The St John’s Bridge in Lądek-Zdrój has been an icon of the town for centuries. After the 2024 flood, its severe damage became a sad but telling symbol of the losses suffered by the region. Along with part of the structure, the Baroque statue of St John of Nepomuk was also lost, and finding it has become a matter in which residents, local associations and history enthusiasts have become involved. At the same time, the restoration of the bridge is currently underway, supported by government funding and historic preservation programmes.
Reconstruction of St John’s Bridge in Lądek-Zdrój
The bridge was secured shortly after the flood, and the reconstruction was entrusted to the company Monumentum. The municipal authorities have agreed that the work is to be completed by the end of this year. In parallel, the town is benefiting from extensive government assistance, which covers various parts of the region affected by the 2024 devastation. Lądek-Zdrój has received support from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage’s pool for the rescue of monuments damaged by the elements. This pot will fund both activities at the bridge and renovations of other Lądek sites. A separate stream is money allocated to Lower Silesian local authorities for the repair of roads and bridge crossings. In mid-2025, the tender documentation related to the bridge reconstruction was updated. This confirmed that administrative procedures are progressing and the work is being carried out according to the agreed schedule.
St John’s Bridge in Lądek-Zdrój – historical background
The bridge was built in 1565. It was built of broken stone and, according to reports, a lime and egg white-based binder was used. The structure has been renovated and repaired several times after previous river floods. The durability of the crossing is due to its setting on a rock spur that narrows the riverbed. After modernisations in the 18th and 19th centuries, the bridge became one of the most important structures in the centre of Lądek-Zdrój. In 1971, it was entered in the register of monuments.
Statue of St. John of Nepomuk
The sculpture by David Tautz was one of the oldest representations of this type in Silesia. The saint was depicted in the garb of a canon, with a biretta and aureole. The statue had been an integral part of the bridge since 1709. The last restoration carried out in 2013 renewed the gilding and removed dirt from the plinth. Inscriptions in Latin on the pedestal included a chronostich indicating the date of the statue’s setting. Subsequent renovations were noted in the inscriptions on the side walls. This information remained an important source of knowledge about the history of the monument.
Flood of 2024
The flood of September 2024 damaged the dam in Stronie Śląskie, leading to a strong and destructive flood wave. The water breached part of the bridge structure and carried away the statue along with the base. It was a painful loss for the inhabitants, as the object had long created a sense of local identity. After the water receded, a search of the riverbed began. Residents kept vigil along its banks, watching the work being carried out with heavy equipment. The changes to the townscape were so severe that some places were unrecognisable and some businesses did not resume even months after the flood.
St John’s Bridge in 2016 and 2024. Photo Jacek Halicki/Wikimedia Commons
Discoveries in the riverbed of the Biała Lądecka river
However, a light at the end of the tunnel has emerged. In March 2025, a fragment of the slab underlying the statue was found. It was found about 150 metres from the bridge. The discovery was made during cleaning work carried out under the supervision of an archaeologist. The found element raised hopes that other parts of the sculpture might be located nearby. Members of the Lądek Historical and Exploration Society emphasised that the fragment found weighed less than the other parts of the statue, which could mean that the main part of the sculpture had not sailed far.
The significance of Nepomucene and the reconstruction of the bridge
Residents regard the statue as part of a collective memory. For many of them, it has been a permanent landmark and a part of the landscape they have lived with since childhood, so it should return to its place – either in its original form or as a faithful copy. The restoration of the bridge is part of a larger restoration programme underway in Lower Silesia. Financial support also covers other monuments in Lądek-Zdrój and the road infrastructure in the area. As a result, work on the bridge is being carried out in parallel with efforts to revitalise the town’s space, which was badly affected by the floods.
Source: radiowroclaw.pl
See also: Curiosities | Architecture in Poland | Monument | History | Sculpture
