Stop 11: Statue of Margrave Jobst of Luxembourg – “Courage” (Socha markraběte Jošta Lucemburského – Odvaha)

Quiz

Why is the statue of Margrave Jobst (Jošt) on horseback in Brno often the subject of jokes?

A) Because when viewed from underneath, facing the front, the horse’s legs and head create an… unintended visual

B) Because it’s made entirely of recycled beer kegs from Brno’s pubs

C) Because Jošt’s head is disproportionately small compared to his horse

Explanation:

The statue of Margrave Jobst of Luxembourg, titled “Courage” (Odvaha), is an impressive modern piece standing tall in front of the Moravian Gallery. Sculpted by Jaroslav Róna and revealed in 2015, it shows Jobst on horseback – proud, commanding, heroic. But if you stand directly underneath it and look up, you’ll notice something that’s made this statue go viral: the horse’s tall, strong legs frame the horse’s head in such a way that, well… it looks like something else entirely. Locals love pointing this out, and it’s become a bit of a tourist tradition to take a photo from that angle. Whether intentional or not (the artist says it was just a play on Gothic proportions), the statue has earned nicknames like “The Brno Stallion” and has become one of the city’s most humorous landmarks.

Directions to next stop:

From Jošt’s statue, walk down Rašínova Street back to Freedom Square to the tall white Plague Column (Morový sloup) on the right-hand side of the square. It’s just a short stroll and your last piece of Brno history!