Statue of Saint Hubertus on Tomášská Street in Prague

The statue of Saint Hubertus sits in a niche on the façade of the house "U Zlatého jelena" (At the Golden Deer) on Tomášská 4 in Prague's Malá Strana district. It's a small but distinctive piece of sculpture that thousands of visitors walk past every day on their way between Malostranské Square and Wallenstein Square — and yet very few actually stop to look up and notice it.

Where exactly is the statue?

The house carrying the figure holds land registry number 26 and stands at Tomášská 4, just a short walk from Malostranské náměstí. Tomášská itself is barely 120 metres long, connecting Malostranské Square with Wallenstein Square — one of the shortest yet most elegant streets in this part of the city. The building "U Zlatého jelena" is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, which confirms its historical value quite apart from the sculpture itself.

Who created the sculpture?

The composition is attributed to Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, one of the most important sculptors of Prague's Baroque period, best known for several statues on Charles Bridge. The work on the façade of "U Zlatého jelena" dates from the first quarter of the 18th century and has remained an integral part of the building's appearance ever since.

What does the scene with Saint Hubertus show?

The sculpture depicts the moment of Saint Hubertus's conversion. He is portrayed kneeling in light armour and a helmet, wearing sandals, with a small hunting horn hanging from his body. Beside him stands a stag with a cross set between its antlers — a reference to the legend in which a stag bearing a crucifix appeared to the hunter during a chase, prompting him to abandon his old life and devote himself to faith. This is precisely why Saint Hubertus remains, to this day, the patron saint of hunters, foresters and gunsmiths across much of Europe.

Why is the house called "U Zlatého jelena"?

The house's name — literally "At the Golden Deer" — comes directly from the deer motif in the sculptural composition on its façade. In old Prague, before buildings carried street numbers, houses were commonly identified by distinctive signs or architectural decorations, and the name "U Zlatého jelena" stuck precisely because of this figure, surviving to this day as the building's traditional name.

Is it worth a detour to see it?

Tomášská is a street most visitors already cross while walking from Malostranské Square toward the Wallenstein Garden or Prague Castle, so spotting the statue takes no extra effort — just look up at the façades along the way. It's a good example of how many architectural and sculptural details in Malá Strana go unnoticed, even though they sit directly above passers-by's heads.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the statue of Saint Hubertus located? In a niche on the façade of the house "U Zlatého jelena" at Tomášská 4 in Prague's Malá Strana, close to Malostranské Square.

Who made the sculpture? It is attributed to Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, one of the leading sculptors of Prague's Baroque era.

What does the sculpture depict? Saint Hubertus kneeling in armour and a helmet, alongside a stag with a cross between its antlers — a scene referencing the legend of his conversion while hunting.

Why is the house called "U Zlatého jelena"? The name comes from the golden deer motif shown in the sculptural composition on the building's façade.

Is the building a protected monument? Yes, the house "U Zlatého jelena" is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.