Florian Column (Bratislava)

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Florian Column (general view)

The St. Florian Column stands on the square of the same name in the former Blumental district in Bratislava (German: Pressburg) in Slovakia.

Historical review

The column of St. Florian was supposed to remember (and protect) the great conflagration that broke out in Pressburg. It was erected in front of the Lorenz Gate in 1732 . Probably also because at that time the water weir was housed in front of this gate , which had to supply the city moats with water. In the 20th century the column stood at the so-called 'Hendelplatz', as a 'Hendelmarkt' was held here every week. According to Theodor Ortvay , the pillar is said to have been erected from a fine of 100 guilders , which a Protestant pastor had to pay the Catholic clergy (it was the time of the Counter Reformation and the re-Catholicization in the Kingdom of Hungary ).

The monument was moved to the (former) Blumental district in 1938 due to the planned road widening and was re-erected in front of the main entrance of the Blumental Church , where it still stands today.

The fragile sandstone over the decades made repeated reconstruction work necessary. The first repair work took place in the years 1823-1824. In 1925 the column was restored by the Rumpelmayer stonemason company in Pressburg. The last major overhaul of the column was carried out between 2007 and 2014 by the academic sculptor Vladimír Višváder. Old parts of the column were completely rebuilt or weathered parts were replaced by new reconstructions.

Design

The 8.55 meter high composition with a total diameter of 7.33 meters made of Austrian sandstone was designed by the Pressburg stonemasons Christoph Rentfort and Satory, the wrought iron enclosure was made by the Pressburg company Smidely. It is a baroque monument with touches of the Rococo . The pillar on which the saint stands is decorated with puttos . At the top of the monument the figure of St. Florian can be seen, dressed in the uniform of a Roman soldier. In his right hand he holds a water jug ​​(to extinguish the burning house underneath) and in the other hand a flag, which is one of the attributes of the saint. In the base of the monument there are three bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the life of the saint:

  • Sankt Florian is thrown from a bridge into the river Enns
  • The body is recovered from the river
  • Transfer of the Holy

Two other saints can be seen on separate pedestals. On one side Saint Laurentius and on the other Saint Stephen . However, both sculptures were added at a later time (probably 1938).

Note

  • Additional information from: 'Generálny Investor Bratislavy'. Súsošie sv. Floriána, Floriánske námestie (Slovak)

literature

  • Theodor Ortvay: Pozsony város utcái és terei. Pozsony 1905 (Hungarian)
  • Emil Portisch: History of the City of Pressburg-Bratislava. 2 volumes, Pressburg-Bratislava 1932/1933

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ According to other information, the statue was erected or inaugurated in 1741 (Ortvay).
  2. ↑ Portisch, Vol. 1, p. 204 (see literature)
  3. ↑ Ortvay, p. 600 (see literature)
  4. ↑ As an attribute, he holds a grill in his right hand, on which he was roasted and so suffered his martyrdom .
  5. ↑ Stephen was the first martyr of Christianity. († approx. 36/40 A.D.)