Holy Trinity Column in Žlutice, Baroque monument in Žlutice, Czech Republic

The Holy Trinity Column in Žlutice is a Baroque monument with elaborately carved stone figures of saints and religious figures surrounding its shaft. It rises above the square and stands out for its detailed decorations with scrolls, capitals and ornamental elements.

Oswald Josef Wenda built this monument between 1701 and 1704, possibly after designs by the respected artist Petr Brandl. Its construction came during a period when such columns were widespread across Bohemia and supported the Counter-Reformation.

The column's figures include the Czech patron saints Wenceslas, Ludmila and Adalbert, placed in the clouds of the lower section. Ludmila's pose refers directly to Bernini's sculpture of the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. The column was consecrated in 1712 by the prior of the Carmelite monastery in Chýše.

The column stands in the northwest part of the square, among tall lime trees, with its front facing south. It rests on a multi-step stone base that levels the sloping ground, and a stone balustrade with metal gate surrounds it. The restored sandstone figures and conglomerate steps are best examined up close on foot.

The sandstone for the column came free of charge from the quarry of the Kokořov family of Kokořov near Kamenná Hora, while the steps and balustrade use conglomerate. Sculptor Oswald Josef Wenda added a gallery and three lamps at no cost beyond his contract, and the town supplied twelve stones for their decoration.