Monument to Julius Zeyer in Chotkovy sady, Memorial sculpture in Chotkovy sady, Czech Republic.
The Monument to Julius Zeyer stands in a grotto carved into an artificial granite rock in the eastern part of Chotkovy sady, with a stream, a small pond and a footbridge. Inside, eight life-size figures from Zeyer's works are cut from white Tyrolean marble from Laas: Amis and Amil, the daughters of Krok (Libuše, Kazi and Teta), Radúz and Mahulena, and Sister Pascalina. A bronze portrait medallion of Zeyer is set at the top of the rock.
Sculptor Josef Mauder created this memorial in 1913 to honor Czech writer Julius Zeyer and his contributions to literature. The use of natural granite formations reshaped with water features reflects how cultural monuments of this period blended nature with artistic vision to celebrate literary figures.
The rear of the rock bears a red-brown marble plaque with gilded capital letters listing Zeyer's works, from Vyšehrad to Amis a Amil. The selection favours novels and some dramas, and few characters relate to Prague; only the epic poem Olgerd Gejštor is tied to these gardens, as its hero passed through on his way to the royal garden.
The monument stands in the eastern part of Chotkovy sady, in Prague 1-Hradčany, near the Chotkova road footbridge. The water channel and pools fed from the Světluška tunnel have dried up since the footbridge was rebuilt, so the stream and pond no longer run. The cave with the statues is entered from the garden paths; the ground is uneven and the figures stand in shadow.
The rear face of the rock carries a red-brown marble plaque with the titles of Zeyer's works cut in gilded capitals, from Vyšehrad and Radúz a Mahulena to Sestra Paskalina. The selection covers all his novels but only some of his short stories, and few of the characters listed have any link to Prague.
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