THE TOWN OF HORICE

At the turn of the 19th and 20th century Horice, the town of the stone beauty, became a prominent notable Czech centre of the Arts, most importantly in the art of sculpture. Above all, the local Sculpture School in connection with stone pit and stonecutting of the Horice's sandstone, and at a later time also The International Sculpture Symposia, were impulses of crucial importance that predetermined and still support the cultural character of the town.

THE HORICE SANDSTONE

The town of Horice is situated in the centre of the stone pits region of the cenoman squared siliceous sandstone. From the second half of the 19th century the Horice Sandstone is intensely quarried for and processed. Therefore you can find nearly 150 historical stone pits around Horice today. Horice Sandstone is used for a countless number of significant buildings and art works both in the Czech Republic and abroad.

THE SCULPTURE AND STONEMASON'S SCHOOL OF HORICE

An Imperial and royal Special Sculpture and Stonemason's School was established in Horice in 1884 in connection with quarrying for and processing of sandstone. To this day this school educated lots of representatives of the Czech sculpture and by this also affected its development. The other fields of study that are taught there are restoration, mining and processing of stone. There is also an experimental laboratory for stone and gravel in the building of the school.

THE SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM OF HORICE

Since 1966 international meetings of sculptors have taken place in Horice. The sculptors create their art works from Horice sandstone in a ravishing milieu of an abandoned historical stone pit of Saint Joseph. Here they are provided by technical equipment and they meet all their requirements. The sculptures are put together into an unique natural gallery on the hill of Saint Gothard, where you can see 86 works of art showing contemporary world art of sculpture. Parts of this sculpture park are also "The Gallery of Statues" (established in 1908) and the adjoining Park of Bedrich Smetana (founded in 1903) with collections of Czech sculptures from the first half of the 20th century. Since 2002 the sculptors' works created at the Sculpture Symposium are permanently installed in a newly founded Sculpture Park II that is situated in a landscape area at the north-east edge of Horice.

THE SCULPTORS' EMBANKMENT IN HRADEC KRALOVE

Since 2003 the sculptors' works crated during The Sculpture Symposium in Horice are lended to Hradec Kralove for one year. They are installed on the occasion of The Sculptors' Embankment in the centre of the town in Namesti Svobody Square and on the Elbe Embankment. The opening day that always takes place at the beginning of August is associated with additional cultural activities. After one year the sculptors' works are returned back to Hořice and finally installed in The Sculpture Park II.