The monument to the prominent Czech inventor, mathematician and forest engineer Josef Ressel stands in front of the regional museum in Chrudim. The larger-than-life bronze statue commemorates this important native of the town, who was born here in 1793 and became famous for his design of the propeller, which fundamentally changed shipping around the world.

Josef Ressel did not achieve great fame during his lifetime, although his invention of the ship propeller fundamentally changed the world. He failed to monetize his invention, and even lost his patent on it due to the accident of one of the ships fitted with his propeller. He spent most of his life as a forester in various parts of Europe and the world only remembered this inventor after his death. Several monuments commemorating him have been erected in Ressel`s native Bohemia and many Czech towns have streets named after him. The monument in his native Chrudim was built in 1924. A bronze statue created by the prominent sculptor Ladislav J. Šaloun was mounted on a stone pedestal with his name in front of the local museum.

Connected places: Josef Ressel
Monument to Josef Ressel in Bílovice nad SvitavouPomník Josefa Ressela v Bílovici nad Svitavou

Keywords: history of natural sciences; inventor; mathematics; technology; ship propeller

Monument to Josef Ressel in Chrudim