Statue of Immaculata in Náměšť na Hané

The Statue of the Immaculata in Náměšť na Hané is a Baroque sculpture depicting the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It stands on the town square, facing the Church of St. Kunhuta, and is listed as a cultural heritage monument in the Czech Republic.

Who made the statue and when?

The statue dates from 1709. It was created by David Jan Zürn the Younger, a Baroque sculptor active in Olomouc, one of the leading centres of sacral sculpture in Moravia at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. The figure was not originally made for Náměšť na Hané, though — it formed part of a larger group of statues placed at the Hradisko Monastery near Olomouc.

How did the statue end up in Náměšť na Hané?

The sculpture was moved to Náměšť na Hané in 1795 and installed on the town square, opposite the Church of St. Kunhuta, where it still stands today. Relocating a statue away from the place it was originally created for was not unusual at the time — following the Josephine church reforms of the late 18th century, which reduced the number of monasteries, artworks from dissolved institutions were often transferred to nearby towns, parish churches or public squares. That is how this figure found its permanent home on the square in Náměšť na Hané.

What does the monument look like?

The statue rests on a hexagonal, four-step pedestal with a cylindrical base. This type of plinth was typical of Baroque Marian columns and statues erected in Moravian towns during the 18th century — a set of steps leads up to the base itself, on which the figure of Mary stands, hands joined in prayer or open in a gesture of intercession, surrounded by motifs associated with the iconography of the Immaculate Conception, such as a crescent moon beneath her feet.

Why is it worth seeing?

Works by David Jan Zürn the Younger located outside Olomouc itself are relatively uncommon, which makes this statue an interesting example of regional Baroque sculpture rather than just a local curiosity. For visitors exploring Náměšť na Hané, the statue is a natural stop on a walk around the square — it is worth pairing a visit with a look at the neighbouring Church of St. Kunhuta, with which the statue has shared the town centre's landscape for more than two centuries.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the Statue of the Immaculata stand in Náměšť na Hané? On the town square, opposite the Church of St. Kunhuta.

Who created the statue? David Jan Zürn the Younger, a Baroque sculptor from Olomouc — the figure was made in 1709.

Has the statue always stood in Náměšť na Hané? No. It originally stood at the Hradisko Monastery near Olomouc and was only moved to Náměšť na Hané in 1795, when it was placed on the town square.

Is the monument a protected heritage site? Yes, the Statue of the Immaculata is registered as a kulturní památka (cultural heritage monument) in the Czech Republic.

How long has the statue stood in its current location? It has stood on the square in Náměšť na Hané without interruption since 1795 — over two hundred years.