Žižkov, as an independent village, was founded in 1875 after division of Royal Vinohrady on two parts. Nowadays, it is little known that the previously proposed name of Rudolfov, in the honour of the royal Prince Rudolf, had not rooted and the patriotic name of Žižkov was accepted. Names of local squares and streets, recalling the Hussite period, are related to the name of this previously peculiar Prague district. On 15th May 1881 Emperor Franz Joseph I promoted Žižkov to a town. Žižkov had enjoyed its independence until 1st January 1922, when it was joined to Prague.
Name of one of the oldest squares in Žižkov does not go beyond the mentioned tradition, as it was called the Square of Prokop even before 1875. Prokop Holý, also known as Prokop the Great, became the leader of extreme Hussites after the death of Jan Žižka of Trocnov. He was killed on 30th May 1434 in the Battle of Lipany, which ended the revolution era of Hussite movement.
The square is surrounded with apartment houses and busy Prokopova Street is running through it. Market men had their stalls with traditional range of goods-fruits, vegetables, groceries and tiny hand-made products in the middle of the square for long decades.
Nowadays, in the centre of the square there is standing a riding sculpture of Czech writer, author of brilliant novel called Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka (Adventures of Good Soldier Švejk), Jaroslav Hašek. Author of the originally interpreted piece of art is sculptor Karel Nepraš. He had died during work and thus part of the memorial, the head of Hašek to be concrete, was completed by his daughter Karolína. The memorial was ceremoniously unveiled on 5th October 2005.
