Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk

The Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk in Duszniki-Zdrój is an 18th-century sculpture dating back to 1722. The figure features an unusual arrangement of hands and stands on a re-composed pedestal, supplemented with two stone elements: a closed book and a padlock inscribed with the word TACUI. Originally, the monument was located by the Bystrzyca Dusznicka River, near the historic paper mill. In 1997, it was moved due to roadworks to the vicinity of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and in 2004 it returned to the riverbank, this time by the historic House Under the Lamb on Wojska Polskiego Street. According to local belief, the saint protects this house from floods and heavy downpours. John of Nepomuk was a Czech clergyman, confessor to Queen Sophia, who suffered martyrdom on the orders of King Wenceslaus – he was thrown from Charles Bridge into the Vltava River. His cult spread rapidly across Europe, and he is venerated as the patron saint of bridges, crossings, good confession, and protection against slander. The statue can be recognized by its attributes: a crucifix, five stars around the head, a book, canonical vestments, a biretta, an almuce, and a beard with moustache. This monument in Duszniki-Zdrój is one of two in the town – the other stands near the Orlica mountain hostel in Zieleniec. It is an interesting site for lovers of history, religious art, and local traditions, and a visit takes less than an hour and is free of charge.