Statue heiliger Johannes Nepomuk, Vienna Travel Guide

The Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, situated on Lainzer Strasse in Vienna's Hietzing district, stands as a testament to Baroque artistry and religious devotion. This monument commemorates Saint John of Nepomuk, a revered figure in Catholicism, known for his unwavering commitment to the sanctity of confession.Saint John of Nepomuk, also known as John Wölfflin, was born in Pomuk, Bohemia, around 1345. As the confessor of the Queen of Bohemia, he was ordered by King Wenceslaus to reveal the Queen’s confessions, which he refused. This act of defiance led to his imprisonment and eventual drowning in the Vltava River in 1393. He is often depicted with a halo of five stars, said to represent either the stars that appeared over the river where he died or the five letters of the Latin word 'tacet' meaning 'silent'.The statues of Saint John of Nepomuk are common throughout Central and Eastern Europe, often found near bodies of water as he is considered the patron saint of bridges and protector against floods. The statue in Hietzing allows visitors to appreciate the craftsmanship and historical significance of this religious figure.