Statues of Saints Norbert, Wenceslaus and Sigismund

The statues of Saints Norbert, Wenceslaus and Sigismund stand on the north side of Charles Bridge in Prague, one of several sculptural groups that have lined the crossing between the Old Town and Malá Strana for well over a century. Three sandstone figures — Saint Sigismund of Burgundy on the left, Saint Norbert of Xanten in the middle, and Saint Wenceslaus, patron of Bohemia, on the right — form a compact, easily recognized composition on one of the bridge's piers.

Who are the three saints in this group?

The composition brings together saints of quite different backgrounds. Saint Sigismund of Burgundy was a king and martyr venerated as a patron of Bohemia since medieval times. Saint Norbert of Xanten, placed at the center, founded and led the Premonstratensian order as its patriarch — which explains his central position, since it was the Premonstratensians of Strahov Monastery who commissioned the statues. Saint Wenceslaus, the most widely recognized of the three, is the Czech duke and the country's foremost national patron saint, whose likeness appears in several different places and forms across Prague.

Who made the statues, and when?

The current version of the group was carved in 1853 by Josef Max, a sculptor active in Prague at the time. The work was commissioned by Jeronym Zeidler, abbot of Strahov Monastery — which is why Saint Norbert, patriarch of the order to which the patron himself belonged, occupies the central spot. The figures are carved from sandstone, the same material used for most of the statuary lining the bridge.

Why does the inscription mention a "third" placement?

The pedestal inscription notes that statues have stood at this exact spot on the bridge "for the third time." Charles Bridge was originally lined, between 1683 and 1714, with a series of thirty Baroque statues of saints, and the spot now occupied by the Norbert, Wenceslaus, and Sigismund group was one of those original locations. Sandstone exposed to weather and the humidity of the river below erodes over time, and the bridge's statues have repeatedly been replaced with newer versions as a result — the 1853 group by Josef Max is the third to occupy this particular spot. The inscription itself does not specify the exact circumstances of the earlier replacements.

Where exactly on the bridge is the group located?

The statues stand on the north side of Charles Bridge, on one of the piers connecting the Old Town side to Malá Strana. Charles Bridge remains one of Prague's most visited attractions, and its individual statue groups — including this one dedicated to Norbert, Wenceslaus, and Sigismund — form an integral part of any walk across it, alongside other well-known figures such as Saint John of Nepomuk.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same Saint Wenceslaus monument as the one at Vyšehrad? No. The Vyšehrad statue of Wenceslaus is a separate 17th-century work by Jan Jiří Bendl, standing in a completely different part of Prague and unrelated to Charles Bridge.

Is this the same Wenceslaus as the solo statue on the south side of Charles Bridge? No. The south side of Charles Bridge holds a separate, 19th-century solo statue of Saint Wenceslaus by a different sculptor. The group described here is a different composition entirely — Baroque in character but dating from 1853 — depicting Wenceslaus alongside Saints Norbert and Sigismund rather than on his own.

Why is Saint Norbert at the center of the group? Because the statues were commissioned by the abbot of Strahov Monastery, home to the Premonstratensian order, which Saint Norbert of Xanten founded and led as patriarch.

What material are the statues made from? Sandstone, the same material used for most of the statues lining Charles Bridge.

Can the group be visited free of charge? Yes. The statues stand directly on the bridge, which is open to pedestrians around the clock with no admission fee.