Radegast, also called Radigost, Radhost, Radhošt, Redigast, is a hypothetical West Slavic god of hospitality, fertility, and crops, associated with war and Sun.
Mt. Radhošt, in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids mountain range, is traditionally associated with the worship of this god; according to legend, missionaries Cyril and Methodius when they reportedly visited the mountain on their trip to Great Moravia, had his idol demolished.
The original statue once found on Mt. Radhošt, sculpted in 1929 by Albin Polasek, is now located in Frenstat's (Czech Republic) Town Hall. When the statue was moved to the mountain in 1931, the truck became stuck in a steep turn, and heavy rain accompanied by storm and lightning killed one of the soldiers. A second cast by Albin Polasek stands in the center of Prague's Zoo.
The granite version, now found on Mt. Radhošt (
visit link) , is a more recent copy funded by the Radegast Beer Company in 1998. More information and sculptures of Radegast can be viewed at The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens in Winter Park, Florida. The name Radhošt itself is supposed to be a Czech transcription of Radegast.
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V blízkosti výbehu vlku v Zoologické zahrade v Praze je umístena socha Radegasta, pohanského boha úrody a symbolu staroslovanského pohanství od A.Poláška.
Identická socha Radegasta z umelého kamene o výšce 3m byla vztycena na vrcholu Radhošte v Beskydech již v roce 1931. A.Polášek ji vytvoril z betonu a žulové drti. Ve slévárne firmy Maška byly z umelého kamene se železnou vložkou odlity dve sochy. Tento byl puvodne urcen pro autorovu zahradu, po case skoncil v zoologické zahrade.