Every revolution, every invasion, every moment that mattered in Czech history — someone was standing in this square when it happened. Old Town Square has been the beating heart of Prague since the 12th century, when it served as a central marketplace at the crossroads of European trade routes. Merchants from all over the continent hauled their goods here, and the square grew rich on the traffic between East and West.
But this isn't just a pretty postcard. In 1621, twenty-seven Czech Protestant leaders were executed right here on the cobblestones after the failed Bohemian Revolt against the Habsburgs. Twenty-seven crosses are set into the pavement near the Old Town Hall to mark the spot. Three centuries later, in 1945, the Nazis set fire to the Old Town Hall's entire eastern wing during the Prague Uprising — it was never rebuilt, which is why the building looks oddly truncated today.
The square is framed by an almost absurd concentration of architectural styles: the Gothic spires of Tyn Church, the creamy Baroque facade of St. Nicholas Church, the pastel Rococo of the Kinsky Palace, and the medieval astronomical clock ticking away on the Old Town Hall tower. Stand in the center and you're surrounded by a thousand years of building, burning, and rebuilding.
In winter, the square hosts one of Europe's best Christmas markets. In summer, it's a sea of tourists and buskers. But at six in the morning, before the crowds arrive, you can stand here alone with the cobblestones and feel the weight of the place.
Verified Facts
Old Town Square has served as Prague's central marketplace since the 12th century
Twenty-seven Czech Protestant leaders were executed in the square on June 21, 1621 after the failed Bohemian Revolt
The eastern wing of the Old Town Hall was destroyed by Nazi forces during the Prague Uprising in May 1945 and was never rebuilt
Twenty-seven crosses are embedded in the pavement near the Old Town Hall to commemorate the 1621 executions
Get walking directions
Staromestske nam., 110 00 Prague 1
