Plzeň to hold competition for General Patton statue

The city of Plzeň has approved the conditions for an art competition to create a new statue of General George S. Patton, the commander of the U.S. Third Army that liberated the city in May 1945. The sculpture is intended to depict the General alongside his loyal bull terrier, William the Conqueror (nicknamed Willie).

The project is part of the development of the new Patton Loos Museum located on Klatovská Street. The museum is housed in a building designed by architect Adolf Loos, which served as a German military headquarters during World War II and was the site where German forces signed their surrender on May 6, 1945.

The competition is scheduled to be announced in September, with a jury evaluation expected in early 2025. The estimated costs for the competition and the creation of the artwork are approximately three million CZK. The city aims to open the museum by summer 2025, at which time the statue is expected to be unveiled, though a scale model may be used if the final work is not completed in time.