About this place
The Marian Column in Vysoké Mýto is a Baroque votive column standing on the town's main square. Rising more than fourteen metres above the surrounding greenery, this sandstone monument has marked the square for over three centuries, recalling a single dramatic year, 1714, when war and plague both threatened the town.
Where does the column stand?
The column occupies the centre of Náměstí Přemysla Otakara II, the main square of Vysoké Mýto, named after the medieval Bohemian king. Set among the trees that line the square, the monument is visible from almost every corner of the plaza and serves as a natural landmark for anyone exploring the town's historic centre.
Why was the column erected?
The column was built in 1714 for two reasons that were closely linked in Baroque-era thinking. First, it commemorated the Peace of Rastatt, signed that same year, which ended a long period of armed conflict in Europe. Second, and just as important to the townspeople, it was an expression of gratitude to the Virgin Mary for sparing Vysoké Mýto from the plague epidemic that ravaged other parts of the country in 1714–1715. Erecting such votive columns after an epidemic had passed was common practice in Central European towns of the period, a public way of giving thanks for survival.
What does the column look like?
The monument takes the form of a slender sandstone shaft crowned with a Corinthian capital. At the very top stands a statue of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, her head surrounded by a halo. Placed highest of all the figures, she is the central image of the whole composition and the first thing visitors notice from a distance, the very figure the town thanked for its survival.
Who are the figures at the base?
At the corners of the column's base stand four further statues: Saint Joseph, Saint John of Nepomuk, Saint Lawrence, and Saint Florian. Each was widely venerated in Bohemia and Moravia at the time: John of Nepomuk as protector against floods and patron of bridges, Florian as patron of firefighters and protector against fire, Lawrence likewise associated with protection from fire, and Joseph as patron of families and of a peaceful death. Together, these four figures at the base complete a typical Baroque programme of protection, covering the era's most feared dangers, war, plague, fire, and flood.
Why is it worth seeing?
The Marian column is one of those features of Vysoké Mýto's historic centre that is easy to walk past without a second glance, yet it tells one of the fullest stories of the fears and hopes that shaped the town three hundred years ago. Standing on the same spot ever since, it remains a witness to an era when public devotion and the memory of survived hardship went hand in hand with the ornamentation of civic space.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Marian column in Vysoké Mýto built? It was erected in 1714.
How tall is the column? The monument stands over 14 metres high.
What material is the column made of? It is carved from sandstone.
Why was the column built? To commemorate the Peace of Rastatt, signed in 1714, and to thank the Virgin Mary for sparing the town from the plague epidemic of 1714–1715.
Who is depicted on the column? The Immaculate Virgin Mary stands at the top, with statues of Saint Joseph, Saint John of Nepomuk, Saint Lawrence, and Saint Florian at the base.
Where exactly does the column stand? On the town's main square, Náměstí Přemysla Otakara II, surrounded by trees.
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