Statue of Saint Aja in Smíchov

The Statue of Saint Aja in Smíchov is a modest Baroque devotional monument set into a niche along Nádražní Street in Prague's Smíchov district. It is easy to walk past without a second glance, yet the figure carries over two and a half centuries of history and holds protected status as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

Who commissioned the statue and when was it made?

The statue was erected in 1770 at the initiative of Father František Xaver Wissinger, rector of the Jesuit college in Prague's Old Town. Its location was deliberate: the figure was placed near a garden belonging to the college, in what was then still a suburban stretch of Prague rather than the dense urban district Smíchov would later become. The work is attributed to Ignác Platzer, one of the most sought-after sculptors active in Prague during the second half of the 18th century, whose Baroque and early Neoclassical figures can still be found across the city.

What happened to the statue over the centuries?

Standing exposed to weather and to the changing urban fabric around it, the sculpture gradually deteriorated. Both hands of the figure broke off at the wrists at some point, and parts of the drapery and the architectural framing of the niche were damaged as well. In 1954 the statue underwent a thorough restoration carried out by academic sculptor Jan Kahan, who replaced the missing hands in sandstone and reconstructed the damaged sections of clothing and surrounding stonework using artificial stone. That intervention preserved the statue's original appearance and allowed it to remain legible as a complete composition to this day.

Where exactly is the statue located?

The monument stands in a niche on Nádražní Street, one of the main thoroughfares connecting Smíchov to central Prague. Its approximate coordinates are 50.064 N, 14.409 E. Because it sits along a busy street, the statue remains within view of residents and visitors passing through Smíchov on a daily basis, even though it is easy to overlook amid the surrounding buildings.

Does it have any protected status?

The Statue of Saint Aja in Smíchov is listed as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic. That designation means the object is legally protected, and any conservation work or changes to its immediate surroundings require approval from heritage authorities. For Smíchov, a district that has undergone extensive redevelopment and modernization in recent decades, small surviving religious monuments like this one offer a tangible link to the area's earlier, pre-industrial history.

Frequently asked questions

Who is depicted in the statue? The figure represents a saint referred to in sources as Aja, a subject tied to the Baroque devotional sculpture tradition of the region.

When does the statue date from? It was erected in 1770, during the Baroque period, funded by the rector of Prague's Jesuit college.

Who created the statue? The work is attributed to Ignác Platzer, a well-regarded Prague sculptor of the era.

Has the statue ever been restored? Yes. In 1954, sculptor Jan Kahan repaired the broken hands and damaged sections of clothing and architectural framing.

Is it worth seeing while exploring Smíchov? It's a small but historically interesting stop for anyone interested in Baroque devotional sculpture and the earlier layers of this Prague district, easily combined with a walk through the surrounding streets.