OLD TOWN SQUARE AND THE OLD TOWN HALL (Staromestská radnice)

The most significant square of historical Prague. It originated in the 12th century and since then witnessed many events. Beside the Old Town Hall and the Church of Our Lady before Týn (see a special heading) the square has several other dominants, the baroque St. Nicholas church (K. I. Dienzenhofer, 1732 – 1737), the rococo Kinský palace housing the National Gallery exhibition hall, the Stone Bell house – a gothic city palace from the 14th century – now the Municipal Gallery concert and exhibition rooms, and the Memorial to Master Jan Hus sculptured by Ladislav Saloun (1915).The very place where the 27 Czech gentlemen were executed on 21 June, 1621, is marked in the square pavement. The Prague meridian can be seen not far from there.

The Old Town Hall was established 1338 as the seat of the Old Town authorities. The oldest gothic part of the complex which includes a tower and an oriel chapel is richly decorated with coats of arms. It was built in the latter half of the 14th century. In the top part of the astronomical clock (early 15th century) the 12 apostles appear every hour between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m The bottom part was supplemented with a round calendarium including the signs of the zodiac painted by Josef Manes (1865). The eastern pseudo-gothic wing of the Town Hall was destroyed on May 8, 1945, and has not been rebuilt yet.