Battling Titans, Baroque sculptures at Prague Castle entrance, Czech Republic

Wrestling Titans (Sousoší Souboj Titánů) is a pair of sandstone sculpture groups on the pillars of the Giants' Gate, the main entrance to Prague Castle from Hradčanské náměstí. The left titan fights with a knife, the right one holds a club, shown at the moment the victor is about to strike down the opponent at his feet. The present figures are free copies from 1902 by Čeněk Vosmík and Antonín Procházka, replacing Ignác František Platzer's originals of 1767–1770.

The sandstone groups were carved by Ignác František Platzer between 1767 and 1770, during the Theresian rebuilding of Prague Castle, modelled on Lorenzo Mattielli's sculptures in Vienna. The present figures are free copies made in 1902 by Čeněk Vosmík (right) and Antonín Procházka (left).

The sculptures show figures locked in struggle, symbolizing the power and authority of the rulers who commissioned them. They greet visitors at the entrance and shape the first impression people have when arriving at the castle.

The sculptures sit right at the main gate and are free to view when entering the castle grounds. Better photographs usually result in the afternoon or early evening when sunlight angles across the stone surfaces more favorably.

The sandstone groups visitors see today are free copies from 1902, carved by restorers Čeněk Vosmík (right) and Antonín Procházka (left) to replace Ignác František Platzer's originals of 1767–1770. The left titan fights with a knife, the right one with a club.