Right in the city centre of Jülich sits the Citadel, one of the best preserved fortresses in Germany and a prime example of Italian High Renaissance architecture north of the Alps. Built in the 16th century as part of an ideal city concept under the reign of Duke William V., it survived numerous wars and sieges. Today it houses the Museum Zitadelle Jülich with its exhibition depicting 2000 years of Jülich’s history and containing one of the most impressive collections of works from Jülich’s most famous son, 19th century landscaper Johann Wilhelm Schirmer.
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The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.
Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.