Wenceslas Square has anchored Prague’s New Town since Charles IV founded the district in 1348, when it began life as a horse market. Renamed in 1848, the square became the stage for some of the most pivotal moments in Czech history, including the 1918 celebrations marking Czechoslovak independence, the 1968 Soviet invasion, and the 1989 protests of the Velvet Revolution.
At the square’s upper end stands the equestrian statue of Saint Wenceslas in front of the National Museum, while the surrounding streets are lined with Art Nouveau landmarks like the Wiehl House and Grand Hotel Europa. A small memorial near the statue marks the spot where Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc self-immolated in 1969 in protest of the occupation.
Today the square functions as Prague’s commercial main street, filled with shops, cinemas, restaurants, and hotels, and is a public space open at all hours. The Lucerna passage just off the square is worth a detour for its historic “pater noster” lift and quirky upside-down horse statue.