Jan Hus Memorial, Prague, Czech Republic

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. In the following century, Hus was followed by many other reformers - e.g. Martin Luther, John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli. Hus was ultimately condemned by the Council of Constance and burned at the stake in 1415. This led to the Hussite Wars.

To the people of Bohemia and other regions around Prague, Jan Hus became a symbol of dissidence and a symbol of strength against oppressive regimes. His opposition to church control by the Vatican gave strength to those who opposed control of Czech lands by the Habsburgs in the 19th century, and Hus soon became a symbol of anti-Habsburg rule. He is said to stand arrogantly in the square in defiance of the cathedral before him. In 1918, a Marian Column that had been erected in the square shortly after the Thirty Years' War was demolished in celebration of independence from the Habsburg empire.

When Czechoslovakia was under Communist rule, sitting at the feet of the Jan Hus memorial became a way of quietly expressing their opinion and opposition against the Communist rule.

References:

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User Reviews

Yasser Ashfaq (5 years ago)
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. The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square, Prague in the Czech Republic. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus in the wake of the lost Battle of the White Mountain during the Thirty Years' War, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth.

Avant-garde Dorée (5 years ago)
It was awesome, to experience the city of John Huss birth. -brought historical Events of the Reformation to life. -I need to come back here

Václav Zahradník (5 years ago)
Beautiful statue commemorating this very important Czech Historical figure.

Benedict Uy (5 years ago)
A large statue located in the Old Town Square. It was hard to see during Christmas due to the markets blocking out most of the square. It was quite nice with the stairs leading to it. I was only able to see it from 1 side due to the market.

Derek Stewart (Stew-Art-Prints) (5 years ago)
The overall feel of Prague has left an indelible mark in my memory. Statues and facades all around the city caked with black oxidation, gives you the feeling you are in one of Bram Stoker’s novels. Jan Hus Memorial in Old Town Square is haunting in its own way, these depicted exiles look as if they are bogged down in a tar pit. ⠀

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