Visiting Prague

Statue of Saints Norbert of Xanten, Wenceslas and Sigismund

Statue of Saints Norbert of Xanten, Wenceslas and Sigismund is situated in Charles Bridge and statue was designed in 1853 by Josef Max, under the patronage of Dr. Jeroným Zeidler, the abbot of Strahov Monastery. The statue depicts 3 patron saints of Bohemian provinces - Saint Norbert is in the middle, Saint Wenceslas is on the left and Saint Sigismund is on the right. St. Wenceslas is the most important patron the national hero who was the king of Bohemia in the 10th century (907-929) as it says on the front of monument in Latin. He took the throne at the age of 18 and was loved for his generosity but hated by the pagan nobility for encouraging Christianity. He got name “Good King Wencelsas” but eventually was brutally murdered by his brother, the appropriately named Boleslav the Cruel. Later Vaclav was canonized as the patron saint of Bohemia and also remembered in the famous Christmas carol. Saint Norbert of Xanten is founder of the Norbertine or Premonstratensian order of canons regular and a Christian saint.
He tried to make reforms of the other canons of Xanten, but didn’t have success, resigned his benefice, gave all his money to the poor and became an itinerant preacher in northern France, being credited with a number of miracles. Sigismund was king of the Burgundians who led the Burgundians against the invading Franks in 6th century. Later, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in the 14th century transferred Sigismund’s relics to Prague, hence he has become a patron saint of the Czech Republic.

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