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The Statue of St. Paul is a Baroque stone sculpture from the 1730s standing at the entrance gate to the church grounds in Čechy pod Kosířem, a village in the Prostějov district of Moravia. Together with the statue of St. Peter placed almost right beside it, it forms a classic apostolic pair flanking the gateway to the parish Church of St. John the Baptist.

Where exactly does the statue stand?

The figure stands on one of the two pillars of the main gate leading into the church precinct at the centre of Čechy pod Kosířem. Facing the church, St. Paul occupies the pillar on the right, while his counterpart, St. Peter, stands on the left — a layout typical of Baroque depictions of the two "princes of the apostles."

Who made the statue, and when?

The sculpture is the work of Ondřej Zahner, a respected sculptor active in Olomouc during the first half of the eighteenth century and known for numerous Baroque commissions across Moravia. The statue dates to the 1730s — decades before the present church building, which was only erected between 1781 and 1794 to a design by Jan Petr Ceroni. That means the pair of St. Peter and St. Paul actually predates the church behind it, and most likely once stood alongside an earlier, smaller church that occupied the site before.

What does the statue look like?

St. Paul is shown in his typical iconography, holding a book that represents his epistles and missionary work. The figure is carved from stone and rests on a tall stone pedestal. The pedestals currently supporting both statues, however, were made much later, in 1985 — worth knowing if you want to tell the original eighteenth-century carving apart from the newer display elements.

What has happened to the statue over the centuries?

Like many Baroque outdoor sculptures exposed to the elements for close to three hundred years, the statue of St. Paul suffered significant damage over time. It underwent thorough conservation and restoration in 2015, which restored the legibility of its details and allowed it to keep serving its original decorative and religious role at the entrance to the church grounds.

What protected status does it have?

The statue of St. Paul, like its companion statue of St. Peter, is listed as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic. Both sculptures are protected as an integral part of the church complex in Čechy pod Kosířem, underscoring their historical and artistic value at the regional level.

What should visitors know before going?

When visiting the Church of St. John the Baptist, it's worth taking in both statues at the entrance gate together — they're best appreciated as a pair, since only together do they convey the full iconographic meaning of Peter and Paul as pillars of the Church. The same church grounds also feature a mission cross with a gilded figure of Christ from 1854, commissioned by Count August Alexander Silva-Tarouca.

Frequently asked questions

Who is depicted in the statue? St. Paul the Apostle, shown holding a book — the classic attribute of his epistles and missionary work.

Where does the statue stand? On one of the pillars of the main gate to the Church of St. John the Baptist in Čechy pod Kosířem, on the right side when facing the façade.

Who made the statue, and when? Olomouc sculptor Ondřej Zahner, in the 1730s.

Is the statue older than the church? Yes — it was made decades before the present church building, which was constructed between 1781 and 1794.

Is there another statue next to it? Yes, the neighbouring pillar holds a statue of St. Peter with keys and a book — together they form a traditional apostolic pair.

Has the statue been restored? Yes, after suffering significant damage over time, it was conserved and restored in 2015.