Mustek metro stop

In Prague, all roads lead to Wenceslas Square. Or so it seems. This is the cosmopolitan center of the city, a hotbed of shopping, a grand open plaza, a transport hub, the home of the National Museum, and a good place to get a trdelník.

The Square has its quirky side as well.

The southern anchor of the square is the imposing National Museum building, a natural stop on my architectural quest. I was disappointed to learn that its collection is being moved next door while the main building is renovated. However, for just a few more days (said in used car salesman voice), there were classical music concerts being held in the lobby, giving visitors a final peek. Vivaldi and Dvořák were my ticket inside.

The temporary home of the museum has “utilitarian socialist crackerbox” written all over it. Sure enough, it was home to the federal parliament during the Communist era, and later housed Radio Free Europe, until the fear of terrorism chased RFE into more secure digs.

After seeing them all around town for a few days, I finally tried a trdelník in the Square.

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And night after night, I found myself passing through the plaza on my way back to the hostel.