On the Main Square in Maribor you will see a white marble column - we can also say a monument of gratitude, and you will read why in the following text. The main square is the place of numerous encounters, and the main square without this pillar would be just another square like all the others. However, what the inhabitants of Maribor did during the 17th century, when the plague appeared, is truly a beautiful act towards the city and towards the very attitude of its citizens, and also towards the attitude of their faith and prayer.
Namely, it is a column that was erected as a sign of gratitude for the end of the plague epidemic that hit Maribor in the 1680s. The first monument was built in 1681. The plague killed a third of the population. A very difficult period for all the people in Maribor, in the fight against the plague. And the inhabitants of Maribor "celebrated" the day when the plague ended and as a sign of happiness and gratitude they erected a pillar with the image of the Virgin Mary.
However, in the 18th century, there was a change and the column was replaced by the current one, which is the work of Jožef Straub. The new pillar has even greater charm and uniqueness. It is considered to be the artist's most impressive work, but it is also the best example of Baroque art in Slovenia. A total of six saints were placed around the gilded statue of the Virgin Mary, the mother of God, and during the plague, citizens prayed to them for their health and that of their loved ones, to help them save their lives.
Indeed, this is a story that has weight, and certainly that the pillar is one of the significant landmarks that should be seen and experienced.
Autor of the article:
Bojana Pantić - correspondent for the city of Maribor
