Upside-Down Statue of King Wenceslas Riding a Dead Horse
Upside-Down Statue of King Wenceslas Riding a Dead Horse
Upside-Down Statue of King Wenceslas Riding a Dead Horse
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Nove Mesto (New Town)
Nearly 700 hundred meters long, Wenceslas Square represents the most frequent and buzzing crossroads of the city. The National Museum in the upper part of the square watches over your spending spree in countless shops and retail stores lining the entire square, which ends at Na Příkopě, the most famous shopping street. When tired or broke, you can explore the city's underpasses, which can take you to the Old Town or to the courtyards of art nouveau houses with secret gems of greenery, white benches and rose bushes that provide unexpected peace in the midst of the city. Be sure to pay a visit to the traditional cafés, classic Czech pubs, cinemas and theaters. National Theater near the river has a lot to offer to foreigners. Go to the river bank and enjoy live music and drinks while watching a sunset behind Prague Castle.
How to get there
- bridge • 4 min walk
- national Ave • 5 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
4,799 within 3 miles
Attractions
1,583 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
180 reviews
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Graham
Rugby, UK1,543 contributions
Jun 2023
You might know the horse statue of St. Wenceslas on top of the Wenceslas Square. However, there is also a parody on this just a few meters away.
In the middle of the square is the Lucerna passage, where you can find the statue of a dead horse with St. Wenceslas sitting proudly on his belly.
This sculpture supposes to stay here until the constitutional monarchy is restored in our territory.
It is really worth checking our the ancient mall that this statue is in.
Location: Lucerna Palace atrium, Štěpánská 61, Prague 1.
In the middle of the square is the Lucerna passage, where you can find the statue of a dead horse with St. Wenceslas sitting proudly on his belly.
This sculpture supposes to stay here until the constitutional monarchy is restored in our territory.
It is really worth checking our the ancient mall that this statue is in.
Location: Lucerna Palace atrium, Štěpánská 61, Prague 1.
Written June 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ginges_revenge
Brisbane, Australia5,863 contributions
Feb 2023
Its a different thing to see, a statue of a person riding an upside down horse. Its another cool David Cerny statue to see. It is supposed to represent an ironic twist of the main statue in Wenceslas square. When you go in, go up the stairs near it to get a good photo looking down onto it.
Written March 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bertie1224
Northamptonshire, UK1,448 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
You have to know that this piece of art is hanging from the ceiling of the Art Nouveau Lucerna Palace in Prague as is unlikely you’ll chance upon it. Another work created by Prague-born artist David Černý. It’s worth a tour of Prague just to see his work. It portrays Wenceslas astride an upside down perhaps dead horse? Not sure what the meaning is but it is a sight to behold. If you are in Prague seek it out.
Written April 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cristinel
Romania1,393 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Very interesting piece of work, it worth a visit. Unfortunately, being placed inside of Lucerna passage losses a lot of visitors. You have to look for it, it’s impossible to see it by chance. So either you go to see it or no. But it worth a visit for sure it is not what you can see everyday and anywhere.
Written August 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tiberiu_Baranyi
Timisoara, Romania18,192 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
King Wenceslas I - or Vaclav the Good - was a duke of Bihemia in the early 900's - and he was murdered by his brother Boleslav (the "Cruel").
As the centuries passed he was sanctified and became the patron saint of Czechs.
Now why this statue with the dead horse? Well their is a piece of legend and and artistic view behind it.
Since Vaclav is the patron saint and protector of the Czechs several times he was in the prayers of the people however the situation did no improve - so why Vaclav did not help? well he would have , but his horse died - so he can't ride to the rescue!
Now for sure is a mixture of legend, popular belief and artistical perspective , but the the statue of the King riding upside down the dead horse is today one of the landmarks of Prague and when you are visiting the Vaclav square for sure it is worth a detour in the galleria where you shall find this statue on display.
Entering and visiting is free of charge - and you will find the galleria just at the Rokoko palace in the Vaclav square ... Enjoy.
As the centuries passed he was sanctified and became the patron saint of Czechs.
Now why this statue with the dead horse? Well their is a piece of legend and and artistic view behind it.
Since Vaclav is the patron saint and protector of the Czechs several times he was in the prayers of the people however the situation did no improve - so why Vaclav did not help? well he would have , but his horse died - so he can't ride to the rescue!
