11 Cool Statues in Prague You Have to See (With Map)

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Prague isn’t just a city of castles and cathedrals, it’s also a city of statues. Some are beautiful. Some are bizarre. And some you’ll walk right past if you’re not paying attention.

From iconic pieces like the rotating head of Franz Kafka to surreal creations like an upside-down horse, Prague’s statues are scattered across the city like hidden Easter eggs.

In this guide, I’m sharing the coolest statues I found during my time in Prague, including a few lesser-known gems most people miss. You’ll also find a map at the end so you can plan your own walking route to see them all.

Table of Contents

1. Rotating Head of Franz Kafka

A crowd gathers around the massive kinetic sculpture of Franz Kafka’s rotating head, made of shiny mirrored layers, surrounded by modern glass buildings in Prague.

📍 Location: Charvátova, 110 00 Nové Město

This massive mirrored sculpture of Franz Kafka’s head is one of Prague’s most eye-catching modern artworks. Created by controversial Czech artist David Černý, the 11-meter-tall installation is made of layered panels that rotate independently.

When I visited, there was a big crowd gathered in front of it and for good reason. What’s cool is that you don’t have to squeeze in front to get a good photo. Just wait a moment, and the head will spin to face your side of the square.

2. Statue of Franz Kafka

A surreal statue of Franz Kafka, showing a smaller Kafka figure riding on the shoulders of a headless, suit-clad giant, located in a small park in Prague. The buildings and bare trees set a wintry urban backdrop.

📍 Location: Dušní, 110 00 Staré Město

While the rotating head gets all the attention, there’s another Kafka statue in Prague that’s more subtle. Located in the Jewish Quarter, this bronze sculpture depicts Kafka riding on the shoulders of a headless suit, inspired by his short story Description of a Struggle.

This statue sits quietly near the Spanish Synagogue, one of the best things to see in Prague.

3. Man Hanging Out (Sigmund Freud)

A quirky sculpture of a man hanging one-handed from a metal beam jutting out over a narrow street in Prague, with pastel-colored historic buildings and a clear blue sky in the background. — Sigmund Freud dangling from a building

📍 Location: Husova, 110 00 Staré Město

This one’s easy to miss, because it’s hanging from a rooftop.

Titled “Man Hanging Out,” this small but striking statue by David Černý shows Sigmund Freud dangling one-handed from a pole high above Husova Street in the Old Town. It’s not marked and if you don’t look up, you’ll probably walk right underneath without ever noticing.

4. Crawling Babies

Large, surreal bronze sculptures of crawling babies with barcode-like slits in place of faces, displayed outdoors on a dirt path in Prague’s Kampa Park with trees and greenery in the background. — The statues in front of the Kampa Museum

📍 Location: Ostrov Kampa, 118 00 Malá Strana & Mahlerovy sady 1, 130 00 Praha 3-Žižkov

Possibly the weirdest statues in Prague, that’s saying something, are David Černý’s Crawling Babies. These giant, faceless infants have barcode-like slits where their faces should be, and you’ll find them in two spots:

Crawling up the Žižkov TV Tower
Crawling around Kampa Park near the Museum Kampa

They’re huge, surreal, and oddly compelling. The ones at Kampa are on ground level, so you can walk right up to them. I couldn’t decide if they were cute or creepy, or both.

5. Yellow Penguins

A row of bright yellow penguin sculptures stands on a wooden platform above the Vltava River in Prague, facing the historic cityscape with the iconic Charles Bridge and colorful buildings in the background under a streaky blue sky. The playful installation adds a quirky modern touch to the classic European skyline.

📍 Location: U Sovových mlýnů 418/5, 118 00 Malá Strana

Next to Museum Kampa, along a metal beam in the Vltava River, you’ll see a row of bright yellow penguins. This quirky art installation by the Cracking Art Group uses recycled plastic to make an environmental statement.

The penguins face away from the Charles Bridge, creating a fun and surprisingly photogenic contrast between playful modern art and Prague’s historic skyline.

6. Peeing Statues

Two green, layered bronze male figures stand in a shallow pool shaped like the Czech Republic, both urinating as part of an interactive kinetic sculpture in front of pastel-colored buildings.

