St. Adalbert on Charles Bridge / Sv. Vojtech na Karlove moste (Prague)
N 50° 05.215 E 014° 24.487
33U E 457658 N 5548462
Depicted statue of St. Adalbert (Sv. Vojtech) is one of 31 historic statues (...or groups) decorating famous Gothic Charles Bridge (Karluv most) in Prague' centre.
Waymark Code: WMNG2T
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 03/09/2015
Views: 46
Depicted statue of St. Adalbert (Sv. Vojtech) 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.
Statue of St. Adalbert is the 13th one on the left looking from the Old Town Bridge Tower. The sandstone statue, work of Michael Jan Josef Brokoff (1709; probably in collaboration with his brother, Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff), was donated by Old Town councillor Marcus Barnard Joanelli. The statue portrays the second Czech bishop, St. Adalbert, in a richly draped vestment blessing the Czech Lands after his return from Rome. His hand is holding the Gospel that he preached to the Prussian Slavs and Hungarians. The pedestal is adorned with acanthus plants, angels and the CoA of the donator. On the bottom of the pedestal, there is the Latin inscription Erected by Marcus de Joanelli, a councillor of the Prague Old Town, to publicly honor St. Adalbert: 1709. The original of the statue is in Gorlice at Vyšehrad. The copy on the bridge was made by V. Horínek and K. Horínek in 1973.
St. Adalbert (ca. 956 – April 23, 997), a bishop of Prague and a missionary, was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. He was later made the patron saint of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary and Prussia. Adalbert was born into a noble Czech family of Prince Slavník and his wife Strezislava in Libice nad Cidlinou, Bohemia. [excerpted from wiki]