Statue of Jan Kašpar

The Statue of Jan Kašpar is a bronze monument to the Czech aviation pioneer, standing on Třída Míru in Pardubice, on the site of the former Hotel Veselka.

Who was Jan Kašpar?

Jan Kašpar was born in Pardubice on 20 May 1883 and died there on 2 March 1927. He is remembered as one of the first Czech pilots and aircraft builders — on 13 May 1911 he flew from Pardubice to Velká Chuchle near Prague, covering 121 kilometres in 92 minutes and reaching an altitude of 800 metres. At the time, this was one of the longest flights ever completed over Czech territory, and it cemented Kašpar's name as a symbol of the earliest days of Czech aviation.

Why does the statue stand on Třída Míru?

The location was not chosen at random. The building that now stands here replaced the former Hotel Veselka, and it was in the courtyard behind that hotel that Jan Kašpar assembled his first flying machines, well before he ever took to the air over Pardubice. The statue therefore marks not the flight itself, but the place where his aviation experiments actually began.

What does the statue look like, and who created it?

The bronze figure shows Jan Kašpar at slightly larger than life size, holding the propeller of a Blériot XI — the same type of aircraft he flew during his famous 1911 flight. The statue stands 250 centimetres tall and weighs 300 kilograms. It was designed by a team of sculptors led by academic sculptor František Bálek, and the bronze casting itself was produced at an art foundry in Nuremberg, Germany. The total cost of the project reached around 2 million Czech crowns.

When was the statue unveiled?

The statue was installed on Třída Míru on 26 December 2016, ahead of the 90th anniversary of Jan Kašpar's death. Its official unveiling ceremony followed on 16 January 2017, attended by city representatives and members of the local aviation history community.

What should visitors know before stopping by?

The statue stands in central Pardubice, right on one of the city's main streets, making it an easy stop while walking through the historic town centre. It's a good place to pause for a moment and learn about the region's early aviation history before continuing on toward Pardubice Castle or the town's main square.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jan Kašpar? A Czech aviation pioneer, born and died in Pardubice, best known for his 1911 flight from Pardubice to Velká Chuchle near Prague.

Where exactly does the statue stand? On Třída Míru in Pardubice, on the site of the former Hotel Veselka, in whose courtyard Kašpar built his first flying machines.

Who designed the statue, and what is it made of? A team of sculptors led by František Bálek designed the bronze figure, cast at an art foundry in Nuremberg; it stands 250 cm tall and weighs 300 kg.

When was the statue unveiled? It was installed on 26 December 2016, with an official unveiling ceremony held on 16 January 2017.

What does the statue depict? Jan Kašpar holding the propeller of a Blériot XI aircraft — the type he flew during his historic 1911 flight.