Statue of St. Wenceslaus, Equestrian statue on Wenceslas Square in New Town, Prague, Czech Republic
The Statue of St. Wenceslaus shows a rider on horseback made from bronze, standing on a granite base surrounded by four smaller figures of saints. The base lifts the group high enough to be visible across the square, and the metal surface catches light as people pass by.
Josef Václav Myslbek began working on the sculpture in the late 19th century and completed it several decades later, shortly before his death. He used an army stallion as a model for the horse, observing the animal over a long period to capture its form.
The monument carries the inscription "Saint Wenceslas, duke of the Czech land, prince of ours, do not let perish us nor our descendants", a line from the old St. Wenceslas chorale. During the 1989 revolution its pedestal served as a notice board for protest posters, and since then stepping over the surrounding chain has been tolerated.
The sculpture stands in the open part of the square, so you can walk around it completely and see it from every side without obstruction. Early morning or late evening visits work better if you want to get closer and avoid larger crowds gathering nearby.
The bronze chains with linden leaves do not ring the pedestal itself but the elliptically raised sidewalk around the monument, set on columns. Sculptor Zdeněk Kolářský made them with architect Marie Wagnerová, and the leaf points face upward so nobody could sit on them.
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