Square of the Republic is situated in the area between crossroad at the Powder Gate and Revoluční Avenue. Since 17th century the southern part was called Hybernské Square, after the popular term Hybernové, who were Irish monks-Franciscans, who came to Prague in the period after the Battle of the White Mountain and they built a monastery there. At that time the northern part of the square was called Joseph’s or Capuchin Square. That was because a monastery of monks-Capuchins, founded in 1630, and church of St Joseph were in that place. During 1916-1919 it was called the Square of Franz Joseph I. During 1919-1940 the name Square of the Republic was valid, in the memory of foundation of the Czechoslovak Republic in October 1918. During German occupation the square was called Hybernské, and since 1945 it has been the Square of the Republic again.
Several outstanding buildings turn into the square. Among them there is also the most outstanding Prague building from the period of high classicism from 1808-1811, house U Hybernů no. 1037, built according to design by arch. Jiří Fischer. Later on it was used as a House of exhibition service, nowadays, after huge reconstruction it has been used as a musical-comedy theatre.
Another significant building in the square is the Municipal House of the capital of Prague, an exemplary model of Prague art-nouveau, built in 1905-1911 according to design by arch. Antonín Balšánek and Osvald Polívka. The front, ended with cupola, is decorated with mosaic called Tribute to Prague, according to carton by Karel Špillar.
In the eastern frontage of the square there is single-nave church of St Joseph with parvis from 1636-1653 by builder Melichar Mayer. Adjacent Joseph’s Barrack, later on Barrack of George of Poděbrady no. 1078, was abolished in 1993 and after few years of reconstruction the commercial and administrative centre called Palladium was opened there on 25th October 2007.
On the opposite side, in the eastern side of the Square of the Republic there is standing shopping centre Kotva. The complex building rose during 1970-1974 according to design by arch. Věra and Vladimír Machonins.
