Wenceslas Square

If you look for Wenceslas Square (Czech: Václavské Námestí) thinking you will find a typical city square, you won’t: despite its name, it is a 700-metre-long and very wide avenue that will lead you directly to the monumental National Museum, in front of which stands the triumphant equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas.

The commercial and administrative centre of the city, this avenue in Nové Město, the New Town, was the scene of important historical events that profoundly changed the Czech Republic.

Today it is a busy row of shops, bars, restaurants, hotels, banks, offices, nightclubs and casinos. Crowded by day and night, the boulevard changes completely when the sun goes down, becoming the hub of nightlife entertainment.

Easily accessible by metro, Wenceslas Square is a beautiful avenue to walk down, so much so that an immediate comparison is made with the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Only one recommendation: watch out for pickpockets!

Historical events at Wenceslas Square

Founded as the Horse Market (Konský trh) in 1348 at the behest of Charles IV, Wenceslas Square received its current name during the Czech National Revival of 1848. The people of Prague shorten the name to ‘Václavák’.

Over the centuries, this avenue has always held great significance as a place of gatherings, events and important events that have marked Czech history. Here are the most important historical events that took place on Wenceslas Square:

• during the revolutionary uprisings of 1848, a mass was held that had a huge turnout
• in 1918 the creation of the new Czechoslovak state was celebrated
• on 16 January 1969, university student Jan Palach set himself on fire in protest against the socio-cultural oppression perpetrated by the Soviet Union, starting the movement that would become known as the Prague Spring
• on 17 November 1989, Prague citizens, fed up with communist oppression, gathered in the square, initiating the events that led to the fall of communism the following week.

To this day, the equestrian statue of St Wenceslas at the top of the square is still the most popular meeting point for Prague citizens, who gather ‘on the horse’ (u kone) or ‘under the tail’ (pod ocasem).

Buildings of Wenceslas Square

The most famous buildings and monuments on Wenceslas Square are undoubtedly the National Museum, built between 1885 and 1891, and the statue of St Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia, who lived in 900 AD and is today considered the patron saint of the Czech nation.

Next to the famous statue is a memorial to the victims of communism with photographs and dedications to Jan Palach and other opponents of the regime.

Another beautiful building to admire is the historic Grand Hotel Europa.

The buildings surrounding the upper part of the square are connected by a system of passages, the most famous of which is the Lucerna Gallery, built between 1907 and 1921, which connects Vodickova and Štepánská Streets and houses numerous shops and restaurants, a cinema, a music bar and a prestigious concert hall – The Great Lucerna Hall.