Discovering Prague’s Vibrant Public and Street Art Scene: A Colorful Journey Through the City’s Creative Spirit

Do you ever feel a stronger connection to cities that support their public art and local street artists? Promoting the local art scene is a good signal to a city’s tourism savvy and art acumen. Such is the case with the city of Prague, a cosmopolitan and art focused metropolis which incorporates large public art in many of its magnificent squares, parks and promenades.  By funding public and local street art to support artists, cities also benefit with visually stimulating and fun places for visitors and tourists to enjoy. Even though Prague is viewed as a traditional city filled with classical architecture, there are many examples of classical to contemporary pieces of sculpture, public commissioned art, graffiti and general street art that complement and fit in perfectly within each neighborhood or setting. Check out all of Prague’s public and street art scene below and where to find them.

Weather and the best time to visit Prague and enjoy all the public art?

How to find all these public art displays in Prague?

The tourism office offers a printed map that you can easily follow and walk by foot to the various areas or easily take public transportation to get around the historic district of Prague.

A brief history on Prague’s street and public art scene

Prague’s street and public art scene has a rich and evolving history that reflects the city’s cultural diversity and artistic spirit:

**Early Roots**: Street art in Prague can be traced back to the city’s vibrant Bohemian and Czech artistic traditions. Early 20th-century avant-garde artists like František Kupka and Toyen made their mark, blending art and politics.

**Communist Era**: During the communist regime (1948-1989), public art often served as state propaganda. Monumental statues and murals celebrated communist leaders, but dissident artists also used the streets to subtly criticize the regime.

**The Velvet Revolution**: The fall of communism in 1989, known as the Velvet Revolution, marked a turning point. Street art played a significant role in the uprising, with graffiti and political posters becoming powerful symbols of change.

**Graffiti Culture**: In the 1990s, Prague saw the emergence of a graffiti subculture influenced by Western hip-hop and urban art. Artists began to use public spaces as their canvas, bringing color and creativity to the city’s walls.

**Contemporary Expression**: Today, Prague’s street art scene has evolved into a dynamic blend of traditional and contemporary art forms. Artists use public spaces to address social, political, and cultural themes, making the city a vibrant urban gallery.

**Legal Murals**: In recent years, the city has embraced street art with initiatives like the “Lékař na Palachově” project, which transformed the drab façade of a hospital into a colorful mural. These legal murals provide artists with opportunities to create in public spaces.

**Public Installations**: Beyond graffiti and murals, Prague’s public art scene includes installations, sculptures, and interactive artworks. The city’s public squares and parks serve as venues for artistic expression.

**Global Influence**: Prague’s street art scene is now internationally recognized, attracting artists from around the world. It has become a hub for urban art festivals and events, further cementing its place in the global street art community.

Prague’s street and public art scene have evolved from its roots in political activism to a diverse and dynamic form of artistic expression. It continues to captivate both locals and visitors, offering a unique lens through which to view the city’s history, culture, and creativity.

Explore Prague’s street and public art below to enjoy

Prague’s public art scene – David Cerny Babies at Kampa Park

 Prague’s public art from amusing to irreverent

Many of the public art displays in Prague, fascinate, amuse and draw us in to take a closer look and enjoy them in their environment.  A case in point are these huge bronze babies in Kampa park, surrounded with leafy green trees and overlooking the Vltava river. The three babies are over eight foot tall and draw in children to adults who love to lean, sit and climb on them in a very tactile and sometimes comical way. Created by controversial and famous Czech artist David Cerny, the babies are irreverent with their bar code like faces and their huge scale. It’s always fun to see how people react to sculpture in public places, and the babies are always a popular venue for climbing and enjoying these odd creations.

 Visit Prague’s cool public and street art scene around town – David Cerny Babies at Kampa Park

Dynamic public art displays at the Kampa Museum grounds

Kampa park and museum

A close walk along the shoreline of the Vltava takes you directly to the Kampa museum courtyard, which is filled with large scale animated sculptures in red, blue and black figures, animals and abstract sculpture.  It’s a beautiful space and I wished that I had more time to explore the inside of the museum, but there is a lot of public art to see on the grounds outside and facing the Vltava River including the marching penguins below.

A penguin installation at Kampa park and facing Vltava river

Wallenstein Palace, gardens and salla terrena in Prague

Wallenstein palace and salla terrena 

A short walk to the Mala Sala brings us to the new city municipal and government offices with a large formal garden and park filled with Mannerism inspired bronze statues that complement the formal palace and administrative buildings. The gardens filled with beautiful tulips and geraniums frame the sculptures well while benches placed symmetrically on the paths are for relaxing and enjoying these lovely views. Formerly the Wallenstein palace and salla terrena which are the garden pavilions, frescoes and stuccos around the palace, the palace is now used as the Senate for the Czech Republic.

