The square is named after Prince Wenceslas (c. 911 - 28 September 935 or 929), who is the main patron saint of the Czech nation and a symbol of Czech statehood. The square has the shape of a rectangle, which is situated in a gentle slope. The upper end of the square is dominated by two objects. Firstly, the equestrian statue of Prince Wenceslas and then the imposing neo-classical building of the National Museum.
The equestrian statue of Saint Wenceslas by Czech sculptor Josef Václav Myslbek was created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition to the statue, the monument also features statues of four other patrons of the Czech lands - St. Prokop, St. Agnes of Bohemia, St. Ludmila and St. Vojtech. The area in front of the monument is a frequent destination for tourists and a meeting place for Prague residents.
The monument was unveiled in 1913 (not fully completed yet), the last statues of St Adalbert and St Agnes were installed only in 1924. The pedestal is made of polished granite. Alois Dryák participated in the architectural decoration of the monument and Celda Kloucek in the ornamental decoration.
The sign on the monument: St Wenceslas, Leader of the Czech Lands, our Prince, do not let us die nor those yet to come.
Czech independence was proclaimed in front of this monument on 28th October 1918 with the following works of the document, read out by Alois Jirásek. Therefore, in 1935 the date of 28th October 1918 was embedded into the stones. The decorative bronze chain for the protection of the sculptural group was installed in 1979.
The author this painting is Jaroslav Šetelík. You can find this painting in book 'Praha' (
visit link) .
Jaroslav Šetelík, baptized Jaroslav Jan (10 August 1881 in Tábor - 12 December 1955 in Prague), was a Czech academic painter and landscape painter.
The subjects of his paintings, mostly watercolours, were sceneries from Prague, Kutná Hora, Louny, Domažnice, etc. He also visited the High Tatras several times. He also worked on large paintings, painting mostly the city of Prague. Yugoslavia, Egypt, etc.