Praha 1 – New Town
VENUE WHERE PARTICIPANTS CAN PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO VACLAV HAVEL – 18. 5. 2019 / 17:00
More about Vaclav Havel Square
More about Vaclav Havel and Rotary
This place, known before as the Piazzetta of the National Theater, which is tightly bound by the previous and new National Theatre buildings was created by architect Karel Prager in 1981 as part of the project ‚New Stage‘. It was here, he placed a statue ‚Rebirth‘ by Josef Malejovsky. In 2016, the Director of the National Theatre, Jan Burian, renamed this space as the Vaclav Havel Square to commemmorate his not quite 80th birthday. Prague City Council agreed with this idea and on Tuesday 4th October 2016, there was an official plaque placed here in the presence of his widow Dagmar Havlova, Minister of Culture Daniel Herman, Prague Mayor Adriana Krnacova, actress Vlasta Chramostova and Director of the Theater, Jan Burian. A large 160cms high heart sculpture by Kurt Gebauer was also installed here.
Václav Havel (1936-2011) was one of the icons against the communist regime, and in 1989 was an icon of the velvet revolution and in 1993 was the first president of the Czech Republic, and also since 1990 held the highest Rotary distinction awarded by Rotary International President annually only to one unique person (Rotary Award for International Understanding). Vaclav Havel’s father was a member of Rotary Club Praha in the years 1925-1939; Vaclav Havel himself studied in the years 1946-1948 at the Grammar School in Poděbrady, which was established and supported by members of Rotary.
This square is part of Prague Heritage Monuments, listed in the UNESCO catalague of world cultural and natural heritage sites.
