The statue of the falcon destroyed by the Nazis will return to the Nusle Sokol House

Prague – The statue of the falcon, destroyed by the Nazis, has been restored after 82 years. The copper bird of prey, which is the symbol of the Czech Sokol Community, is expected to return to the reconstructed roof of the Nusle Sokol hall within two years. Starting today until the end of April, it can be seen at an exhibition titled The Rebirth of the Falcon at the Benedictine Abbey in Prague's Emauzy.

The original statue of the falcon was torn down by the Nazis during the occupation in 1941 because it was a symbol of the banned society. Based on photographs and remaining fragments of the claws with the dumbbell and part of the head, sculptor Petr Holub and metalworker Karel Holub created a new one in six months.

Before starting their work, the artists visited the zoo to observe a live falcon and studied zoological books. "We wanted the modeled pose to be as true to life as possible for the live falcon. We had to adjust the original head and its tilt a bit so that it would be well visible from the street," said Karel Holub.

The falcon statue weighs 150 kilograms and has a wingspan of almost three meters. Its production will cost nearly half a million crowns. The Nusle Sokol will be helped to cover this amount by a collection for a transparent account, which has already raised over 250,000 crowns. The falcon is expected to be returned in 2025 as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Sokol hall's opening, both on the repaired roof and in the attic. "Right now, the roof is in emergency condition in some places," said the unit's secretary, František Barac.

The repair of the roof is estimated to cost about ten million crowns. The Nusle Sokol has been creating a financial reserve for the reconstruction since 2017, but the majority should be covered by grants.