Sculptural Group of Saint John of Nepomuk as Almoner in Prague

The sculptural group of Saint John of Nepomuk as almoner stands in front of the south facade of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Prague's Old Town. It is one of many monuments to the patron saint of Bohemia scattered across the city, but its iconography sets it apart — here the saint appears not in his usual guise, but as a benefactor handing out alms to the poor.

Who created the sculpture, and when?

The work is by Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, one of the leading sculptors of Prague Baroque, known among other things for several statues on Charles Bridge. The figural group itself is dated to around 1725. The pedestal beneath it carries the year 1727, recorded twice — as a chronogram on the front face and in Arabic numerals on the back.

Why does this statue break from the saint's usual imagery?

John of Nepomuk is typically shown with a halo of five stars and a crucifix in hand, attributes tied to his martyrdom and to the secrecy of confession. Both are missing here. Instead, the saint is depicted alongside a beggar, cast as an almoner distributing charity to someone in need. That unusual iconographic choice sets the piece apart from hundreds of other Nepomuk monuments across Prague and explains the name it carries.

What do the reliefs on the pedestal show?

The massive, prism-shaped pedestal has a profiled base and cornice, and its faces carry three reliefs tracing episodes from the saint's life and death: his martyrdom, the finding of his body in the river, and his burial. That same narrative sequence — torture, discovery, burial — recurs across many Baroque monuments to the Nepomuk cult, turning the pedestal itself into a small visual retelling of the saint's story.

Where did the pedestal originally stand, and why is it here now?

The pedestal did not start out at this spot. It originally stood elsewhere in the Old Town, on the former Jánské náměstí — today's náměstí Curieových — in front of the Church of the Holy Cross the Greater. It was later moved next to the Church of the Holy Spirit and paired there with the statue of the saint. That is where the group has remained ever since, set before the church's south elevation.

What should visitors know about the Church of the Holy Spirit itself?

The Church of the Holy Spirit is one of the older churches in Prague's Old Town, standing near what was once the Jewish quarter and a historic marketplace. Although the almoner group was created independently of the church building and only joined it later, it has long formed part of the church's immediate surroundings and counts among the recognizable landmarks of this part of the city, thanks to its unusual scene of the saint with a beggar at his feet.

Frequently asked questions

Who made the sculpture? It was created by Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, a leading figure of Prague Baroque sculpture.

When was it made? The figural group is dated to around 1725, while the pedestal carries the year 1727.

Why is the saint missing his usual attributes? Because he is portrayed here as an almoner giving alms, rather than as a martyr with a halo and crucifix.

What do the pedestal reliefs depict? Three scenes from the saint's life and death: his martyrdom, the finding of his body, and his burial.

Where exactly does the monument stand? In front of the south facade of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Prague's Old Town, though its pedestal originally stood at the Church of the Holy Cross the Greater on today's náměstí Curieových.