Mariansky Sloup (Marian Column)

Mariansky Sloup (The Marian Column) is one of the most controversial monuments in a city filled to the brim with history. This monument was originally created by the Hapsburgs, a predominantly Catholic group, to commemorate the defeat of Sweden at the end of the Thirty Years' War, but quickly turned into a symbol of classism that stifled Czech independence, especially after the beheading of 27 noblemen who opposed Catholic dominance in the country. The original column was torn down on November 3, 1918, by a mob of hundreds of angry citizens. The space sat unfilled for almost 100 years amidst the chaos and bustle of Old Town Square, a silent symbol of the people's voice. 400 years after the original erection, the statue resurfaced in the form of an exact replica in 2020. While some see the reinstitution as a victory, many Czechs are hurt by the difficult memories of the past that the statue represents.

The new creation and erection of the Marian Column sparked many different sentiments from a diverse group of Czech natives. Partly due to the fact that the majority of the Czech Republic is atheist, with almost 72% of people unaffiliated with any religious group, the statue left many feeling either apathetic or against the construction of the replica. 

The Thirty Years' War started as a battle between the Catholic and Protestant states that formed the Holy Empire, eventually turning into a power struggle for domination of Europe. Emperor Ferdinand II decreed that all citizens of the Empire must be Roman Catholic despite a previous treaty that granted them religious freedom. This led to a revolt by the, primarily Protestant, Bohemian nobility who rejected the Emperor and threw his associates out of a window at Prague Castle in 1618, a marker of the first stage of the Thirty Years' War, the Bohemian Revolt. The war was a convoluted and brutal, involving France on the side of the Catholic-Hapsburgs and Sweden aiding the Bohemians. Although the conflicting forces signed a peace treaty in 1647, the outcome of the war had long-lasting ripple effects and killed almost 8 million people. The conflict established nation boundaries and reduced the political power of the Catholic church, but also increased resentment and suspicion of other religions among European citizens that is still present today. The Marian Column is additionally controversial as it celebrates the Catholic victory in the exact same square where 27 crosses mark the beheading of the leaders of the Bohemian Revolt that opposed their ruling.

Because of the gruesome events throughout the war and the destruction it caused, many Czech citizens were left violently opposed to any memory of the Austrian-Hungarian (Hapsburg) rule. Although the column was originally meant to signify the Catholic-Hapsburg victory over Sweden during the war and their retreat from the city, it became the epitome of Austrian dominance that directly contradicted and belittled Czech independence. The bloody history of Old Town Square throughout the war and the violent beheading, while thousands watched, of those who attempted to free the city from the dominance of the Hapsburg empire left many vehemently against the column. The city itself recognizes the controversy surrounding the column, denying the sculptor from continuing in the construction of the column on the grounds of missing permits. The absence of the column held more meaning for some Czechs than its presence. 

On the other hand, the Association for the Renewal of the Marian Column, a Prague based group focused on restoring the column, has spent over thirty years advocating for the replica to be installed. The end of Communism in the country reignited the debate on whether or not the statue should be replaced as people felt a pull to reinstall religious sentiments that were destroyed by the regime, even in a country that was not overwhelmingly Christian. One member of the Association described his feelings towards the column in an interview with a Czech radio station, saying, “It’s been here from 1650 to 1918 and now, after one hundred and one and a half years of steady work and patience, it’s back. So it does belong here. I don’t care about religion so much. I don’t care about ideology. I see the column almost totally from the perspective of its beauty and the architectural and urbanistic value. The square has become so much better. So much better. Every day I come here and I am really amazed.” Despite the turbulent history of Prague, particularly Old Town Square, many like him continue to believe in the historical and aesthetic benefit of the monument. They are not alone in their sentiment, as Catholics all around the country also celebrated the return of the column. One representative of the Catholics involved in the Association, Karel Kavička, described, “From the beginning, we have strived to make the pillar a symbol of reconciliation. Who can be a better symbol of peace than the Virgin Mary?" While many agree with this idea, the majority of Prague's citizens are hesitant to accept the reinstatement of a column that commemorates invaders who suppressed Czech nationalism and religious freedom.

Brockhaus, H. (2022) Prague Catholics rejoice at restoration of Marian statue toppled by angry mob, Catholic News Agency. Catholic News Agency. Available at: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/44859/prague-catholics-rejoice-at-restoration-of-marian-statue-toppled-by-angry-mob (Accessed: October 25, 2022). 

History.com Editors (2009) Thirty Years' War, History.com. A&E Television Networks. Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/reformation/thirty-years-war#:~:text=The%20Thirty%20Years'%20War%20was,disease%20caused%20by%20the%20conflict. (Accessed: November 7, 2022). 

Initiator: I was extremely surprised we got permission to erect Marian Column (2021) Radio Prague International. Available at: https://english.radio.cz/initiator-i-was-extremely-surprised-we-got-permission-erect-marian-column-8685979 (Accessed: October 25, 2022). 

Marian column returns to Old Town Square after more than a century (2021) Radio Prague International. Available at: https://english.radio.cz/marian-column-returns-old-town-square-after-more-a-century-8682622 (Accessed: October 25, 2022). 

NW, 1615 L. St, et al. “Once the Same Nation, the Czech Republic and Slovakia Now Look Very Different Religiously.” Pew Research Center, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/02/once-the-same-nation-the-czech-republic-and-slovakia-look-very-different-religiously/ (Accessed: October 25, 2022). 

Paces, C. The Rise and Fall of the Marian Column Project MUSE (2010). Available at: https://muse.jhu.edu/ (Accessed: October 25, 2022). 

Sculptor continues with plans for Old Town sq. column despite lacking permit (2021) Radio Prague International. Available at: https://english.radio.cz/sculptor-continues-plans-old-town-sq-column-despite-lacking-permit-8128534 (Accessed: October 25, 2022).