A town square in Prudnik

Information

 

The Prudnik town square is a pride of the town. The town hall, built in 1782 after the fire, is situated just in the central position of the square. The town hall was rebuilt for a few times in the 19^th century. A Mariánský column,  St. Jan of Nepomuk memorial and a fountain were placed in the square corners.

History

A Mariánský column was founded in 1694 by being written in the will of Prudnik notary and councilor Piotr Ortmann.  His last will was performed by his wife – Elžbieta from Nentwig family.  The monument, modeled after the column in Munich, was carved by Jan Österreich and built in memory of plague victims in 1624, probably in the place a mass burial mound.  The Prudnik marble column is ended by a statue of the Mother of God with a child. Mary is holding a scepter in her right hand, in her left hand she is holding the baby and she is wearing the crown on her temples. Below on the stand there are statues of a Guardian angel with a child and the three archangels: Gabriel with a lily, Rafael with a fish and Michal winning over the devil. On the stand there are also four tondoes pictured with reliefs of: a piety, St. Joseph with a child, St. Anna with Maria and St. Jan of Nepomuk. Nowadays, as well as in centuries ago, the place of Prudnik Mariánský column is used for religious and national gathering. One day on the fire anniversary in 1627, processions from the parish church came towards the column. Also pilgrimages to franciscan church in Glogowek were
held to prevent the town from cholera. 

 

The memorial of St. Jan of Nepomuk was built in 1733, financially supported out of foundation of seven wealthy Prudnik citizens. Six out of them named Jan. At the bottom of the stand covered with inscriptions, two statues – St. Jan and the two angels are placed. One of them is holding a tongue in his hand and the second is sticking his finger across his mouth to symbolize the keeping of confessional secrecy. At the top of the stand, there are two blazons pictured – the one of Prudnik town and the second is picturing a scene of St. Jan being thrown down from the Charles Bridge into Vltava river in Prague.  

Curiosity

During the town hall tower reconstruction in 2000, a treasure consisting of documents, coins and copper metal plates from 17th and 18th century was found in the
cupola under the flag.  

Contact Prudnik 48-200 Prudnik, ul. Kościuszki 3 Tel. +4877 4066200-02 Fax +4877 4066228 e-mail: