The Myths and Facts of the John Lennon Wall in Prague

From where to find it to the story behind the name, here’s everything you need to know about the John Lennon Wall in Prague

From Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge to Old Town Square and St Vitus Cathedral, Prague isn’t short of incredible sights to see. And one other to add to your Czech bucket list would be the iconic John Lennon Wall. The only place in the entire city where graffiti is deemed legal, this wall is a significant political and historical symbol.

What to expect…

Over the years, the wall has been painted over and decorated again and again, and it once even included a very large John Lennon mural of his face. Although now it does not contain the original artwork, the vibrant graffiti scrawl and images provide a super-cool backdrop for a tourist photograph. When visiting, if you are lucky, you can also expect to see and hear performers recreating Beatles songs and just around the corner there is a pub dedicated to John Lennon complete with a Beatles jukebox.

Where is the John Lennon Wall?

You can find the wall in Praha 1, Prague’s most central district, next to the French Embassy. It can be easily reached from the iconic Charles Bridge – simply take a stroll across to the other side of the bridge after visiting the sights in Old Town Square.

To The Contemporary…

For modern art in Prague, the premiere destination is the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art. Tucked away in the Holešovice neighbourhood, the progressive gallery in a former warehouse showcases Czech art that is at once challenging, thought-provoking and ultra-cool. From illustrations and photography to sculptures and installations, you’ll find all manner of contemporary art at DOX, including the giant Gulliver Airship that deftly rests upon the main building.

Over in the Smíchov district, FUTURA Center for Contemporary Art hosts avant-garde exhibitions by cutting-edge international and local names. Spread over three floors, the hip gallery presents an ever-changing showcase of works by the likes of Korean multimedia artist Sinae Yoo and Czech installation artist Marketa Magidova.

If you like your art edgy and alternative, world-renowned artist David Černý’s MeetFactory is a dynamic multi-purpose art space in a 1920s glass factory. The non-profit organisation gives a leg-up to upcoming local talent, and you can expect to see anything from radical socio-political commentary to theatrical and musical performances.

To The Street Art…

Like London, Lisbon and Berlin, Prague has some seriously cool street art. The trendy Žižkov district is home to the finest examples of giant illustrative murals and quirky, colourful graffiti. Perhaps the most famous Prague mural is the Lennon Wall – an ever-changing brick canvas, daubed in ‘peace and love’-inspired messages – that has been present since the 1980s. The best street art in Prague isn’t on building façades, however. It’s David Černý’s incredible sculptures. His signature crawling babies can be found scaling their way up the Žižkov TV Tower and across Kampa Park. Meanwhile, his 39-tonne steel bust of Franz Kafka next to the Quadrio business centre is a kinetic masterpiece, whose layers slowly rotate and metamorphosize.