Cities are sending money for the statue of Margrave Jošt for Brno

Brno - The cities of South Moravia have started to send money to a special account for the creation of a statue of the Roman king and Moravian margrave Jošt of Luxembourg (1351 to 1411). The monetary donation - as many crowns as the number of inhabitants in the city - has so far been sent by Břeclav, Hodonín, Znojmo, Strážnice, and two Brno city districts. The public collection account is being managed by the association Jošt Moravský. The statue, costing 10.7 million crowns, is expected to stand at Moravian Square in Brno. The city council today approved the announcement of a design competition for its form, said Mayor Roman Onderka to reporters today.
    The initiative for the cities' collection was taken by former Brno mayor, senator Richard Svoboda. According to him, Jošt was one of the greatest Moravian rulers, and therefore the cities could contribute to his equestrian statue based on their population. The list of donors could be carved onto the statue's pedestal.
    The equestrian statue is to be unveiled on October 1, 2010, on the 600th anniversary of Jošt's election as Roman king. Jošt was the oldest of the three sons of the Moravian margrave John Henry, the younger brother of Emperor Charles IV. He governed Moravia for over 35 years. He was margrave of Moravia and Brandenburg, and also controlled Kladsko, Luxembourg, and western Slovakia. In 1410, he was elected Roman king, defeating his cousin Sigismund by a margin of one vote. He was not crowned because he died in January 1411.
    The placement of the statue is to be part of the overall reconstruction of Moravian Square in the center of Brno. There will be four statues in total in the square. The form of the statue, which is to adorn the area in front of the Supreme Administrative Court, has already been selected by an expert jury. Sculptor Marius Kotrba will depict justice as a man squatting and lifting a block from the ground.