The Czech Republic mourned the passing of its first post-Communism democratically elected President late last year.
A Praguer through and through, playwright Vaclav Havel was one of the driving forces of Charter 77, the group of dissidents who sought to bring about the end of the repressive regime and ultimately succeeded in November 1989 in what was dubbed the Velvet Revolution.
You can walk in the footsteps of this national hero and see Prague as he did.
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Home sweet home
During his dissident years, when not imprisoned for his unharmonious views, Havel called the top floor of Gorazdova 19 home (map marker A). Located next to the Dancing Building.
The local
Just next door is the pub & restaurant Na Rybarne (map marker B), where he took celebrities such as Mick Jagger and Bill Clinton.
Nosy neighbours
In the background of that picture you’ll notice a tower (map marker C). It was from here that the StB, the Communist Secret Police, would observe Havel’s comings and goings.
School Days
Havel studied at the Theatre faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (map marker D) – why not take in a show by the school’s current students at the nearby DISK Theatre.
Cafe society
Head north along the river and you’ll soon pass the National Theatre and opposite it, on Narodni street, you’ll see Café Slavia (map marker E), with its plate glass windows overlooking the river. The coffee’s not up to much, especially since Prague’s got so many third wave cafes now, but you can’t go wrong with a beer.
To the Castle and Back
Havel’s memoirs, titled To the Castle and Back, tell it all in more detail but by all accounts he was reluctant to put himself forward but there was a groundswell of opinion and he relented. As The Economist puts it:
Havel confounded those who thought he was too dilettantish to be a proper president. He rollerskated through the corridors of Prague castle, exorcising the ghosts of the communist usurpers with his humanity and humour.
You can’t rollerskate there yourself but you can take a tour (map marker F).
Showing famous friends a good time
Havel was pretty well connected, pals with rockstars and world leaders from the Dalai Lama and Bill Clinton to Lou Reed and the Rolling Stones. Drop by Reduta Jazz Club (map marker G) in the evening to catch a performance and see where Clinton played his sax for Havel.
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Gorazdova 1982/19, 120 00 Prague 2-Nové Město, Czech Republic
Gorazdova 1983/17, 120 00 Prague 2-Nové Město, Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic
Karlova 223/26, 110 00 Prague 1-Old Town, Czech Republic
Národní 1012/1, 110 00 Prague 1-Old Town, Czech Republic
Hradčany, 118 00 Prague-Prague 1, Czech Republic
Národní 116/20, 110 00 Prague 1-Nové Město, Czech Republic
Havel’s apartment image credit: Furman University Education Department
Vaclav Havel image credit: Wikipedia Commons
Charlie is head of marketing at JayWay Travel. A long-term Prague resident, his interests are cooking, eating out, cycling, skiing and of course, travel.