📍 Location: Cihelná, 118 00 Malá Strana

Yes, you read that right, the Peeing Statues. This pair of bronze male figures urinating into a Czech Republic–shaped pool is one of David Černý’s most irreverent (and photographed) installations.

Located just outside the Franz Kafka Museum in Malá Strana, the statues have moving hips, and their “streams” actually spell out letters as they rotate.

7. Saint Wenceslas on the Upside-Down Horse

Inside Prague’s Lucerna Palace, a surreal sculpture of Saint Wenceslas riding an upside-down dead horse hangs from the ceiling beneath an ornate stained-glass dome. The bizarre statue contrasts with the art nouveau elegance of the surrounding cinema lobby. — The Upside-Down Horse inside the Lucerna Palace

📍 Location: Vodičkova 704/36, 110 00 Nové Město

This statue is a parody of the famous St. Wenceslas monument in Wenceslas Square. But instead of the heroic prince proudly riding a noble steed, this version shows him calmly perched atop an upside-down dead horse, its legs stiff in the air and tongue hanging out.

You’ll find this one inside Lucerna Passage, just off Wenceslas Square. It’s hanging from the ceiling, so don’t forget to look up.

8. Girl with Paper Swallow

A lifelike sculpture of a young girl sits barefoot on a stone ledge high up on a beige building wall, reading a book with a peaceful expression under a clear blue sky.

📍 Location: Karlova 181, 110 00 Staré Město

Tucked away in the courtyard of the Klementinum, this statue is one of Prague’s hidden gems. It shows a young girl sitting on a ledge, releasing a delicate paper swallow into the air.

It’s easy to miss, she’s high up on the wall, with no signs or explanations, so you really have to look up. The statue has a quiet feel that stands out from Prague’s more in-your-face public art.

You can enter the courtyard for free, but you’ll need a ticket to see the stunning Klementinum library.

9. Memorial to the Victims of Communism

A series of haunting bronze male figures descend a flight of stairs in a wooded park, each progressively more fragmented, symbolizing the physical and psychological toll of totalitarian rule in the Czech Republic.

📍 Location: Újezd 420/14, 118 00 Malá Strana

At the base of Petřín Hill, you’ll find one of Prague’s most somber sculptures: the Memorial to the Victims of Communism. It features a line of bronze human figures descending a staircase, each one progressively more decayed and fragmented than the last.

The sculpture represents how political prisoners were dehumanized during the communist regime, and how many never returned whole, or at all. It’s a moving reminder of the country’s recent history.

There’s also a plaque listing the number of people affected by the regime through arrests, forced labor, executions, and exile. It’s a quiet space, but one that hits hard.

10. Butterflies That Are Actually Airplanes

A surreal sculpture of a small airplane with massive purple butterfly wings is mounted on the exterior of a gray modern building, blending aviation with nature in a striking urban artwork.

📍 Location: Národní 63/26, 110 00 Nové Město

Outside the Máj Národní Department Store, you’ll spot what looks like a giant butterfly mounted above the sidewalk. But take a closer look, and you’ll see they’re actually airplanes, with wings that move.

We stumbled across this installation by chance, and it quickly became one of the most unexpectedly cool pieces of art we saw in Prague. It’s especially striking in the evening, when the butterflies are lit up in vibrant colors.

11. Cloak of Conscience

A mysterious, faceless statue titled Il Commendatore by Anna Chromý sits cloaked in flowing robes on a pedestal in front of a cream-colored building, evoking an eerie, ghostly presence in the historic city center.

📍 Location: Ovocný trh, 110 00 Staré Město

In front of the Estates Theatre, you’ll find a haunting bronze sculpture: an empty, hooded cloak. Known as the Cloak of Conscience (or simply Il Commendatore), the statue is a tribute to the character from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, which premiered here in 1787.

Map of the Statues in Prague

Final Thoughts & More Cool Finds

Whether it’s Kafka’s fragmented head, faceless crawling babies, or a pair of peeing statues spelling out poetry, Prague’s statues are anything but boring. Some make you think, some make you laugh, and some you might walk right past if you’re not looking closely.

That’s part of the magic of this city, art is everywhere, not just in museums.

Want more unexpected finds? Check out my guide to hidden gems in Prague for peaceful parks, secret viewpoints, and offbeat spots most tourists miss.