Erected in 1915, when Czech was still ruled by the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Hus’ martyrdom, this large scale memorial is the centerpiece of Old Town Square.
Hus, a protestant forerunner, was influenced by the writings of John Wycliffe. He preached to common peoples in the Czech language instead of Latin. He believed the primacy of the Bible over church leadership. He opposed papal power, selling indulgences, and Crusade against Naples. He was condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake at the Council of Constance on July 6, 1415.
Today, Hus is honored by the secular Czech Republic as one who defied powerful foreign authority. July 6 is a Czech public holiday. We visited on the next day where flowers laid on July 6 still remained.