sv. Jan Nepomucký

The statue of St. John of Nepomuk in Šebetov is a Baroque figural ensemble standing in front of the former Premonstratensian residence in this South Moravian village in the Blansko District. It was created in 1724 — five years before John of Nepomuk was formally canonized in 1729 — and has greeted visitors arriving in Šebetov for close to three centuries.

Where exactly does the statue stand?

The ensemble is placed by the former Premonstratensian residence (a residence of the Premonstratensian order, also known as Norbertines), in the heart of the village. The location was no accident: the residence was an important stop for travelers passing through Šebetov, and a statue of the saint associated with bridges, safe crossings and protection of one's good name naturally served as a kind of welcoming marker for arrivals.

What does the Baroque composition look like?

Carved in stone by a sculptor whose name has not survived, the statue shows St. John of Nepomuk kneeling on clouds, with an angel bending down above him and holding out a crucifix — a common motif in depictions of the saint as a martyr who stayed faithful to the seal of confession until death. The ensemble originally also included two cherubs holding the saint's attributes, set on an ornately decorated pedestal. The pedestal's front carried a relief depicting John being thrown from Charles Bridge into the Vltava River — the event that, according to tradition, caused his death and became the standard iconographic motif tied to his cult.

What happened to the statue over the years?

The monument has not survived intact to the present day. In 1999, the relief showing the saint's fall from the bridge into the Vltava was stolen from the pedestal. Two years later, in 2001, thieves also took one of the two Baroque cherubs that flanked the composition. Neither element has been recovered, a fate shared by many small sacred monuments standing unguarded in open public space across the Czech countryside.

Has the statue been restored?

Yes. The surviving part of the ensemble underwent a thorough restoration, funded largely by the South Moravian Region, which allocated roughly 600,000 CZK toward the work. Thanks to that support, the remaining core of the composition — the saint kneeling beneath the angel with the crucifix — has been preserved in a condition that still lets visitors appreciate the Baroque craftsmanship and the original artistic intent behind it.

Why is it worth a stop?

The statue in Šebetov is more than a local curiosity — it is a record of popular religious devotion and artistic patronage in 18th-century Moravia. Carved before the saint's official canonization, it counts among the earlier examples of the John of Nepomuk cult in the region, a cult that later spread across Central Europe as thousands of similar figures by bridges, roads and church residences. For anyone exploring the area around Šebetov, it is a stop that shows what Baroque sacred art looked like before it became part of an officially recognized cult.

Frequently asked questions

Who was St. John of Nepomuk? John of Nepomuk (d. 1393) was a Czech clergyman, vicar general of the Prague diocese, who according to tradition was thrown from Charles Bridge into the Vltava River on the orders of King Wenceslaus IV. He became the patron saint of confession, good reputation, bridges and river crossings, and his cult spread across Central Europe after his canonization in 1729.

When was the statue in Šebetov made? In 1724, five years before the saint's official canonization.

Where exactly is the statue located? In front of the former Premonstratensian residence in Šebetov, in the Blansko District of the South Moravian Region.

Has the statue survived in its original form? Not entirely. The relief depicting the saint's fall from the bridge was stolen in 1999, and one of the two accompanying cherubs was stolen in 2001. The surviving part of the composition — the saint with the angel holding the crucifix — was restored with financial support from the South Moravian Region.

Are there other sacred monuments worth seeing in Šebetov? Yes, the village has additional religious monuments from the same period, reflecting a strong tradition of popular devotion in the area during the 18th century.