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Letter from PragueThe changing face of Wenceslas Square
Wenceslas Square -a place visited by millions of tourists every year - has
been captured on thousands of postcards over the years, pictures which
document its transformation. At the start of the twentieth century people
could still ski down the square in winter. For the less athletic, there
were horse drawn carriages and in the 50s you could hop on one of the open
trams riding up and down the square so slowly it was possible to hang on to
the bottom step and feel the wind in your face. It was the construction of
the Prague metro in the late 70s which radically changed the face of
Wenceslas Square. With underground transport there was no more need for
trams and the last tram wove its way down the square in 1980.
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Current AffairsHistoric building reopens on Prague's Wenceslas Square
The Melantrich building on Prague's Wenceslas Square will forever be
associated with one of the most significant periods in Czech history.
Leading figures in the Velvet Revolution, such as Vaclav Havel and
Alexander Dubcek, addressed delirious crowds from one of its balconies in
November 1989 on a day that will be remembered by Czechs for generations
to come.
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Current AffairsSaint Wenceslas: A 'tail' of restoration
If you've been to the Prague's Wenceslas Square recently, you might have
noticed that something is missing, namely, the statue of Saint Wenceslas
himself, for whom the square is named. Well don't worry, it hasn't really
disappeared, it is only hidden behind a mass of scaffolding for some time.
The statue is just undergoing a crucial restoration to be able to survive
the wiles of the freaky weather as well as the hustle of the busy square,
in the very core of Prague. More
MagazineMagazine
Metro-sexuals in Prague - men who are ready to undergo the torture of chest
and back waxing! Swooning over an actor? Buy his old T-shirt in the
Celebrity Shop and the Dinosaur Park in Pilsen gets a new flying reptile.
Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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Letter from PraguePrague's sidewalks - no place for a farm girl in high heels!
Not only does summer bring smog and sweaty trams to Prague, it also sees
the return of women in open-toed high-heels tettering across cobblestones.
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Current AffairsGrand sculptures take root on Wenceslas Square
Prague's busy Wenceslas Square is now host to the international festival
"Sculpture Grande 2004", which opened this week under the very
loose theme of European integration. Brian Kenety went along to the
vernissage at the Gallery Art Factory and has this report.
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SpotlightThe continuing allure of Wenceslas Square
In this week's Spotlight we take you to one of Prague's most remarkable
locations, Wenceslas Square, that expansive boulevard that features some
of the city's most significant architecture as well as the most famous of
all Czech monuments: a monument to the country's patron saint Wenceslas on
horseback, that witnessed all the turmoil of modern Czech history: from
the birth of the Czechoslovak state, to the Soviet-led invasion, to the
fall of communism in 1989. A square that is also not without controversy:
with far too many casinos and prostitutes in the late evenings to remain,
well, fully respectable. History and its outcome for Wenceslas Square -
that looked at in the programme today.
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Current AffairsFriends of Wenceslas Square aim to revitalise Prague's most famous street
Wenceslas Square has been one of the most important places in Prague since
the Middle Ages, when it was known as the Horse Market. It was renamed
Wenceslas Square during the Czech national revival and has - over the
years - been the scene of many significant moments in the country's
history. It has seen many changes in recent years, not always for the
better. We asked some pedestrians on the square what they thought about
it.
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Current AffairsExhibition of colourful sculptures brightens up Prague's Wenceslas Square
If you've been on Prague's Wenceslas Square (Vaclavkse namesti) recently,
you may have noticed an extremely futuristic car, a huge naked Buddha or
four golden-coloured shopping trolleys. No, the world hasn't gone mad -
the square is currently playing host to an exhibition of sculptures by
Czech and Slovak artists. What's more the sculptures seem to be popular,
if the number of people having their photos taken by them is anything to
go by. The exhibition is organised by the Art Factory gallery, which is
owned by Zora Carrier. I asked her how many sculptures were on the
Wenceslas Square.
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