The first statue of Maria Theresa in the Czech Republic was unveiled in Prague. It will arouse debate, sounds from City Hall
“It is an important sculpture in public space that will arouse debate,” said Jakub Stárek (ODS), deputy mayor of the city district.
He stated that the statue of Maria Theresa can also be viewed online from Tuesday morning. On the city district website a digital “twin” statue can be seen along with a treatise on the queen.
The statue is in a park that the Prague City Hall named Maria Theresa Park at the request of the city district. According to the Deputy Mayor of Prague 6, Jan Lacina (STAN), the official performance of the statue of the only woman on the Czech throne was deliberately set. On this day in 1740, Maria Theresa ascended the Austrian throne.
The shape of the monument, designed by the sculptor Kovářík together with the architect Jan Proksa, resembles a figure from the play Man, Don’t Be Angry. The statue of the queen is placed on a pedestal of lightweight concrete, the core of the statue was made of polymer mixtures according to Kovářík’s recipes.
The competition for the shape of the monument was announced by the city district in 2013. The results were announced at the beginning of 2014. However, due to the elections, the implementation of the project was delayed. In 2016, several hundred people began protesting against the building, especially criticizing the placement of the statue in the park, where Václav Morávek, a member of the anti-Nazi resistance, fell in 1942. Opponents of the construction of the statue made similar allegations in 2019, a year after Prague 6 signed a contract with the sculptor Kovářík.
On the contrary, the intention of the town hall was supported by the monarchist party Koruna Česká, other representatives sent an supporting open letter to the mayor Ondřej Kolář (TOP 09).
Maria Theresa of the Habsburg dynasty was the Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia. She ruled in the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 to 1780. During her reign she reformed the state administration, the army and education. By the General School Regulations, issued in 1774, the queen introduced, among other things, a general educational obligation for both boys and girls. The Enlightenment reforms were later followed by the son of Queen Joseph II. |