Statue of John of Nepomuk, Vyšehrad

The Statue of John of Nepomuk stands in the Karlach Gardens, a small park within the historic Vyšehrad complex in Prague. Carved from Hořice sandstone, it depicts the Czech saint venerated as the guardian of the confessional seal and protector against drowning, and its composition deliberately echoes the far more famous statue of the same saint on Charles Bridge.

Who commissioned the statue, and when was it made?

The statue was commissioned by Mikuláš Karlach, provost of the Royal Collegiate Chapter of Sts Peter and Paul at Vyšehrad, after whom the surrounding gardens are named. It was carved between 1894 and 1895 by the cousins Josef and František Ducháček, while the pedestal was supplied by the stonemasonry firm of Ludvík Šaldy. The finished monument was solemnly consecrated on 16 May 1895.

Who was John of Nepomuk?

John of Nepomuk was a Czech priest and vicar general of the Prague archdiocese who died a martyr's death in 1393, drowned in the Vltava on the orders of King Wenceslaus IV. Canonized in 1729, he became one of the most widely venerated saints across Bohemia and Central Europe, honored as the guardian of the seal of confession and as a protector against floods and drowning. He is traditionally shown in a canon's vestments, holding a crucifix, with a ring of five stars above his head — an image reproduced in thousands of statues across the region. Placing his likeness at Vyšehrad, historically home to a collegiate chapter, follows that same devotional tradition among Prague's clergy.

How does it compare to the statue on Charles Bridge?

The Vyšehrad statue consciously mirrors the better-known figure on Charles Bridge, carved in 1683 by Jan Brokoff after a design by Matthias Rauchmiller — one of the first Baroque statues placed on the bridge and the model copied countless times across Central Europe. The shared composition, a saint in liturgical robes holding a cross beneath a halo of stars, makes the connection unmistakable, even though the Vyšehrad version was made more than two centuries later and stands in an entirely different setting.

Where exactly is it located?

The statue stands in the Karlach Gardens, a landscaped park inside the Vyšehrad fortifications, close to the Basilica of Sts Peter and Paul and the Vyšehrad Cemetery, with views opening toward the Vltava below.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Statue of John of Nepomuk at Vyšehrad made? It was carved between 1894 and 1895 and consecrated on 16 May 1895.

Who created it? Cousins Josef and František Ducháček sculpted the statue, the pedestal came from Ludvík Šaldy's stonemasonry firm, and the project was initiated by provost Mikuláš Karlach.

What material is the statue made of? It is carved from Hořice sandstone, a stone widely used in Czech religious sculpture.

Where in Vyšehrad does it stand? In the Karlach Gardens, near the Basilica of Sts Peter and Paul.

Is it related to the statue of John of Nepomuk on Charles Bridge? Yes — its composition deliberately echoes the older and far more famous 1683 statue on Charles Bridge, though it was made over 200 years later.