Now for sure is a mixture of legend, popular belief and artistical perspective , but the the statue of the King riding upside down the dead horse is today one of the landmarks of Prague and when you are visiting the Vaclav square for sure it is worth a detour in the galleria where you shall find this statue on display.
Entering and visiting is free of charge - and you will find the galleria just at the Rokoko palace in the Vaclav square ... Enjoy.
Written January 13, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wenovo
Morris County, NJ2,026 contributions
Sep 2017 • Couples
King Wenceslaus. Dead horse. Element of surprise. Peculiar.
This enormous piece of David Cerny's art hangs in the atrium from the beautiful stained glass ceiling in Lucerna passage.
I am still not sure what to make out of it.
It is the old faded glory of the Lucerna passage that brings me back, the memories of the years gone by.
Not the dead horse :)
This enormous piece of David Cerny's art hangs in the atrium from the beautiful stained glass ceiling in Lucerna passage.
I am still not sure what to make out of it.
It is the old faded glory of the Lucerna passage that brings me back, the memories of the years gone by.
Not the dead horse :)
Written October 30, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingFinches07
San Francisco415 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
I took some time to get away from the tourist masses at Charles Bridge and Old Town to see the Upside-Down Horse and two other David Cerny sculptures that are within a 5 minute walk. Personally, I enjoyed seeing these 3 sculptures more than the Old Town Astronomical Clock. There was at most a handful of tourists at each Cerny sculpture verses the packed multitudes in Old Town Square. After viewing the Upside-Down Horse, go up the stairs and have coffee at the comfortable Art Nouveau Kavarna Lucerna.
The Upside-Down Horse was created by Cerny in 1999. It is installed near the famous Wenceslas Monument at the head of Wenceslas Square but in a hidden location. Some say that it makes fun of the hero worship and cult of St. Wenceslas. Other say it is a commentary on right-wing Czech prime minister turned president Vaclav Klaus.
Take the short walk to see 3 of Cerny's fascinating sculptures. If coming from Charles Bridge or Old Town, visit Man Hanging Out first (look up in direction of Old Town at corner of Husova & Skorepka). Next, walk 5 minutes to Head of Franz Kafka (in square at corner of Charvatova & Vladislavova). Finally, walk 5 minutes to Upside-Down Horse (Vodickova Street ½ block from Vaclavske Namesti, enter mall at Lucerna sign). If coming from Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske Namesti), reverse the directions.
The Upside-Down Horse was created by Cerny in 1999. It is installed near the famous Wenceslas Monument at the head of Wenceslas Square but in a hidden location. Some say that it makes fun of the hero worship and cult of St. Wenceslas. Other say it is a commentary on right-wing Czech prime minister turned president Vaclav Klaus.
Take the short walk to see 3 of Cerny's fascinating sculptures. If coming from Charles Bridge or Old Town, visit Man Hanging Out first (look up in direction of Old Town at corner of Husova & Skorepka). Next, walk 5 minutes to Head of Franz Kafka (in square at corner of Charvatova & Vladislavova). Finally, walk 5 minutes to Upside-Down Horse (Vodickova Street ½ block from Vaclavske Namesti, enter mall at Lucerna sign). If coming from Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske Namesti), reverse the directions.
Written May 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
seanoc64
London, UK130 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
The statue itself is very impressive and acts as a counterpoint to the huge imposing equestrian statue of Wenceslas in the square. The shopping centre is a bit run-down but the statue hangs in an atrium with a quirky cinema below and an art-nouveau styled bar/cafe above. Worth a visit if you are in the area, and if you visit the centre of Prague you will be in the area.
Written October 27, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer A
Seattle, WA26 contributions
Sep 2017 • Friends
We walked through here on a food tour. I don't think I would have liked it as well if it was our destination. There is good nearby food, so plan around lunch. It's actually made of styrofoam, so it wouldn't work well outside. Pretty edgy for the artist who has many other works around Prague. Very cool on person.
Written October 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan W
Cambridge, UK58 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
Spent a while looking for this - it turns out that it's at Palác Lucerna, Štěpánská, not Vodichkova 704/36, Lucerna Palace Gallery. Worth a few minutes if you're nearby.
Written August 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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