Monument of St. John of Nepomuk on Ostrów Tumski

The statue of St. John of Nepomuk in Wrocław, created between 1730 and 1732 by Jan Jerzy Urbański on the commission of the Wrocław cathedral chapter, is the largest monument of this saint in the world. It was designed by Christoph Tausch, with contributions from Johann Albrecht Siegwitz and Johann Adam Karinger. Located on Cathedral Island, at Church Square, in front of the Church of the Holy Cross and the Catholic orphanage Orphanotropheum, the monument stands approximately 9.5 meters tall and is made of sandstone in the Baroque style. Its base takes the form of a square pedestal adorned with four reliefs depicting key moments from the life of John of Nepomuk, including the confession of Queen Sophia and his martyrdom. The statue is enriched with angelic figures and a pyramidal structure on which Nepomuk stands with a crucifix, emphasizing his holiness. An interesting legend associated with the monument involves the heads of the angels, which were carved by Urbański’s apprentice, Gotfryd. In a moment of joy, he modeled one of the angel’s heads after his newborn son, leading to a conflict with his master. Although Urbański was initially angry, upon seeing the child’s charming smile, he accepted the apprentice back to work and ordered a second bald head to be placed on the opposite side for balance. The monument is not only a valuable work of art but also a testament to the tradition of veneration of John of Nepomuk, whose images can be found in various locations throughout Wrocław. It is worth noting that the entire structure is surrounded by a stone balustrade, giving it a monumental character, while the stars above the saint’s head symbolize the supernatural phenomena accompanying his martyrdom. The statue is an important part of Wrocław’s cultural heritage and stands as a remarkable example of Baroque artistic craftsmanship of the time.