Monument to Daniel Adam of Veleslavín

The Monument to Daniel Adam of Veleslavín stands in a small park on U sadu street in Prague's Veleslavín district, roughly a hundred meters from Evropská avenue. This bronze monument honors one of the most significant Czech Renaissance humanists — a printer, publisher and lexicographer whose surname gave the entire neighborhood its name.

Who was Daniel Adam of Veleslavín?

Daniel Adam was born in 1546 in Veleslavín, at the time a separate village outside Prague, on the site of his father Štěpán Adam's former estate — the very spot where the monument now stands on U sadu street. He died in 1599. During his lifetime he ran a printing house and publishing workshop in Prague that produced multilingual dictionaries, chronicles, calendars and textbooks — works that shaped literary Czech of his era. Because of this legacy, Czech language historians often refer to his period of activity as a "golden age" of the Czech language, and the name Veleslavín permanently attached itself to his birthplace, today part of Prague 6.

Why was the monument placed here?

The idea of commemorating Daniel Adam at his birthplace first arose in 1893, six years ahead of the 300th anniversary of his death. Anniversary celebrations were held in Veleslavín in 1899, and these gave momentum to the monument project. The monument was ceremonially unveiled on 6 June 1902, attended by representatives of local society, municipal officials and the mayor of Veleslavín. It was created by sculptor Antonín Procházka, who died the year after completing the work.

Where exactly does the monument stand?

The monument sits in a wooded, triangular-shaped park that has officially been named Park Daniela Adama z Veleslavína since 2002 — before that it was an unnamed garden plot. The park is located on U sadu street, right next to the busy Evropská avenue, in a quiet residential part of Prague 6. It's an easy stop to combine with a walk through the surrounding streets of the district that takes its name directly from the man honored by this monument.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Daniel Adam of Veleslavín? A Czech Renaissance humanist, printer and lexicographer who lived from 1546 to 1599. He created dictionaries and published numerous works, and his activity is regarded as the peak of literary Czech before the modern era.

When was the monument built? It was unveiled on 6 June 1902, nearly a decade after the idea was first proposed and three years after the 300th anniversary of Adam's death was celebrated.

Who designed the monument? Sculptor Antonín Procházka, for whom this was one of his last works — he died the year after the unveiling.

Where exactly can it be found? In the park named after him on U sadu street in Prague 6 – Veleslavín, just a short walk from Evropská avenue.

Does the park's name relate to the district's name? Yes — the entire Veleslavín district takes its name from the Adam family, and the monument stands on the exact spot where the house Daniel Adam was born in once stood.