The allegorical statue of Europe, until recently part of the Baroque Fountain of Parnassus in Zelny Trh, has found a new home. The condition of the statue meant it could no longer remain outdoors, and after a thorough restoration it can now be seen up close at Brno-střed City Hall.
The statue dates back to the end of the 17th century. In April 2024, due to its poor technical condition, mainly caused by the weather, it was dismantled and handed over to the professional care of restorers. However, after the restoration, which took less than a year and cost the municipality CZK 584,000 (including VAT), the original work of art symbolising the Holy Roman Empire will not be returned to the fountain.
“We did not want the Statue of Europe to suffer the same fate as many other monuments and end up in a museum depository,” said the Mayor of the Brno-střed district, Vojtěch Mencl (ODS). “We have adapted the space at the entrance to the City Hall to accommodate it. This way the statue will remain accessible to the public and at the same time it will not be exposed to the weather.”
Workers transported the statue, which weighs almost a tonne, to the District Hall on Dominikánská over last weekend. It was installed in the main entrance of the building and will be open to the public during normal office hours. In the near future, the limestone sculpture will be illuminated to make it more visible.
But Zelny Trh and the Fountain of Parnassus will not remain without the allegory of Europe for long. “A replica will replace the original later this year. A team of restorers from S:LUKAS is currently working on the restoration. It is expected that the newly created sculpture, which will be a faithful copy of the original, will be ready for installation in the spring,” said Ludmila Oulehlová (ANO), the deputy mayor of Brno-Střed for the environment.
