Old Town Square

Old Town Square

Executive summary by darmansjah

OLD TOWN SQUARE  is a historic square in the Old Town quarter of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

It is located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge and features various architectural styles including the Gothic Týn Church and baroque St. Nicholas Church. Among many churches, tourists may find the Prague Astronomical Clock on this square, while the tower at the Old Town Hall offers a panoramic view of Old Town shop. An art museum of the Czech National Gallery is located in Kinský Palace.

The square's center is home to a statue of religious reformer Jan Hus, who for his beliefs was burned at the stake in Constance. The statue known as the Jan Hus Memorial was erected on July 6, 1915 to mark the 500th anniversary of his death. The square is also home to a memorial to martyrs (including Jan Jesenius and Maxmilián Hošťálek) beheaded on that spot during the Old Town Square execution after the Battle of White Mountain. Twenty-seven crosses mark the pavement in their honour. While the installation date of these crosses is uncertain, a nearby plaque which lists the names of all 27 victims dates from 1911.

On November 3, 1918, a Marian Column that had been erected in the square shortly after the Thirty Years' War was demolished in celebration of independence from the Habsburg empire.