Obelisk von Lednice, Monument obelisk in Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, Czech Republic

The Obelisk of Lednice is a stone monument that stands as a marker within a carefully designed landscape of paths, gardens, and buildings. The structure is simple and direct, created to fit into the overall composition of this large estate.

The obelisk was erected by 1798 on the order of Prince Alois I of Liechtenstein, marking the end of the First Coalition War and the Peace of Campo Formio of 17 October 1797; his brother Johann I fought on the Austrian side. It was built to plans by Joseph Hardtmuth. After 1805 the baroque and classicist park was turned into an English landscape park and the poplar avenue leading to it was abandoned, but the obelisk stayed in place.

Locals call the obelisk "Facka" (slap), after a legend that Prince Christoph of Liechtenstein received a slap from his wife for losing the Mikulov estate at cards. The six-pointed gilded star on top is read as a Masonic reference, and the form reflects the Egyptomania fashionable around 1800.

The obelisk stands about 3 km north of Lednice, roughly 1 km from the parking area on road II/422 to Podivín. Cycle route 5066 passes 250 m away, but since the game-park gate was removed in 2023 the monument itself is no longer accessible; it can be seen only partially, mainly in winter when the trees are bare.

The obelisk was the endpoint of the longest of eight avenues radiating from the hunting star of the castle's game park; the avenue, planted with poplars, was abandoned after 1805 when the park was remade as an English landscape garden, but the obelisk stayed. Locals call it "Facka" (slap) after a legend that a prince was slapped here by his wife.