Wallenstein Palace, gardens and salla terrena in Prague

 Jewish District

Memorial sculpture to Franz Kafta, Jewish district, Prague

Jewish District and public art

Just across the way in the Jewish district are more amazing and slightly more contemporary sculpture with a piece dedicated to the city’s famous writer and Prague native, Franz Kaftka. Created by Czech sculptor Jaroslav Rona in 2003, the piece shows a smaller man riding on top of another man which represents a segment in Kafka’s story, “Description of a struggle”.

UnUtero. by David Cerny in Prague

Another prominent and slightly bizarre public art sculpture is found in the main roundabout of the Jewish District by artist David Cerny. The public art pieces is made completely of stainless steel panels, resembling a large pregnant women called UnUtero. There is an entry point below to crawl into the woman’s stomach so you can experience what being in a womb would be like. But for some reason, I couldn’t see myself crawling from underneath to enter the sculpture in this public venue.

 Sculptures in Prague’s New Town

Franz Kafka head by David Cerny in Prague

New Town outdoor art

One of my favorite pieces of David Cerny’s public art pieces is located in a modern mall complex in the newer section of the city. It represents Franz Kafka’s head and is a revolving kinetic piece. The giant stainless steel head is sliced into sections which rotate around in non linear circles. It’s a unique sculpture with the dissected head moving and creating a changing pattern,  creating cool reflections and unusual sounds that add to the visual experience. Below is a You Tube image of the rotating head.

Wenceslas Square installations

Some of David Cerny’s work take more of political bent and satire including this piece in one of the oldest shopping arcades off Wenceslas square. The upside down horse with the rider here with St. Wenceslas riding on top is a satirical piece that contrasts with the formal sculpture of the saint fronting Wenceslas square.

David Cerny’s Svaty Vaclav (Sculpture) in Prague

David Cerny presents another sculptural piece hanging up high above a walking promenade of the old town. It is another strange tribute art work called Hanging out, also known as the Hanging man. The hanging sculpture depicts Sigmund Freud in a precarious hanging situation above the busy promenade below.

David Cerny piece called Hanging out in Prague

 Large scale street amid construction

Large scale street art in the New Town, Prague

Charles Bridge sculptures

Prague’s iconic bridge over the Vltava River called the Charles bridge has 30 monumental baroque sculptures (replicas) on both sides and along prominent points of the bridge. Depicting important saints and patron saints of the Roman Catholic church, this was the seat of Charles IV, who was the Holy Roman Emperor and the Bohemian king during 1346 – 1378. During his reign, Charles IV made Prague his capital city while holding both titles. Charles then commissioned to have an elaborate bridge be built to connect Prague’s Old Town to the Mala Strana (little quarter) with Prague castle and cathedral proudly sitting above the city, which he also commissioned.

Statues on the Charles Bridge, Prague

Charles bridge facing the old town and tower bridge

Scenic image of the Charles bridge and the Old town of Prague

Old Town Hall art and sculpture

One of the most stunning combined pieces of local artwork is located in the old town hall and tower. A wall of custom Czech glass forms a nice background to a human scale sculpture. Both pieces work so well together and have such a nice quiet elegance on the stair landing from the main council hall.  For more interior pictures and stories about Old Town Square and Hall, please take a look my post on the Old Town City Hall of Prague here.

Prague Old town hall Czech glass and sculpture

How to get around Prague city

Final thoughts

Prague city has definitely showcased some amazing talent in its local artists and given the public wonderful public art and spaces to enjoy and be inspired in this magnificent city. Thanks for visiting today and checking out this post on Prague’s public and street art scene. If you enjoyed reading the post, could you please share it with any of the social media buttons around the post, thank so much.

Where to stay in Prague?

The historic district is relatively compact and walkable and accommodations cover the gamut of comfort and price points. Check out these top reviewed hotels and inns here for current prices and availability.

Mosaic House Design Hotel – Urban and eco chic in this modern with Art Deco touches and the best reviews for the city

Hotel Residence Agnes – close to Old Town Square beautiful hotel, friendly and accommodating staff and comfortable rooms

Boho Prague Hotel – close to the Old Town Square, this boutique hotel and service is exceptional, beautifully designed rooms and bathrooms

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Have you visited any of Prague’s amazing public art?

Please share your thoughts in the comments below, thanks for sharing your tips and other places of interest around the city.

Conclusion to Prague’s public and street art scene

Prague’s public and street art scene captivates with a mix of historic sculptures and vibrant contemporary murals, showcasing the city’s artistic spirit. From classical masterpieces to ever-changing urban expressions, Prague celebrates its heritage and embraces creative innovation. Discover the captivating art that graces its charming streets, leaving a lasting impression on all who explore this enchanting city.

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