National Museum
* *A dominant feature of Wenceslas Square
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The National Museum was established in 1818 under the name "Vlastenecké Muzeum v Čechách" (Patriotic Museum in Bohemia). From 1848, it was named "České Muzeum" (Czech Museum), between 1854 and 1919, it was called "Muzeum Království Českého" (Museum of the Czech Kingdom). Before the completion of the new building, the museum was headquartered temporarily in the Šternberský Palace (1821 to 1846) and in the Nostický Palace (1846 to 1892). The Neo-Renaissance building of the National Museum was erected between 1885 and 1890, on the top of Wenceslas Square, following the project of architect Josef Schulz. It is a worthy place for the natural and history science collections of this institution, and an expression of the national ambitions of the Czech "reborn" nation. We should add
that after the construction of the National Theatre was completed in 1883, building the National Museum had become another central project of the "Czech" Prague. Under the monumental dome at the very centre of the building, one can see the National Pantheon, which features statues of key representatives of Czech history, its political and cultural life.Top Czech artists participated in the decoration: painters Václav Brožík, Vojtěch Hynais and František Ženíšek.
The stone facade of the museum was damaged during the invasion by Soviet troops, which suppressed in August 1968 the revolutionary movement called "Pražské Jaro" (Prague Spring). The light spots on the facade show the bullet holes, bullets used to stop the demonstrations against Soviet occupation on Wenceslas Square.
Kontaktní informace
| Ulice | Václavské náměstí | Město | Praha 1 |
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