Saint George

Bronze statue from 1373 in Prague Castle's third courtyard — Saint George slaying the dragon, one of central Europe's oldest free-standing bronzes.

In the third courtyard of Prague Castle stands one of the oldest free-standing bronze statues in central Europe: Saint George in full armour on horseback, slaying the dragon. The bronze was cast in 1373 and is attributed to the brothers George and Martin of Cluj, though the patron and precise place of manufacture remain subjects of scholarly debate. The horse stands on a richly detailed rocky plinth with plants and small animals, giving the scene a vivid, almost theatrical quality. What visitors see today is a nineteenth-century copy; the original is held in the National Museum. The statue is a fixed highlight of any tour of the castle complex, remarkable for its level of detail in a medieval metalwork piece.