Frantisek Santini Aichel

Frantisek Jakub Santini-Aichel (baptized 28 April 1680, Prague - 1709) was a Czech stonemason of the Italian origin and brother of Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel.

He was born as the youngest child into the family of stonemason Santini in Prague. He was baptized in the cathedral of St Vitus. He also became a stonemason and it was decided he will take over his father’s workshop instead of the oldest Jan Blazej who could not do it because of his physical handicap. Together with his father, he was working on the building of the Jesuit College in the New Town in 1702.

In the same way as his more famous brother, Frantisek added father‘s surname Santini to his own surname Aichel, although it happened only after his father’s death. His brother Jan Blažej has already got a large fortune when their father died and therefore he gave up his part of father’s heritage and gave it to Frantisek who was not very rich. The amount was intended to run the stonemason workshop that both brothers supported. Unfortunately, Frantisek was not sparing his money well and Jan Blazej had to lend him some amounts several times. As a result of several disagreements between both brothers, Jan Blazej withdrew from the ownership of the workshop in 1704.

Although the relationship between both brothers was not ideal, Jan Blazej kept helping his brother Frantisek by contracting him for his projects, such as the abbey church of Our Lady of the Assumption in the Cistercian monastery in Sedlec in 1708, or by recommending him to fellow architects. As a result, Frantisek Santini was contracted for several buildings of Krystof Dientzenhofer, such as the Sternberk palace (1702-1707), church of the Epiphany in the chateau of Smirice (1707) and many more.

Frantisek’s works include the statue of St Joseph at the bottom of the Town Hall Stairs in Hradcany (the saint stands in the flowing robe with baby Jesus in his hands), but his authorship is not fully confirmed.

In 1707, Frantisek married Barbora Kulichov, who was the daughter of his father’s friend, stonemason Adam Kulich.

After Frantisek’s premature death, Jan Blazej Sanitni-Aichl led a long legal dispute with his brother’s widow for the estate.