Premysl Otakar II Square

  • Caption
    View of town hall - "originally a Renaissance house built in the period from 1555 to 1558 it was reconstructed in Baroque style from 1727 to 1730. The attic is decorated with sculptures of four virtues by sculptor Josef Dietrich from České Budějovice - Wisdom, Courage, Caution and Fairness. Chimes placed in the middle town hall spire have been contributing to the pleasant atmosphere of the town centre since 1995. The chimes consist of 16 bells weighing from 8 to 60 kg and controlled by a computer. They can play up to 80 musical motifs according to the time of day or the season."
Date
ca. 1265;1939 (cobbles replaced with ceramic paving)
Location
Europe->Czech Republic->Jihocesky (region)->Ceske Budejovice
Description
"The Square of Premysl Otakar is said to have the shape of a perfect square, however it is really 132 m by 137 m. The square was marked out soon after the town was established and it served especially as a place for holding markets, various fairs and of course executions. We are reminded of the execution ground by the so-called erratic boulder situated near the centre of the square. It is all that‘s left of the original stone paving, cobbles. In 1939 the cobbles were replaced with ceramic paving that has covered the square to today.
In the very centre of the square you can find another important symbol of České Budějovice - Samson‘s Fountain. This magnificent Baroque work was built in the period from 1721 to 1727. It is formed by a stone basin that is one of the largest fountains in the Czech Republic with a diameter of 17 metres. The fountain is decorated with four gargoyles and with four statues of atlantes holding a large stone shell. A pedestal rises out of the shell with a sculpture of Samson fighting a lion. During restoration works in 1999 the fountain was equipped with colour lighting and all the statues were replaced with copies. The originals are kept inside the town hall.
Samson‘s Fountain is connected to the art of sculptor Josef Dietrich (1677-1753) and to the stonemason master Zachariáš Horn. The man behind it must also be mentioned: Franz Baugut. He employed his urban designs regarding the position, dimensions and probably also the topic of the fountain. And it was Baugut who initiated construction of the town waterworks from which the fountain was fed. Today the social position of this well-educated man is surprising. Baugut was a Jesuit of Jindřichův Hradec."

Keywords: Czech Republic, Budweis, Ceske Budejovice, streetscape, outdoor spaces, public space.
Style/Period
Renaissance
Baroque
Gothic