Replica of Marian column to be erected on Old Town Square

A replica of the Marian column removed from Prague’s Old Town Square over a century ago is due to be erected on its former site on Thursday.

The original 17th century Marian column was torn down shortly after the foundation of Czechoslovakia in 1918 by protestors, who considered it a symbol of Austrian rule.

Works on reinstalling the replica of the Baroque column started in February after years of heated debate over whether the column should be restored.