Wenceslas Square was once a horse market, but today it is Prague’s most famous and impressive 750-metre-long boulevard. It is the symbolic heart of modern Prague for independent Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. It was the place of protests against the Soviet invasion in 1968 and 1969 and of celebrations in 1989 when the Communist regime collapsed. The neo-Renaissance National Museum and a massive statue of St. Wenceslas on horseback at the northern end dominate the square. Another significant building is Koruna palác – a covered shopping arcade with a stunning glass dome dating from 1911. The square is a popular place for a stroll and is lined with many cafes, shops, restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs and hotels.
