sv. Florián

The Statue of St. Florian stands in a public square in Velké Bílovice, a wine-growing town in the Břeclav district of South Moravia, Czech Republic. It depicts the patron saint of firefighters in the act of putting out a fire, and has marked the local townscape for nearly three centuries.

When was the statue made, and who carved it?

A chronogram — a Latin inscription in which the capital letters, read as Roman numerals, spell out a date — is carved into the pedestal and gives the year 1745. The sculptor is not recorded, but the quality of the work, a dynamic contrapposto pose paired with carefully finished drapery and facial features, points to a workshop familiar with the Baroque religious sculpture then being produced across South Moravia and the neighbouring Austrian lands.

What does the statue look like?

The figure is carved from shell limestone. Saint Florian appears dressed as a Roman legionary, bearded and helmeted, with sharply modelled facial features. He holds a rolled banner in his left hand, while his right hand tips a jug, pouring water onto a burning house at his feet — the standard iconography for a saint invoked for protection against fire and flooding across Central Europe.

The figure rests on a multi-tiered, four-sided plinth topped with a moulded cornice. Narrow, volute-shaped scrolls decorate the sides of the base, and one face carries the founding inscription mentioned above. The overall design follows the decorative conventions of its period, and the monument still anchors the public space where it stands.

Why is there a Saint Florian statue in Velké Bílovice?

Statues of Saint Florian are a common sight on village and small-town squares across Bohemia and Moravia, traditionally erected as a votive safeguard against fire — historically one of the greatest threats to communities built largely of wood and thatch. Velké Bílovice, now known chiefly as one of South Moravia's leading wine towns, fits this same pattern: the figure belongs to a long-standing regional custom of placing such monuments in a town's main public spaces.

What else should visitors know about the town?

Velké Bílovice lies in the Břeclav district of South Moravia and has close to 3,900 residents across an area of more than 2,500 hectares. It is one of the region's best-known wine centres, which makes it a popular stop for visitors combining a look at local heritage with wine tasting in the surrounding cellars.

Frequently asked questions

When was the statue of Saint Florian made? In 1745, a date recorded in a chronogram carved into the pedestal.

Who does the statue depict? Saint Florian, patron saint of firefighters and protector against fire and flooding, shown as a Roman legionary extinguishing a burning house.

What material is the statue made of? Shell limestone.

Is the sculptor known? No — the inscription on the pedestal records only the date, not the name of the artist.

What else is Velké Bílovice known for? The town is one of South Moravia's leading wine-producing centres, making it easy to combine a visit to the statue with a stop at local vineyards and wine cellars.