Monument to Otto Wichterle

The Monument to Otto Wichterle is an unusual sculpture shaped like a leafy tree, its crown inscribed with the patent numbers of the famous Czech chemist who invented soft contact lenses. The monument stands in Prague's Petřiny district, right in front of the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences — the institution where Wichterle spent decades of his scientific career.

Where exactly does the monument stand?

The sculpture is located on Heyrovský Square (Náměstí Heyrovského) in Prague 6 – Petřiny, directly in front of the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (ÚMCH) of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The site is far from arbitrary: it was at this very institute that Wichterle carried out the polymer research that led to his breakthrough invention.

Who created the sculpture, and when was it built?

The monument was designed by sculptor Michal Gabriel, working with architects Oleg Haman and Jana Podpěrová. Their design won a public competition that drew 45 submissions. The foundation stone was ceremonially laid on 27 October 2003 — the day that would have marked Otto Wichterle's ninetieth birthday. The monument itself was officially unveiled on 31 October 2005.

What does the monument look like, and what do the numbers in its crown mean?

The central motif is a metal, leafy tree. Its crown carries 64 patent numbers that Wichterle registered over the course of his career as an inventor. The tree form — carrying a scientist's achievements in its branches — symbolically echoes the branching, wide-ranging nature of his research; he was the author of roughly 150 inventions and patents in total. The monument also bears an inscription stating that Otto Wichterle was a significant scientist, born in 1913 and died in 1998, and that the numbers inscribed in the sculpture's crown are the numbers of his patents.

Who was Otto Wichterle?

Otto Wichterle (1913–1998) was born in Prostějov, Moravia. He studied chemical engineering at the Prague technical university (today's University of Chemistry and Technology), where he also later taught — until the Nazi occupation shut the school down in 1939. During the war he moved to Zlín, working in the research laboratories of the Baťa shoe company, before returning to scientific work in Prague after the war.

Where did the idea for contact lenses come from?

According to Wichterle's own account, the idea for soft contact lenses came to him in 1952 on a train back to Prague, where a fellow passenger was reading an ophthalmology magazine. He went on to develop a water-absorbing hydrogel material that became the basis for the world's first soft contact lenses — an invention used today by millions of people worldwide.

What was Wichterle's standing in Czech science?

Wichterle belonged to numerous international scientific societies, received many foreign awards, and held honorary professorships at several universities, alongside more than two hundred published papers. He capped his career as the first post-1989 chairman of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, following the fall of the communist regime.

What should you know before visiting?

The monument sits in Petřiny, somewhat off Prague's main tourist routes, right next to the institute tied to the invention it commemorates — a site for those drawn to the history of science, rather than a classic sightseeing stop.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Otto Wichterle? A Czech chemist (1913–1998) who invented soft contact lenses, professionally tied to the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague.

Where exactly is the monument located? On Heyrovský Square in Prague's Petřiny district, in front of the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

Who designed the monument? Sculptor Michal Gabriel, working with architects Oleg Haman and Jana Podpěrová, whose design won a public competition among 45 entries.

When was the monument unveiled? On 31 October 2005; its foundation stone had been laid earlier, on 27 October 2003, on the anniversary of the scientist's 90th birthday.

What does the sculpture depict? A leafy tree whose crown is inscribed with 64 of Otto Wichterle's patent numbers.

What invention is Wichterle best known for? Soft contact lenses, an idea that reportedly came to him in 1952 during a train journey to Prague.