Statue of Pavel Křížkovský

The Statue of Pavel Křížkovský is a bronze monument honoring one of Moravia's most important choral composers, standing at the edge of a park below Špilberk Hill in Brno. The sculpture portrays a contemplative elderly monk in monastic robes, rendered slightly larger than life size. The monument stands along the path leading up to Špilberk when approaching from Údolní street, close to today's Podnebí café.

Who was Pavel Křížkovský?

Pavel Křížkovský (1820–1885) was a Czech composer, choral conductor, organist and Augustinian priest, regarded as one of the central figures of 19th-century Moravian musical life. His choral works and teaching had a lasting influence on the development of national music in Moravia, and his pupils included, among others, Leoš Janáček.

How did the monument come to be built?

The monument was created on the initiative of the Society for the Erection of a Monument to P. Křížkovský in Brno, which campaigned for years to have the composer commemorated in public space. The sculpture was made by František Fabiánek (1884–1967). It was cast in 1925 at Barták's foundry in Prague-Libeň, and the monument was ceremonially unveiled on Sunday, May 9, 1926, with the participation of the Křížkovský Singing Circle, the Singing Association of Moravian Teachers, and the Brno Beseda. The base, made of polished gray granite, bears the signature "Fecit F. Fabiánek 1925" on its right side, while two circular bronze reliefs decorate the sides of the pedestal.

What happened to the monument during the war?

The monument's history was far from peaceful. At the end of 1943, the Nazi occupation authorities officially removed it, citing the need to protect it from air raids, and had it transported away from Brno. The statue ended up at a scrap metal collection point in Prague-Libeň — the very district where it had originally been cast. Fortunately, it was not melted down before the war ended. Two decades later, after 1945, the monument was located and eventually returned to its original place in Brno.

Where exactly does the monument stand?

The statue is located in the park at the foot of Špilberk castle hill, along the walking route leading from Údolní street toward the fortress. It is a spot frequently passed by visitors heading up to Špilberk, offering a quiet stop dedicated to the memory of one of the founders of Brno's musical tradition.

Frequently asked questions

Who created the statue of Pavel Křížkovský? The sculpture was made by František Fabiánek, a Brno-based artist who lived from 1884 to 1967, and it was cast at Barták's foundry in Prague in 1925.

When was the monument unveiled? It was ceremonially unveiled on May 9, 1926, with the participation of local singing associations connected to Křížkovský's musical legacy.

Why did the monument disappear for twenty years? In 1943, the Nazi occupation authorities dismantled it under the pretext of protecting it from bombing raids and removed it from the city; it was only rediscovered after the war at a scrap metal collection site in Prague.

Where can visitors see the monument today? It stands in the park on the path leading up to Špilberk, near Údolní street and the Podnebí café, in an easily accessible spot along a popular walking route.