Wenceslas Square

Many of the important historical events in Prague's recent history took place here, such as the declaration of the First Republic in 1918, the protests against the Soviet occupation in 1969 and the protest march in 1989 which led to the Velvet Revolution and the end of the Communist era.

The long, pedestrian friendly boulevard leads uphill to the National Museum, a monumental neo renaissance building constructed by Josef Schultz in 1890. The stately building soon became a symbol of national identity.

In front of the museum is a bronze equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas. Wenceslas, 'the good king' was a Bohemian Duke spreading Christianity. Murdered in 929 by his brother he was later declared a Saint and eventually became a national Czech symbol.
Not far from this monument Jan Palach set himself on fire to protest the Soviet occupation in 1969. A small plaque commemorates Palach and other victims of the Soviet occupation.

The Wenceslas Square contains some nice examples of Art Nouveau architecture, a style very popular at the beginning of the 20th century, when the square was being redeveloped. The most famous of those buildings is the Grand Hotel Europa, constructed between 1903 and 1906. The renovated building has a beautiful facade topped with a gilded statue of nymphs.

The Wenceslas Square is located in the Nové Město (New Town), a district just south of the historic Staré Město (Old Town).