Gazing upon Krannerova kašna, one might initially mistake it for a gothic cathedral. It’s a grand, neo-Gothic monument. Krannerova kašna was erected in the 1840s. It commemorates Emperor Francis I of Austria. The monument sits in the Park of National Awakening. This small park is near the Vltava River. The Czech architect Josef Kranner designed Krannerova kašna. Stonemason Karel Svoboda assisted him. German-Czech sculptor Josef Max created the 26 statues. Krannerova kašna wasn’t unveiled until 1850. The fountain’s design is intricate. Two balustraded tiers encircle a tall canopy. This canopy shelters an equestrian statue of Francis I. The bottom tier is shaped like an eight-pointed star. Water flows from the canopy’s base. It cascades into a basin on the second tier. Then it spills into the star-shaped pool. Allegorical statues adorn the second tier. Sixteen represent Czech regions. One statue represents Prague. Eight more allegorical statues stand under smaller canopies. They symbolize Science, Arts, Trade, Agriculture, Mining, Industry, Peace, and Abundance. The central equestrian statue is almost ten feet tall. Four reliefs above the canopy’s arches display crests. These crests represent regions under Francis I’s rule. Krannerova kašna was a symbol of Habsburg power. Czech nationalists disliked it. After Czechoslovakia’s founding in 1918, the emperor’s statue was removed. It was stored in the Lapidarium. A plaster copy was installed in 2003. The original remains in the Lapidarium. So, Krannerova kašna stands as a testament to a complex history. It’s a blend of artistic grandeur and political symbolism.
Dolní Břežany
Could this grand Renaissance castle have once been a humble medieval fortress? It’s true! This is Dolní Břežany, dominated by