Socha Boženy Němcové

The statue of Božena Němcová stands in Hradec Králové in front of the building now home to the Gymnázium Boženy Němcové, on Pospíšilova street, close to the point where the Elbe river meets the Orlice. It is a stone sculpture depicting the seated writer, author of the celebrated novel "Babička" ("The Grandmother"), one of the cornerstones of nineteenth-century Czech literature.

Who made the monument?

The sculpture was created by Josef Škoda, a Czech sculptor who originally submitted this design for a public competition held in Prague in 1940, aimed at selecting a monument to honor Božena Němcová. His entry did not win, but the finished piece survived and eventually found a permanent home in Hradec Králové instead. It was carved from Božanov sandstone, a stone widely used in Czech monumental sculpture for its durability and pale, even coloring.

Why did it take so long to unveil?

Škoda finished the statue by the end of 1941, but the political circumstances of the time — Czech lands were then under German occupation — meant it was never installed in public that year. The formal unveiling did not take place until 1950, a year after Škoda's own death. The timing was deliberate: 1950 marked the 130th anniversary of Božena Němcová's birth, making it a fitting moment to finally place the monument in the city.

Why this particular spot?

The statue stands directly in front of the school that bears the writer's name, Gymnázium Boženy Němcové. The pairing is intentional: students pass the sculpture of the author every day, on their way into a building carrying her name on its façade. The location, in this part of Hradec Králové near the historic confluence of the two rivers, also places the monument within a wider network of sites connected to the city's cultural and civic history.

Who was Božena Němcová?

Božena Němcová (1820–1862) is one of the most recognizable figures of the Czech National Revival. Her novel "Babička," published in 1855, remains required reading in Czech schools and is regarded as one of the foundational works of Czech prose. In it, she drew on her own childhood memories from Ratibořice to portray rural Czech life. Beyond her fiction, Němcová collected and recorded Czech fairy tales and folk legends, helping preserve national folklore at a time when the Czech language and cultural identity were being revived after decades of German-speaking administrative and cultural dominance.

What should visitors know?

The monument sits in an easily accessible part of the city, along a walking route linking the center of Hradec Králové with the riverside areas. It is a natural stop for anyone interested in Czech literary history or in tracing the city's public statues and sculptures — Hradec Králové is known for its rich architecture and numerous artistic works placed throughout its public spaces. Visitors can combine a stop at the statue with a walk toward the confluence of the Elbe and Orlice rivers, where several other viewpoints and historic sites can be found.

Frequently asked questions

Who created the statue of Božena Němcová in Hradec Králové? The sculptor Josef Škoda, who originally designed it for a 1940 Prague competition.

When was the monument unveiled? In 1950, on the 130th anniversary of the writer's birth.

What material was the statue made from? Sandstone quarried near Božanov.

Where exactly does the statue stand? In front of the Gymnázium Boženy Němcové building on Pospíšilova street in Hradec Králové.