Though less known than its historically richer neighbour – Old Town Square, Náměstí Republiky (Republic Square) is another focal point of the city center. It features several landmark attractions such as the majestic Municipal House, two popular shopping centers and is conveniently reachable by many transport means – including the Náměstí Republiky metro station located right beneath the square.
Republic Square
Culture, architecture and city life
HIGHLIGHTS
- The majestic Art Nouveau-style Municipal House, where the First Czechoslovak Republic was proclaimed
- Powder Tower with beautiful neo-Gothic decoration - the historical divide between the Old and New Town of Prague
- Large department stores Kotva and Palladium
- Convenient transport accessibility
Republic Square owes its name to the fact that the first Czechoslovak Republic was proclaimed here on October 28, 1918.
It lies at the boundary between the Old Town and New Town, where a moat was located in the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, it became the seat of the Royal Court of King Wenceslas IV, and, closer to our days (in the early 1900s), a Municipal House was constructed here. This grandiose building in Art Nouveau style is still the dominant feature of the square, housing several impressive concert halls.
Other landmarks of the area include Hotel Paris with its original architecture, the Hybernia Theater, and, of course, the famous neo-Gothic Powder Tower – ornately decorated on the outside and offering an excellent viewing platform reachable via a 186-step spiral staircase.
Besides, there are two large shopping centres in Republic Square, connected by a pedestrian zone - Kotva and Palladium. There you can purchase clothes, jewellery and many other things, enjoy some entertainment (like a minigolf park) and dine at a restaurant or cafe.