Wenceslas Square
http://www.prague-guide.co.uk/articles/205/1/Wenceslas-Square/Page1.html
By Steven Admin
Published on 07-Jul-07
Today, Wenceslas Square is a hustle and bustle of commerce, tourist shops, restaurants, casinos, hotels and countless shops, and even prostitutes. It really comes alive after dark, when its restaurants, cinemas and nightclubs attract tourist crowds. The major historical sites are all within walking distance of the street are worth to be walked step by step. At the northern end of the square you can find neo-Renaissance National Museum. Other significant building is Koruna palác - a covered shopping arcade with a stunning glass dome dating from 1911.
History:
The 750-meter long and 60 meter wide boulevard originates from the Charles IV period when it was used as a horse market. In the upper part of the boulevard the statue of St. Wenceslas on his horse can be seen. He is the good king Vaclav, who was murdered by his brother over a thousand years ago, and who over the years has become a national hero. The artist J.V. Myslbek began to make this statue in year 1884 and 36 years later it was finished.
A few meters from the statue a plaque stand in memory of those, who were killed during the Communist period, including Jan Palach, a 20 year old student, who set fire to himself in January 1969, in protest against the Soviet invasion, four months earlier. Jan Palach died three days later with 85% burns. 800.000 people followed the funeral. Following the collapse of the Communist rule in December 1989, Václav Havel and Alexander Dubcek appeared on the balcony of No 36 to greet their ecstatic supporters. Palach and other victims of the regime are commemorated in a small shrine in front of Josef Myslbek's equestrian statue of St Wenceslas.
Now the main street of Prague’s commercial district Wencelas Square is of major historical interest - it was first laid out over 600 years ago and since then has been a regular parade ground for every kind of person, organisation or political party known in the Czech Republic.
Today, Wenceslas Square is a hustle and bustle of commerce, tourist shops, restaurants, casinos, hotels and countless shops, and even prostitutes. It really comes alive after dark, when its restaurants, cinemas and nightclubs attract tourist crowds. The major historical sites are all within walking distance of the street are worth to be walked step by step. At the northern end of the square you can find neo-Renaissance National Museum. Other significant building is Koruna palác - a covered shopping arcade with a stunning glass dome dating from 1911.
History:
The 750-meter long and 60 meter wide boulevard originates from the Charles IV period when it was used as a horse market. In the upper part of the boulevard the statue of St. Wenceslas on his horse can be seen. He is the good king Vaclav, who was murdered by his brother over a thousand years ago, and who over the years has become a national hero. The artist J.V. Myslbek began to make this statue in year 1884 and 36 years later it was finished.
A few meters from the statue a plaque stand in memory of those, who were killed during the Communist period, including Jan Palach, a 20 year old student, who set fire to himself in January 1969, in protest against the Soviet invasion, four months earlier. Jan Palach died three days later with 85% burns. 800.000 people followed the funeral. Following the collapse of the Communist rule in December 1989, Václav Havel and Alexander Dubcek appeared on the balcony of No 36 to greet their ecstatic supporters. Palach and other victims of the regime are commemorated in a small shrine in front of Josef Myslbek's equestrian statue of St Wenceslas.
