The Statue of St. John of Nepomuk

This monumental sculpture consists of a pedestal, column, balustrade, and the statue itself. This Rococo work with elements of Louis XVI and Empire styles dates back to the last third of the 18^th century. It stands on a pedestal shaped like clouds from which the heads of angels look out. At its sides are Putti figures – the one on the right side is an original, but the one on the left was added during reconstruction work. The dominant part of the sculpture is the statue of St. John of Nepomuk, a standard depiction of a priest in a rochet underneath a cope, holding a biretta in his right hand. He is looking at the cross in his left hand. The sculpture underwent restoration work in 2008 and was relocated from a garden on Záleská Street to the Square of St. Rosalia (Námestie sv. Rozálie). According to legend, born out of a document kept at the local rectory, the sculpture was put up by guests of Antal Grassalkovich II. When they were returning from a successful hunt, their boat overturned on the swollen Small Danube, and they began to drown. As death closed in upon them, they promised that if they survived, they would erect a statue to St. John of Nepomuk at the site where they were saved. The harmonious union of architectural and artistic features has earnt the sculpture recognition as a National Heritage Site.