Statue of Saint Anne

The Statue of Saint Anne stands on the stone balustrade of a viewing terrace beside the former Jesuit College in Kutná Hora, right along Barborská Street, which leads to St. Barbara's Cathedral. It is one of thirteen Baroque statues of saints lining this promenade — a group sometimes nicknamed "Kutná Hora's Charles Bridge," since the stone terrace above the Vrchlice river valley, lined on one side with saintly figures, does echo the famous Prague landmark. That resemblance is also a common source of confusion: online sources often describe an entirely different Saint Anne statue from Prague's Charles Bridge — the Kutná Hora figure is a separate, independent work.

Who carved it, and when

Most of the terrace figures, including the statue of Saint Anne, were carved by František Baugut, a sculptor active in Kutná Hora in the early 18th century. The statues were made between 1703 and 1716, commissioned by the Jesuits from the nearby college to decorate the viewing terrace leading to the cathedral. The thirteenth figure in the group — Saint John of Nepomuk — was added later, after 1740, by an unknown sculptor.

What the statue shows

Saint Anne is depicted with the small figure of Mary at her side, a common motif in imagery that presents Mary's mother as her teacher and guardian. Little angels sit at the feet of the main group, while two angels holding heraldic shields flank the stone pedestal. The whole composition is carved from stone, matching the rest of the ensemble, and occupies the eleventh position in the row, counting from the Hrádek side toward the cathedral.

Why the statue stands here

The terrace in front of the Jesuit College served as a representative promenade — a place to walk with a view over the Vrchlice valley and the town skyline, leading directly to one of the most important Gothic churches in Central Europe. Placing a series of saints there, including the patroness of mothers and midwives, followed the Baroque custom of decorating important pilgrimage and viewing routes with religious sculpture — much as had already been done on Prague's Charles Bridge, which supplied the formal inspiration for the Kutná Hora ensemble.

Is it an original

Most of the terrace statues, including Saint Anne, are original works from the early 18th century, preserved in situ to this day despite more than three centuries of exposure to the weather. That sets the Kutná Hora ensemble apart from Charles Bridge in Prague, where many of the original Baroque statues have long since been replaced by copies, with the originals moved to museums.

How to get there

The statue stands on Barborská Street in the Kutná Hora-Vnitřní Město district, a few hundred metres from St. Barbara's Cathedral, one of the town's main UNESCO-listed attractions. Walking along the terrace past the row of saints is the natural approach to the cathedral on foot from the historic centre, with views over the Vrchlice river valley along the way.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same Saint Anne statue as the one on Charles Bridge in Prague? No. It is a separate work in Kutná Hora, carved by František Baugut between 1703 and 1716. The similar name and the terrace's resemblance to the Prague bridge often cause confusion, but these are two distinct sculptures in two different cities.

Who commissioned the statue? The Jesuits from the college in Kutná Hora, who wanted to decorate the viewing terrace leading to St. Barbara's Cathedral.

What material is the statue made of? Stone, like the rest of the thirteen-statue ensemble on the terrace.

What does the sculptural scene depict? Saint Anne with the small figure of Mary beside her, angels at her feet, and two angels holding shields at the sides of the pedestal.

Is it an original 18th-century sculpture, or a copy? It is an original, preserved since it was made — unlike many statues on Prague's Charles Bridge, which have been replaced by copies over time.