Sculptural group of St. Barbara, St. Margaret and St. Elizabeth on Charles Bridge / Sousoší Sv. Barbory, Sv. Markéty a Sv. Alžbety na Karlove moste (Prague)
N 50° 05.175 E 014° 24.764
33U E 457987 N 5548385
Depicted Baroque sculptural group of St. Barbara, St. Margaret and St. Elizabeth (sousoší Sv. Barbory, Sv. Markéty Sv. Alžbety) is one of 31 historic statues (...or groups) decorating famous Gothic Charles Bridge (Karluv most) in Prague' centre.
Waymark Code: WMNG8D
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 03/10/2015
Views: 51
Depicted Baroque sculptural group of St. Barbara, St. Margaret and St. Elizabeth (sousoší Sv. Barbory, Sv. Markéty Sv. Alžbety) is one of 31 historic statues (...or groups) decorating famous Gothic Charles Bridge (Karluv most) in Prague' centre.
What makes Charles Bridge a top tourist attraction is the open air sculptural gallery which adorns it. It was created much later than the actual bridge construction, mostly in 1706-1714 in the expectation of the canonisation of John of Nepomuk (Jan Nepomucký). Despite the partial changes the gallery has undergone since its creation, it is still a great reflection of the history of the Czech lands - there are 31 statues and groups of statues in all on the bridge today with approximately 100 figures, among them also prime works of the great men of central European sculpture Matthias B. Braun and Ferdinand M. Brokoff. Since 1965 the precious originals of the statues have been gradually replaced by replicas. In extent and quality this bridge gallery has no equal in Europe.
Baroque sculptural group of St. Barbara, St. Margaret and St. Elizabeth is the second one on the left looking from the Old Town Bridge Tower. The sandstone sculptural group is work of Michal Jan Brokoff (1707). St. Barbara is in the middle, St. Margaret is on her left and St. Elizabeth is on her right. The statue of St. Elizabeth, which is artistically the most valuable, was probably made by Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff; the pedestal is most likely the work of Jan Brokoff. The statuary was donated by Imperial Councilor and Associated Justice Jan Václav Obytecký of Obytec (†1707); his CoA is on the pedestal below St. Margaret and the CoA of his wife is below St. Elizabeth. The Latin inscription below the statue of St. Barbara says Pray for us now and in the hour of our death. Josef Max renovated the statuary in 1852.