Kašna se sokolníkem, Historic fountain with falconer sculpture in Sokolov, Czech Republic.
The fountain displays a stone sculpture of a falconer holding a bird of prey, positioned on an octagonal granite base decorated with sgraffito technique ornaments and circular shields on the walls.
The fountain was installed on the square in 1717 at the town's expense with a contribution from the Nostitz family, but its parts are older: the falconer statue bears the date 1674 on its plinth, and the basin resembles the Triton fountain in the castle courtyard, made in 1672–1673. The sculptor of the statue was probably a folk artist; the plinth, column and shell are attributed to the Cheb sculptor Wilhelm Felsner. The town had already commissioned him in 1699 to make the Marian Column.
The sculpture represents the ancient tradition of falconry practiced by nobility and citizens, symbolizing the legendary founder Sebastian who allegedly established the first settlement after returning from the Crusades.
Located at coordinates 50°10′50.64″N and 12°38′20.5″E on the Old Square, the fountain underwent major restorations in 1902, 1988, and 2006 to preserve its artistic and structural integrity.
The sandstone falconer, 1.76 m tall, holds a bird of prey in his bent right hand, with a hunting dog at his left leg. The twisted column below is carved with hop vines, a nod to the region's hop-growing. The basin resembles the Triton fountain in the castle courtyard, dated 1672–1673.
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