Maria column in Staré Město

The statue of the Virgin Mary from the Annunciation group stands at the very end of the Na Dlážkách path in Telč's Old Town (Staré Město), right in front of the gate leading into the churchyard cemetery. Together with the neighboring figure of the Archangel Gabriel, it forms a two-figure Annunciation scene — the closing note of the whole row of Baroque statues running from the pond dam toward the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary.

Where exactly does the statue stand?

The figure marks the end of the Na Dlážkách walking path, which runs along the bank of the Staroměstský pond. It stands directly in front of the cemetery gate, on the left side of the composition, facing its companion piece, Gabriel, on the right. It is the last stop on the lane before a visitor steps onto the churchyard grounds.

What does the statue and its base look like?

The figure of Mary rests on a simple, rectangular pedestal with a slightly tapering shaft and a profiled plinth, topped by a projecting, profiled cornice — the same type of base used for the other statues along the same route. Together with the figure of Gabriel, it recreates the Annunciation: the moment the archangel tells Mary she will bear Christ.

Who carved the statue?

The whole ensemble of seven to nine Baroque figures along Na Dlážkách was created between 1742 and 1749 by sculptor Kašpar Ober, who came from Kostelec (Questenberg). Researchers link the funding to a local burghers' sodality devoted to the Purification of the Virgin Mary, active under Jesuit guidance — a connection possibly hinted at by faint lettering still visible on some pedestals.

What was the purpose of the whole row of statues?

The sequence of figures along Na Dlážkách functioned as a "holy path" — saintly images meant to gradually prepare a pilgrim heading toward the church for prayer and reflection. Along the route stand a Guardian Angel, the Archangel Michael, St. John of Nepomuk, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Wendelin, and the Archangel Raphael, with the sequence closing in the double Annunciation group — Mary and Gabriel — at the entrance to the cemetery. The path itself was paved between 1798 and 1810 by hospital chaplain Ignác Chornitzer, who had it laid with large rectangular stone slabs — the source of its name (dlažba is Czech for paving).

What lies beyond the cemetery gate?

Behind the statues lies the churchyard cemetery, with gravestones dating back to the 16th century and a chapel of St. Roch from 1652. The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary itself, the destination of the whole route, traces its tradition back to 1099, preserves Gothic elements predating 1386, and had its nave rebuilt in Baroque style in 1647.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Annunciation scene this statue forms part of? It depicts the biblical moment when the Archangel Gabriel tells Mary she will conceive Christ — rendered here as two separate statues facing each other, placed on opposite sides of the path.

Why is the statue sometimes called a "Maria column"? Heritage catalogues and databases often group Marian monuments under the generic label "Maria column" regardless of their exact form. In reality, this is a standalone statue on a pedestal, part of a larger Annunciation composition, rather than a classic plague or votive column.

Who made the statue? Kašpar Ober, the sculptor responsible for the whole set of Baroque statues along the Na Dlážkách path, created between 1742 and 1749.

How do you get to the statue? On foot, following the Na Dlážkách path along the Staroměstský pond from the direction of the dam toward the Old Town — the statue stands at the very end of the route, right before the cemetery gate.

Is it worth seeing just this statue, or the whole route? The statue makes the most sense as the closing piece of the entire lane — walking the full route from the dam, pausing at each of the earlier figures, takes about 20 to 30 minutes and reveals the intended design of the whole ensemble as a "holy path" to the church.