sv. Jan Nepomucký

The statue of St. John of Nepomuk by the mills stands on the outskirts of Lázně Bohdaneč, along the road toward Rohovládová Bělá and Kříčení, on ground once occupied by a small oak grove known locally as Dubinka. Today the stone figure of the patron saint of confessors and bridges greets not only pilgrims and locals but also hikers setting out on the nature trail that circles the Bohdaneč Pond.

When was the statue built?

The monument was erected in 1729 — the very year John of Nepomuk was canonized by the Pope. Its founders, however, also referenced an earlier milestone: his beatification on 31 May 1721. Local tradition credits a miller with funding the statue out of gratitude for the saint's protection, but no archival record confirms this; it remains an oral tradition rather than a documented fact. The newly erected figure was blessed by the parish priest of the time.

What happened to it over the centuries?

The statue's history has been far from calm. During the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) it was badly damaged, and for a period afterward it disappears from parish records altogether — no one noted its condition or any repairs. It was only in 1842 that a full reconstruction took place, giving the figure a new sandstone pedestal. That pedestal still carries a Latin chronogram, an inscription whose letters double as numerals spelling out the date of the restoration. A further thorough repair followed in 1879, its completion marked by a blessing from the local priest, and the sculpture received its most recent conservation in 2006. Notably, the statue also survived the turbulent years of 1918–1919, when many similar monuments across the newly formed Czechoslovakia were removed as symbols of the Habsburg era — this one endured, likely helped by its peripheral location away from close church oversight.

Why does this spot matter to walkers and hikers?

The statue today marks a point of practical significance beyond its religious history: all three branches of the nature trail circling Bohdaneč Pond, one of the largest fishponds in the Pardubice region, begin right here. The historic Opatovice Canal, a medieval waterway built to feed the region's fishponds, runs less than half a kilometre away. For visitors to Lázně Bohdaneč — a town best known for its peat-mud spa treatments — this spot pairs a brief historical stop with the start of a longer walk into the surrounding countryside.

How does it differ from the other statue of the saint in town?

Unlike the statue on Masaryk Square, which has always stood in a prominent, central spot in the town, this figure has always occupied the periphery, by the road out of town and the old mills. Its story is one of neglect and rediscovery — wartime damage, a gap in the documentation, and then successive waves of restoration across the 19th and 21st centuries.

Frequently asked questions

When was the statue of St. John of Nepomuk by the mills built? In 1729, the year of the saint's canonization, though it also referenced his 1721 beatification.

Who funded the monument? According to local tradition, a miller — but no historical source confirms this.

What happened to the statue over the centuries? It was badly damaged during the Seven Years' War, disappeared from parish records for a time, was rebuilt in 1842, repaired again in 1879, and most recently conserved in 2006.

What starts at this statue for visitors? All three branches of the nature trail circling Bohdaneč Pond begin here.

Is this the same statue as the one on Masaryk Square? No — it is a separate monument, standing roughly a kilometre from the Masaryk Square figure, near the old mills on the road toward Rohovládová Bělá.