svatá Ludmila

Statue of St. Ludmila is a Baroque sculpture standing in Mirošov, a small town in the Plzeň Region of western Czechia. The figure depicts the grandmother of St. Wenceslas and forms part of a larger group of stone statues known locally as the "Mirošovský kamenný zástup" — a Baroque sculptural ensemble arranged around the town's church and chateau.

Where exactly does the statue stand?

The sculpture stands at the western entrance to the local church, right next to a second figure — St. Wenceslas, her grandson. Both statues are mounted on separate tall columns roughly 4.5 meters high, making them visible from a distance and creating a kind of stone gateway leading to the church. The statue of St. Ludmila itself measures about 122 centimeters in height, while the neighboring St. Wenceslas stands roughly 140 centimeters tall.

Who was St. Ludmila?

Ludmila (c. 860–921) was the wife of Bořivoj I, Duke of Bohemia, and the grandmother of St. Wenceslas, who later became the patron saint of Bohemia. After her husband's death she took charge of her grandson's upbringing, which later made her the patron saint of educators and Christian teachers. She died a martyr's death, strangled on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra, which made her one of the first Bohemian saints and one of the patron saints of the Czech lands. Her image appears in many places across Czechia, from Prague down to smaller towns such as Mirošov.

Where does the stone collection in Mirošov come from?

The group of sculptures that includes the statue of St. Ludmila was created during the era when the town and surrounding estate were governed by the Mitrovic family, who sponsored the artistic embellishment of Mirošov. The works are attributed to a workshop connected to Jakub Auguston the Younger of Plzeň, the architect also responsible for the local chateau. The same ensemble includes the Guardian Angel figure standing opposite the chateau's main gate, a Pietà near the church, St. Florian in armor holding a bucket of water, and St. John of Nepomuk.

What material is the statue made of?

Like most of the sculptures in the Mirošov ensemble, the figure of St. Ludmila was carved from gray arkose sandstone, quarried locally in the area between Hrádek and Mirošov. The same material was used for most of the other statues from this period, giving the whole group a consistent, unified character — the exception is the St. John of Nepomuk figure, made of yellow sandstone from a different source.

What condition is it in today?

Stone sculptures exposed to the elements for centuries require regular conservation, and this applies to the entire Mirošov ensemble, including the statue of St. Ludmila. One example of restoration work in the town is the thorough conservation of the Pietà carried out in 2004–2005 by academic sculptors Věra Melicharová-Kartáková and Daniela Kartáková. Despite the passage of time, the statue of St. Ludmila still occupies its original spot by the church entrance, remaining part of the town's legible Baroque spatial layout.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the figure depicted in the statue? It is St. Ludmila, grandmother of St. Wenceslas and one of the first Bohemian saints, venerated as a patron saint of the Czech lands and of educators.

Where exactly does the statue stand? At the western entrance to the church in Mirošov, on a tall column, next to a similarly placed statue of St. Wenceslas.

What material was the statue carved from? Gray arkose sandstone quarried locally near Mirošov and Hrádek.

Is this the only Baroque statue in Mirošov? No — the statue of St. Ludmila is part of a larger group known as the Mirošovský kamenný zástup, which also includes the Guardian Angel, the Pietà, St. Florian, and St. John of Nepomuk.