Right up to the beginning of the 20th century, the buildings in the area of today's Komenský Square were low rural-style houses, and also included the popular pub U Zemanů. The decision to transform the area into a public, park-style space was taken in connection with the urban plan to create a new town suburb in the area of the so-called Český or Dolní suburb. The first in line was the Smetana House building (02-402), followed by the Girls' School (02-22). It was soon clear that it was an unfortunate decision as the new buildings, due to their character and monumental size contrasted unfavourably with the historical centre of the town.
Therefore, the area remained unfinished. The establishing of the Czechoslovak state was an opportunity for the partial regeneration of the area, when the initiative to erect a monument (originally designed for the well-known Růžový palouček) to Jan Amos Komenský arose. The leading figure of the initiative was Prof. Bedřich Dudycha of the District College in Litomyšl. The design for the monument was drawn up by his colleague, the architect and glass artist Alois Metelák, between 1920 and 1921.
Metelák created an excellent non-figurative work of art in the shape of a globe of the Earth, representing Orbis Terrarum. Its surface is covered with diamond-shaped copper sections with chased symbols of Czech statehood and moments in the life and work of Komenský, including titles of his literary works. The sphere is on a granite pyramidal base, also decorated with chased copper plates with citations from Kšaftu umírající matky Jednoty bratrské. The construction design of the monument was by Karel Preis, headmaster of the District College in Litomyšl, whose pupils carried out the construction work. The ceremonial unveiling of the monument took place on the 19th of June, 1921 – the same day the unveiling of the Memorial to the Czech Brethren at Růžový Palouček (V-05), another of Metelák's works of art, took place.
In 1943, the monument had to be dismantled due to the Protectorate's decree that all noble metals be recycled. Luckily, the components were not melted down but hidden. Only the base construction remained and, in 1950, was substituted with a monument to the Czechoslovak Communist Party. This comprised a granite block with a metal five-pointed star and emblazoned with the letters KSČ. The Komenský monument was returned in 1967 after its complete restoration.
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