The monument to Maria Theresa in Prague 6 should be completed in the second half of the year

Prague – The monument to Empress Maria Theresa in the park south of Milada Horáková Avenue in Prague 6 should be completed in the second half of the year. This follows from documents related to the budget of the municipal district for the coming year. Prague 6 has allocated 2.4 million koruna for its completion, including construction work. According to the contract with sculptor Jan Kovářík, who is creating the monument, the municipal district is expected to pay about 3.6 million koruna for it. The city hall has been preparing its construction for many years. Several petitions have been created against the installation.

The competition for the design of the monument was announced by Prague 6 back in 2013. The results were announced in April 2014. The signing of the contract for the creation of the work was postponed due to the transitional periods of leadership. In 2016, several hundred people voiced their opposition to the plan through a petition. They primarily criticized the placement of the statue in the park, where anti-Nazi resistance member Václav Morávek fell in 1942. Petitioners delivered their objections to the monument's construction to the city hall again this year with similar arguments. On the other hand, the monarchist party Koruna Česká sent an open letter to Mayor Ondřej Kolář (TOP 09) in support of the plan.

The municipal district signed a contract with sculptor Kovářík last May. A year earlier, a foundation stone was unveiled to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Maria Theresa's birth. According to the contract, the monument was to be completed within 16 months from its signing.

Kovářík created the monument's design in collaboration with architect Jan Proksa. The statue, in the form of a 5.5-meter tall figure, will be made of artificial stone. It will be treated with an anti-graffiti coating.

Last year, Prague 6 requested the renaming of part of Morávek Park to Maria Theresa Park. The geographical commission of Prague and the council of the capital city approved the proposal.

Maria Theresa was an Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary, and the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor. She ruled in the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 to 1780 and was the only ruling queen on the Czech throne. Together with her advisors, she introduced many reforms. She modernized the civil service, military, economy, and education. The General School Order issued in 1774 became the cornerstone of compulsory basic education for all.