The Jesuits arrived in Kutná Hora in 1626 to convert the Utraquist town to Catholicism. They focused their attention on children and built a college next to St. Barbara's Cathedral (
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The Jesuit College was built between 1667 and mid-18th century. The College itself was built according to plans by the architect Giovanni Domenico Orsini. A man-made terrace was created in front of the building and enclosed by a low wall upon which 13 statuaries of saints were placed.
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The chronogram:
kVttenbergensIs patrIae DoMestICa ponIt LIberaLItas
gLorIoso MartyrI DIVo fLorIano ContraIgnes potentI patrono
et aDDICta VICInIa aD sIta pIetas
CZ: Kutnohorského mesta sousedu postavuje štedrost slavnému mucedníku svatému Florianu proti požáru mocnému ochránci a útulná sousedstva vedlejšího nábožnost
The Roman numerals of chronogram are larger than the other letters and are gold color-coded from the rest of the black color-coded text.
St Florian is a Christian saint, and the patron saint of Linz, Austria; chimney sweeps; soapmakers, and firefighters. His feast day is May 4. St. Florian is also the patron of Upper Austria, jointly with Saint Leopold.
Florian was born about 250 AD in the ancient Roman city of Aelium Cetiumin in present-day Sankt Pölten, Austria. He joined the Roman army and advanced in the ranks,[3] rising to commander of the imperial army in the Roman province of Noricum. In addition to his military duties, he was also responsible for organizing firefighting brigades. Florian organized and trained an elite group of soldiers whose sole duty was to fight fires.
During the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians, reports reached Rome that Florian was not enforcing the proscriptions against Christians in his territory. Aquilinus was sent to investigate these reports. When Aquilinus ordered Florian to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods in accordance with Roman religion, he refused. Florian was sentenced to be burned at the stake. Standing on the funeral pyre, Florian is reputed to have challenged the Roman soldiers to light the fire, saying "If you do, I will climb to heaven on the flames." Apprehensive of his words, instead of burning Florian, he was executed by drowning in the Enns River with a millstone tied around his neck.
His body was later retrieved by Christians and buried at an Augustinian monastery near Lorch. Later a woman named Valeria had a vision in which she saw him; Florian, in this vision, declared his intent to be buried in a more appropriate location.
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