Josef II.

The Monument to Joseph II in Hořovičky is one of the few surviving statues of Emperor Joseph II still standing in the Czech Republic today, occupying a prominent spot in the centre of the village along the Prague–Karlovy Vary road. The bronze figure, mounted on a substantial stone pedestal, shows the emperor holding a document referring to the abolition of serfdom — the 1781 reform that reshaped peasant life across the Habsburg lands and turned Joseph II into one of the most frequently commemorated Enlightenment rulers in Czech and Moravian villages.

Who made the monument and when was it built?

The statue was created by Richard Kauffungen (1854–1942), an Austrian sculptor active at the turn of the 20th century. It was ceremonially unveiled in 1903, as residents of Hořovičky — like many other Czech communities of the time — chose to express their gratitude for the abolition of serfdom more than a century earlier. The figure originally stood behind the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius before later being moved to its more prominent position in the village centre.

Why did the monument disappear for decades?

After the First World War and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, the newly formed Czechoslovak state saw the removal of many symbols associated with Habsburg rule. The Hořovičky monument suffered the same fate: the statue was taken down from its pedestal and hidden beneath the floor of the nearby Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius. It remained concealed there for decades, including throughout the communist era, when publicly displaying Habsburg imagery would have been politically unthinkable.

When did the statue return to public view?

Only on 22 October 1992, after the fall of communism and amid renewed interest in local history, was the figure retrieved from hiding and restored to a visible location in the centre of Hořovičky. That same year, the monument was granted protected status as a cultural monument, confirming its historical and artistic value independent of shifting political assessments of Joseph II as a historical figure.

What does the plaque on the monument say?

On the southern side of the pedestal, a commemorative plaque states that Emperor Joseph II was an enlightened ruler and reformer who reigned from 1781 to 1790. The brief inscription sums up exactly what residents of the historic Czech lands valued most about him: legal and social reforms that eased the burden on the poorest classes of society.

Why is this monument worth seeing?

The monument's imposing form — a tall, richly decorated pedestal topped by a finely crafted bronze figure — stands in striking contrast to the small, rural scale of Hořovičky, making an impression on visitors precisely because of that contrast. It is a rare example of a Habsburg-era monument that survived the turbulent interwar period, the Nazi occupation and the communist decades, only to return to a place of honour after 1989. For anyone interested in Central European history, it offers a tangible trace of the Enlightenment and its lasting impact on the Czech countryside.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the Joseph II monument stand in Hořovičky? In the centre of the village, along the road connecting Prague and Karlovy Vary.

Who created the statue? Austrian sculptor Richard Kauffungen (1854–1942).

When was the monument unveiled? In 1903.

Why was the monument hidden for so many years? After the First World War it was removed and hidden beneath the floor of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, only returning to its place in 1992.

Is the monument legally protected? Yes, it has been listed as a cultural monument since 1992.