Was František Palacký truly the Father of the Nation? That is a question this monument inspires. Right here stands the František Palacký Statue. It honors a giant of Czech history. This is not just a statue. It is a powerful symbol of Czech identity.
František Palacký was a historian and politician. He lived from 1798 to 1876. He is considered one of the three Fathers of the Nation. Palacký spearheaded the Czech National Revival in the 19th century.
The František Palacký Statue is located on Palacký Square. The square is near Palacký Bridge. Stanislav Sucharda designed the statue. Alois Dryák was the architect. The monument was unveiled on July 1, 1912. The project cost 525000 crowns.
The statue shows Palacký seated. He has a stoic expression. Bronze figures surround him. They depict the struggle between oppression and national awakening. The left side symbolizes national oppression. The right side represents national revival.
The statue’s inscription reads: “Svém buditeli a vůdci vzkříšený národ.” This translates to: “From the resurrected Nation, to its revivalist and leader.”
The František Palacký Statue faced a dark period during the Nazi occupation. In 1939 the Nazis ordered its destruction. Brave Czechs hid the statue pieces. They stored them in a secret location. Vegetation concealed it from view.
In 1947 the statue was restored. It was reassembled in 1948. Some pieces were missing. During reinstallation an accident occurred. A crane arm broke. A large piece fell onto a wagon. The wagon was destroyed. Fortunately no one was hurt.
The square itself has seen dramatic change. Before the 20th century it was Podskalí. Podskalí was a neighborhood of timber rafters. These rafters had built houses since the 16th century. During embankment construction the area was condemned. Tall buildings were planned. These would have blocked the view of Emmaus Monastery. The Club for Old Prague blocked this plan. They proposed preserving the monastery view.
Palacký Square suffered during World War II. In February 1945 an Allied plane bombed Prague by mistake. The Emmaus Monastery was hit. Interior Gothic frescos were badly damaged. The monastery’s facade was destroyed. In the 1960s it was rebuilt in a modern style. Architect František Maria Černý added concrete sheets. This design reconciled historical architecture with modern times.
Stanislav Sucharda also designed a villa. It is located on Slavíčkova Street. He needed a large studio for the František Palacký Statue. The villa features a studio influenced by Cubism. A knight figure stands on its roof. Sucharda’s first villa is also on Slavíčkova Street.
Sucharda was influenced by Josef Václav Myslbek. Myslbek was known for the statue of Saint Wenceslas. It stands at the top of Wenceslas Square. Sucharda’s early work reflected Myslbek’s realism. Later Sucharda’s style became more vibrant. This happened after seeing Auguste Rodin’s sculpture.
Sucharda was involved in the Sokol organization. He served in the military during World War I. He was wounded and died in 1916. He did not see the creation of Czechoslovakia.
The František Palacký Statue is more than art. It represents Czech resilience. It embodies national identity. It honors a Father of the Nation.