes). Myslbek found inspiration for his masterpiece in the treasure of St. Wenceslas, namely the headpiece, sword and hauberk, which he managed to capture authenticly here.
The statue of the rider is mounted on a monumental cubodial pedestal surrounded by the remarkable Czech saints. All of them, besides Vojtěch (Adalbert), were set up in 1912, the last saint was added in 1924. The whole bronze group of statues (up to the tip of Wenceslas´spear) in front of the National Museum reaches 7.2 metres high. Originally, the statue was supposed to be standing on the platform of the National Museum but due to Myslbek the statue decorates Wenceslas Square.
All about Monuments Prague 1 Distict – historical cener read here
What should we mention last?
The work was completed after its author´s death yet it was, still incomplete, revealed to the public in 1913. You can spot the date „28.10.1918“ inscribed into the paving in front of the monument. It was revealed on October 27th, 1935.
Curiosities that not everybody knows
Curious are the images that the author embodied to the saints. If you look into the face of St.Vojtěch you will recognize the noted archbishop František Schönborn. However, if you look into the face of St. Prokop you will see Myslbek in person. There is another great curiosity – the author of the statue let the horse pass above him in the riding hall because he wanted to understand and see where the muscles of the animal stretch during its pace. And who is the famous horse St. Wenceslas is riding? The model was a seven-year-old stallion Arda who belonged to the army.
Entire part of Prague
Who of you would walk along the streets of Prague and miss a stop „at the horse“ or would not use it as a meeting point? Not only the citizens of the capital city but also many tourists daily meet, sit on the pedestal and enjoy the beauties of Wenceslas Square here just like it used to be in the past. It is the place which has become the scene of various demonstrations. Also national pious events take place here, people lay wreaths to the pedestal of the monument.
All about Prague Monuments and Guide read here
In October in 1918, Alois Jirásek read the proclamation of independence of Czechoslovakia in front of the Saint Wenceslas statue, therefore the date 28.10.1918 is inscribed in front of the group of statues. This monument has become one of the Czech national symbols and entire part part of Wenceslas Square. The statue which issstanding on two horse legs only belongs to Magistrát hlavního města Prahy (Prague City Hall) but it is administated by Galerie hlavního města (City Gallery Prague). The sculptor David Černý has created a parodied imitation of the statue which you can view in the Prague Lucerna (Lantern Palace).
Lucie Niebauerová
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Contact:
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Adress:
Václavské náměstí (Wenceslas Square)
Praha 1 (Prague 1)
Connection:
Subway/Underground
Line A,C – Muzeum stop/station
Line A – Mustek stop/station
Line B – Mustek stop/station
Tram:number 11 – Muzem stop/station
number 3,9,14,24 Vaclavske namesti stop/station
night line 51,52,54,55,56,58 Vaclavske namesti stop/station
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Tourist guide PRAGUE CITY LINE - Prague 1 (7,0 MiB, 19 017 hits)
Prague 1 still belongs to one of the most attractive parts of the whole Prague. Probably nowhere else you can find such a concentration of historic monuments and places where the history and romance of bygone times are all around you. Hardly anywhere you can walk on the same paths where were walking Franz Kafka, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the Golem of Prague.
Other interesting links – Read also
All about: Prague 1 Monuments more read here
All about: Prague 2 Monuments more read here
All about: Prague 3 Monuments more read here
All about: Prague Castle more read here
All about: Royal route and the coronation of King more read here
All about: Petrin Hill more read here
All about: Old Town Square more read here
All about: Jewish Prague more read here
All about: Prague Gardens and Parks more read here
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