The Národní Street is an important street in Prague. It is situated at the limit of the Old Town and the New Town, in a southwestern direction from the center of the capital, and it connects the Legion Bridge to the Jungmann Square. In the middle ages, the street had fortification walls. It was originally called "Nové Aleje" (New Alleys), and later the Ferdinandova Street in honor of the emperor. After the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia in October 1918, it was renamed "Národní Street" (National Street). In the 19th century, many important buildings and institutions were built along the
street, such as the National Theatre, the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the Coffeehouse Slavia in the Lažanský Palace. In the 20th century, the street underwent many important reconstructions; many old buildings were demolished and the street was widened. Later on the department store Máj was built as well as the building housing the New Scene of the National Theatre.
A brutal intervention against a peaceful demonstration on November 17, 1989 also happened on the Národní Street. The demonstration started the Velvet Revolution and eventually meant the end of the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia.
