Prague 1 wants the return of the statue of Radetzky to Malostranské Square

Prague – The leadership of Prague 1 will advocate at the city hall for the equestrian statue of Marshal Radecký to be returned to Malostranské náměstí during the planned reconstruction, where it stood from 1858 to 1919. The city council announced this on Facebook, referencing the decision made by the local councilors on Tuesday. Initial work on the long-planned reconstruction of the square could begin at the end of this year.

"Negotiations with the city hall will follow, during which the new location for the monument will be discussed. An archaeological survey will also be conducted before the overall reconstruction of Malostranské náměstí, and foundations will be prepared so that the erection of the monument can be incorporated into this reconstruction," stated the city district.

The return of the monument has been pursued for years by the Radecký Prague Society. They propose to place a copy of the sculpture and pedestal on the square, created according to the original located in the Lapidarium of the National Museum. They organized a public fundraising campaign for the plan, and according to the society's website, people have contributed over 239,000 koruna to it so far.

The long-planned reconstruction of the square is expected to begin either at the end of this year or the beginning of next year, based on a design that won an architectural competition in 2014. A new fountain, benches, and other furniture will be installed in the area, and trees will be planted. According to the city hall, the project aims to preserve the historical appearance as much as possible, including the original lamps, paving, plague column, and hand pump.

Austrian Marshal Jan Radecký of Radče was a Czech nobleman and is considered one of the best military commanders of the 19th century. The marshal's monument, designed by Professor Christian Ruben and sculptors Josef and Emanuel Max, was unveiled in Malostranské náměstí in 1858. It stood there until 1919, when it was dismantled and stored in the Lapidarium. The pedestal was later removed as well. The monument was originally located in the southeastern part of Malostranské náměstí, which looked significantly different then compared to today.

In recent years, there have been sharp discussions in Prague about the restoration or removal of statues, especially in connection with the removal of the statue of Marshal Koněv in Prague 6 or, conversely, the return of a replica of the Marian Column to Old Town Square, where the original was torn down by a crowd in 1918.