Chopinův pomník in Mariánské Lázně

Chopinův pomník is a stone monument to Frédéric Chopin in the Czech spa town of Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad), where the composer spent five weeks in the summer of 1836. It stands in the park below the Karolína Spring colonnade, facing the former Casino building, and is one of many sites across town that mark Chopin's stay.

Why did Chopin come to Mariánské Lázně?

Chopin arrived on 22 July 1836, at the age of 26, having traveled from Paris to see Maria Wodzińska, with whom he was in love. The Wodziński family was already staying in the spa town. Chopin lodged in the same building as the Wodzińskis, the house "U bílé labutě" (At the White Swan), no. 47 on the main street. He left Mariánské Lázně on 23 August 1836, after a stay of just over a month.

Who made the monument, and when was it unveiled?

The stone monument, which bears a medallion portrait of Chopin, was created by sculptor J. Otáhal. It was unveiled in 1960, marking the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth (1810-1960). It sits in the park by the Karolína Spring colonnade, opposite the former Casino building, at approximately 49.976N, 12.706E.

What other Chopin sites are there in town?

The house "U bílé labutě" at no. 47 on the main street, where Chopin stayed, now holds a permanent Chopin memorial exhibition on its second floor, also opened in 1960 and renovated between 2020 and 2023. The building carries commemorative plaques in Czech, Polish and French; two of them, cut from black Silesian granite, were unveiled back in 1902 at a ceremony marking Chopin's stay. The town also has a street named after Chopin and a music school bearing his name, which carries an additional memorial sculpture on its facade. Mariánské Lázně is sometimes described as the town with the largest number of Chopin plaques, monuments and buildings anywhere in the world.

What is the Fryderyk Chopin Society, and what about the festival?

Chopin's visit led to the founding of the Fryderyk Chopin Society (Společnost Fryderyka Chopina) in 1959, chaired by pianist Prof. František Rauch, a piano professor at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts, who held the post until 1996. That same year, 1959, saw the first edition of the Chopin Festival (Chopinův festival), now the third-oldest music festival in the Czech Republic, after Prague Spring and Smetana's Litomyšl. It's held every year in the third week of August. Since 1962, the festival has also included a piano competition devoted to Chopin's works, held every two years, which has featured young performers who later went on to international careers.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly does Chopinův pomník stand? In the park below the Karolína Spring colonnade in Mariánské Lázně, opposite the former Casino building.

Who designed the monument, and when was it unveiled? Sculptor J. Otáhal designed it; it was unveiled in 1960, on the 150th anniversary of Chopin's birth.

How long did Chopin stay in Mariánské Lázně? He arrived on 22 July and left on 23 August 1836 - a stay of just over a month.

Where did the composer stay during his visit? At the house "U bílé labutě," no. 47 on the main street, where the Wodziński family also stayed.

Is there another Chopin museum in town? Yes, the house "U bílé labutě" holds a permanent Chopin memorial exhibition on its second floor.