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Prague czech republic old town square
Old Town Square (Czech: Staroměstské náměstí ) is a historic square in the Old Town quarter of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. It is located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge.
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Buildings
The square features various architectural styles including the Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn, which has been the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century; the church's towers are 80 m high. Prague Orloj is a medieval astronomical clock located on the Old Town Hall. The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest one still in operation.
The Baroque St. Nicholas Church is another church located in the square, while the tower of the Old Town Hall offers a panoramic view of Old Town. An art museum of the Czech National Gallery is located in Kinský Palace.
Statues and memorials
The square's center is home to a statue of religious reformer Jan Hus, who for his beliefs was burned at the stake in Constance, this led to the Hussite Wars. The statue known as the Jan Hus Memorial was erected on July 6, 1915 to mark the 500th anniversary of his death.
In front of the Old Town Hall is also a memorial to martyrs (including Jan Jesenius and Maxmilián Hošťálek) beheaded on that spot during the Old Town Square execution by Habsburgs, after the Battle of White Mountain. Twenty-seven crosses mark the pavement in their honour. The crosses were installed during the repairs of Old Town Hall after the WW2, while a nearby plaque which lists the names of all 27 victims dates from 1911.
On November 3, 1918, a Marian Column that had been erected in the square shortly after the Thirty Years' War was demolished in celebration of independence from the Habsburg empire.
Markets
At Christmas and Easter, markets are held on the square, they resemble medieval markets. A tall decorated tree and a musical stage are set up.
The Christmas Markets on the Old Town Square are the largest Christmas markets in the Czech Republic and are visited by hundreds of thousands of visitors from the Czech Republic and abroad. The markets are mostly visited by Germans, Russians, Italians and British. In 2016, CNN rates Prague’s Christmas Markets among the world’s best.