Statues - Hither & Thither

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Praha
Hlavní mĕsto

Na Slupi 4, Vyšehrad
(Revmatologický ústav)

Čtyři sochy českých panovníků

Four statues of Bohemian monarchs

Josef Max
1845-1848

Description

In January 1846, Josef Max was commissioned to create six sandstone statues for the new east façade of the Old Town Hall. The proposed figures were Emperor Francis I, Emperor Ferdinand I, Spytihněv II or Vladislaus I, Přemysl Otakar II, Charles IV and Ferdinand III. The choice between Spytihněv and Wladislaus was ultimately decided in favour of Spytihněv II. The statues were installed in 1848.
The eastern wing of the town hall was destroyed by fire during the Prague Uprising in May 1945; only a fragment of the wall next to the tower remained standing. The wing was never rebuilt. Today, the site is a green space. The statues were not lost along with the façade. Four of them were initially housed in the Museum of the City of Prague. In the mid-1980s, they were restored by Radko Plachta and, in 1985, transferred to the grounds of the Revmatologický ústav, where they were placed in the garden and are visible from Na Slupi. The whereabouts of the two other statues, Francis I and Ferdinand I, are unknown.

Praha - Socha svatého v pravoslavném kostele
Spytihněv I, (c. 875 – 915), a member of the Přemyslid dynasty, was Duke of Bohemia from 889 (under regency until 894 or 895) until his death in 915 (Wikipedia).
Ferdinand III (Graz 1608 - Wien 1657) Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1625, King of Bohemia from 1627 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1637 to his death (Wikipedia). Praha - Socha svatého v pravoslavném kostele
Přemysl Otakar II (Městec Králové c. 1233 - Dürnkrut 1278), the Iron and Golden King, reigned as King of Bohemia from 1253 until his death in 1278 (Wikipedia).
Charles IV (Praha 1316 - Praha 1378), Holy Roman Emperor from 1355 until his death in 1378. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1346 and became King of Bohemia (as Charles I) that same year (Wikipedia).

Artist

Joseph Calasanza Max (Bürgstein 1804 - Praha 1855), Czech sculptor, brother of Emanuel Max (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

Rudolf Müller, Künstler der Neuzeit Böhmens, IV. Die Max-Familie, V. Joseph Max,.Mittheilungen des Vereins für Geschichte der Deutschen in Böhmen 15 (1877) 2, pp. 89-92 & 93-131. (online).
Adam Hnojul, Josef Max a české sochařství 2. třetiny 19. století [Josef Max and Czech sculpture in the second third of the 19th century]. Bachelor thesis. Charles University, 2016, (online).
Adéla Kolátorová, Pomníky českých středověkých králů a královen [Monuments to Czech medieval kings and queens]. Bachelor thesis, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, 2022 (online).
Encyklopedie Prahy 2, Revmatologický ústav, Na Slupi č.p. 450/4.

Location (N 50°4'2" - E 14°25'18") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: czpr141; Photograph: 9 July 2026
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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