Socha svatého Jana Nepomuckého (Přeštice) Statue

Welcome to the heart of Přeštice. You have just stopped at Masaryk Square, where one of the most important and oldest characters in local history is looking at you. You are now standing in front of the Baroque statue of St. John Nepomuk. It is a piece of sandstone that carries the weight of hundreds of years and which combines the art, faith and stories of the people who built this city. Before we take a deeper tour, let us just for a moment see the whole atmosphere of this square and how this statue dominates its surroundings.

Look at this character. Her presence here is not random. To understand why this saint is standing in the middle of our space, we must return deep into the past, to the year one thousand seven hundred and seven. At that time, faith and religious symbolism were a solid part of everyday life. This statue was not only created as an ornament, but was the manifestation of an era. The German pastor Jakub Xaver Hlávka dealt with its creation and this whole magnificent project. He was a man who had influence and wanted the square to gain its dignity and spiritual dimension. At his initiative and especially at his own financial cost, this statue of sandstone was carved and placed here. By paying for this work himself, the vicar showed his striving to flourish the village and to give people a beauty that is also sacred.

Now, please pay attention to the details that are right in front of your eyes. Notice how the statue is built. The artist who created it avoided immobility. Saint John is shown in a position where his body does not stand quite straight, but the weight transmits to one foot, which gives the whole character natural movement and life. This style, which gives a statue of dynamics, you can perceive in every curvature of his body. Look at his hands. In his left hand he remembers the cross, a symbol of his endurance and faith, while his right hand holds on his chest, which expresses deep devotion and inner peace. He's got a biret on his head, that black headgear that the clergymen wore, and there's a metal halo shining around his head that immediately tells everyone that he's looking at someone special.

But don't forget to look down to the very foundation on which the statue stands. The base is not just a stone block. It is richly decorated and requires your attention. You will see beautiful acanthus leaves that are twisted and guilt around space, and also the so-called volutes, i.e. these decorative spirals that are so typical of the Baroque era. Among these shapes you will find cartouche, which are these decorative shields or frames that complement the overall richness of the base. This whole sandstone work shows how much respect the creator had for the material and the topic itself.

Now, when you look around you, you realize that this statue is not lonely. It is part of a much larger whole which forms a harmonious picture of the entire square. This statue is part of a free set, which includes three other statues and a beautiful fountain. This whole thing was designed to create rhythm and movement in the square space. It's like a music song in a stone, where each statue plays its own role, but together they form one perfect whole.

It's fascinating to think how many generations of people have stood before this statue. How many people have rested under it, how many people have seen it as part of their home. Even though time is changing, this statue is still there. Even in modern times, we take care of it, which also proves that in the year two thousand and ten it underwent a thorough restoration and restaurant. Thanks to our taking care of her, she can still be as lively and majestic today as when she was first built over 300 years ago. It is our common heritage which has been passed on to us and which we now pass on.

Looking at this sandstone, you can feel traces of time. Every crack, every change in the color of the stone tells the story of the rains, the suns and the winds that have been around this statue for centuries. And yet, thanks to the care of experts, her face remains clear and her message is clear.

I hope this short journey has enriched you with time and space. Now that you know the story of St. John Nepomuk and know what to look at in his form, I suggest you continue your walk around the square. Take a look at the other parts of this place, feel its rhythm and let yourself drift through the atmosphere of Přeštice. Thank you for spending this moment with us. We'll brighten up the rest of the day and look forward to meeting you at another historical monument. Goodbye.