Sloup se sochou Panny Marie a sochami světců Marian column

Welcome to Silver. Right now, at this moment, you're standing in the middle of Masaryk Square and your eyes are likely to encounter this noble and important object that carries the entire history of this place. Before you stands a Marian pillar, a baroque monument that is not only a stone piece, but above all a strong expression of human faith, hope and deep gratitude. Look at his figure, how his shapes stand out against the sky and how they attract the attention of everyone who passes by. This column is the heart of the square and a silent witness to many of the events that have taken place here for centuries. Feel the atmosphere that radiates around it, and feel that you are facing something that has survived many generations of people. To understand why this column is standing right here, we need to go back deep with you to a time when the world was much different and people faced forces that they could not control. By the year one thousand seven hundred and thirteen. That was the year the plague hit these countries. It was a disease that brought great fear, pain and uncertainty to every house and every mind. The people of the time, in deep faith and despair, sought a way to avoid this destruction. By promising that if the plague blows stop, they will build a monument to their gratitude, a process that lasted many years. The construction of this column was neither quick nor easy. It took place gradually, as a persistent process of expressing relief, from a thousand seven hundred thirteen to a thousand seven hundred forty. Each year of construction was a reminder that the danger was averted and that people deserved to live in peace. This whole process was extremely important to the entire community because the column became a symbol of the victory of life over death and the invisible enemy. Now please pay attention to the work itself and its architecture. Look at how the column is built and how its entire structure is organized. This whole work came from the workshop where the masters Kristian and Lazar Widemann worked. Their work can be seen in every detail, every movement that statues express. Feel the baroque style that is full of dynamics, emotions and movement. If you look up, you will see the pinnacle of the entire work - the statue of the Virgin Mary. It's her, it's her presence, that dominates the whole thing and heads towards heaven. Below it you will see a number of saints who are placed in two levels. There are 13 baroque plastics, which form a harmonious and rich whole. Feel how these figures are distributed, how each of them rises at different heights and how they create a rich visual structure that forces you to follow the column from its base to the very top. Each level of saints adds a piece to the depth and creates a feeling of ascension to the divine, as if figures slowly emerge from the earthly world into the sphere of heaven. The history of this place is associated with many names that deserve your attention. In the year one thousand seven hundred sixty-two there was an important moment when the column officially consecrated Bishop Ondřej Kayser. This was a confirmation of its sanctity and importance for the whole village, the moment when the monument became a fully recognized symbol of faith. But the memory was not constant throughout its life and had to face time and necessary repairs. In the year one thousand eight hundred ninety-four there was a major restoration, in which some sculptures were replaced by new parts created by Karl Wilfert. His work helped to preserve the baroque appearance of the monument for future generations and to ensure that the column still works as originally thought. And not once, in the years one thousand nine hundred eleven to one thousand nine hundred fifteen, there was a complete reconstruction, which carried out a very detailed analysis and repairs of all the statues to preserve their beauty and durability for centuries to come. You might be thinking that what you're seeing right now is exactly what was standing here from the beginning. But history tells us about changes, losses, repairs. In the year one thousand seven hundred sixty-two there were seventeen statues in the monument, not thirteen, as you see now. What happened to the others? This is one of those questions that may interest you when you look at this column and make you wonder how time changes and how monuments transform in time. Another interesting thing is that in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight new stone pylons were built around the column, which are connected by a stretched chain. These pillars and chains serve to protect this precious work from accidental damage. Unfortunately, the memory also faced the difficult moments that were caused by humans. In the year one thousand nine hundred sixty-two, there was vandalism, in which three sculptures were torn down. It was a sad moment that left a mark on the memory and which reminded us how fragile human work can be and how important it is to protect it from anger and indiscretion. Now that you've come to know the basic shapes, the history and the secrets of this column, I suggest you stop for a while and just observe individual figures in silence. Feel the atmosphere of this square and the memories that are stored in this stone. Let yourself be carried away by the beauty of baroque art and the memory of the people who built this column as a token of their gratitude for saving their lives. Thank you for joining us on this short journey through time. We wish you a nice walk in Silver and enjoy all the other beauties this city offers you. Goodbye.