Boris Nemtsov Square, Prague
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Boris Nemtsov Square (, until 27 February 2020 ''náměstí Pod kaštany'') is a square in Prague 6, Bubeneč, which houses the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Czech republic.


Original name

The path from the
Písek Gate Písek Gate (), also called Bruska Gate () is a former city gate of ''Baroque'' fortification of Prague, Czech Republic. Once belonging to the fortification section called Marian Walls () it is located in ''K Brusce'' Street in the Hradčany nei ...
to the Royal Game Preserve and the Governor's Summer Palace was originally a tree-lined avenue of lime trees, which were gradually replaced by chestnut trees during the 18th and 19th centuries. The road was renamed "Královská" in 1901, renamed Pod kaštany Street in 1925, and the small square at the end of the road was renamed Pod kaštany (Under the Chestnuts Square). Friedrich Petschek's villa, 19/1 Pod kaštany Square, was designed by architect Max Spielmann and built by architect Matěj Blecha in 1927-1930 for Bedřich (Friedrich) Petschek, who soon sold it to banker Jiří (Georg) Popper. From 1945, the villa housed the ''Embassy of the Soviet Union'', then the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Prague.


Boris Nemtsov Square

As of 2016, there was a petition demanding that the square be renamed '' Boris Nemtsov Square'', after the Russian liberal opposition politician who was shot dead in central Moscow On February 27, 2015. The authors of the petition said, among other things, "It is fitting that our republic and its capital city pay respect to
Boris Nemtsov Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov; (9 October 195927 February 2015) was a Russian physicist, liberalism in Russia, liberal politician, and outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin. Early in his political career, he was involved in the introduction of reform ...
and honour his memory. And that it is fitting to constantly remind the current
Putin regime Since 1999, Vladimir Putin has continuously served as either president (acting president from 1999 to 2000; two terms 2000–2008, three terms 2012–present) or Prime Minister of Russia (three months in 1999, full term 2008–2012). During h ...
that we are still serious about promoting freedom, democracy and human rights in the world - and also in Russia." The petition has received approximately 4,600 signatures by 2020.


Realization

On the basis of the submitted petition in 2020, a proposal to rename it Boris Nemtsov Square was approved by the Prague City Council and by the Prague City Assembly. The square was renamed on 27 February, five years after Nemtsov was shot dead. Boris Nemtsov's daughter, Zhanna, also took part in the renaming. Czech pro-Russian president
Miloš Zeman Miloš Zeman (; born 28 September 1944) is a Czech politician who served as the third president of the Czech Republic from 2013 to 2023. He also previously served as the prime minister of the Czech Republic from 1998 to 2002. As leader of the Cze ...
sees the act as an "unnecessary provocation", former ambassador to Russia and Ukraine
Jaroslav Bašta Jaroslav Bašta (15 May 1948 – 7 April 2024) was a Czech politician and diplomat. He was a signatory of Charter 77. Between 1998 and 2000 he served in the cabinet of Miloš Zeman as Minister without portfolio. Bašta became the Ambassador of t ...
called Prague's decision an act of
Russophobia Anti-Russian sentiment or Russophobia is the dislike or fear of Russia, Russian people, or Russian culture. The opposite of Russophobia is Russophilia. Historically, Russophobia has included state-sponsored and grassroots mistreatment and di ...
, and the change has also caused a stir among pro-Putin groups on social media. File:Náměstí Borise Němcova, 27.2.2020 II.jpg, Boris Nemtsov Square (Feb 27, 2020) File:Náměstí Borise Němcova, 27.2.2020 III.jpg, Boris Nemtsov Square (Feb 27, 2020) File:Náměstí Borise Němcova, 27.2.2020.jpg, Boris Nemtsov Square (Feb 27, 2020) File:Žanna Němcovová (2020) II.jpg,
Zhanna Nemtsova Zhanna Borisovna Nemtsova (; born 26 March 1984) is a Russian journalist and social activist. She is the daughter of Boris Nemtsov. Early life Nemtsova was born in Gorky, USSR (now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia) on 26 March 1984, to Russian pol ...
, daughter of Boris Nemtsov File:Náměstí Borise Němcova 5.jpg, "Russia without Putin" (Feb 27, 2020)


Russia's reaction

According to the Russian news agency TASS, Russian presidential spokesman
Dmitry Peskov Dmitry Sergeyevich Peskov (, ; born 17 October 1967) is a Russian diplomat serving as the Kremlin Press Secretary, spokesman for President of Russia, Russian president Vladimir Putin since 2012.Boris Nemtsov Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov; (9 October 195927 February 2015) was a Russian physicist, liberalism in Russia, liberal politician, and outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin. Early in his political career, he was involved in the introduction of reform ...
, Prague should also remember the Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of Czechia from the fascists, ignoring the fact that the Czech Republic takes care of 4224 war graves, memorials or monuments of fallen Soviet soldiers. Russian diplomatic spokeswoman
Maria Zakharova Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova (, ; born 24 December 1975) is a Russian politician who serves as the director of the information and press department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federa ...
also commented on the renaming, saying that "the statement of the Prague authorities is some nonsense, one could not expect more absurdity." The
Russian embassy This is a list of diplomatic missions of Russia. These missions are subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Russian Federation has one of the largest networks of embassies and consulates of any country. Russia has significant ...
changed its delivery address to ''34 Korunovační Street'' a few months after the square was renamed in 2020. This address is located 400 metres away, next to the embassy's second building, which houses its consular section. In April 2020, the mayor of Prague,
Zdeněk Hřib Zdeněk Hřib (born 21 May 1981) is a Czech healthcare manager and politician, who has served as chair of the Czech Pirate Party since November 2024, and served as the Mayor of Prague from November 2018 to February 2023. Initially a physicia ...
, was given police protection days after a news report suggested he was the target of an assassination plot.


International acclaim

The independent website Free Russia wrote about the upcoming act in advance on 7 February, the Voice of America on 9 February, and Expats.cz on 10 February. The renaming of the square after the assassinated Russian politician provoked widespread international coverage, with
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
reporting on the great symbolic significance of the act also in advance on February 11.
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...
,
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
and
BBC World Service The BBC World Service is a British Public broadcasting, public service broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC. It is the world's largest external broadcaster in terms of reception area, language selection and audience reach. It broadcas ...
,
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a media organization broadcasting news and analyses in 27 languages to 23 countries across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Headquartered in Prague since 1995, RFE/RL ...
and the independent daily
The Moscow Times ''The Moscow Times'' (''MT'') is an Amsterdam-based independent English-language and Russian-language online newspaper. It was in print in Russia from 1992 until 2017 and was distributed free of charge at places frequented by English-speaking to ...
also reported on Prague's Boris Nemtsov Square
Current Time TV Current Time TV () is a Russian-language television channel with editorial office in Prague, created by the US organisations Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America. Mission The channel – via RFE/RL – is funded throug ...
carried a pictorial report and a speech by the Prague mayor
Zdeněk Hřib Zdeněk Hřib (born 21 May 1981) is a Czech healthcare manager and politician, who has served as chair of the Czech Pirate Party since November 2024, and served as the Mayor of Prague from November 2018 to February 2023. Initially a physicia ...
and
Zhanna Nemtsova Zhanna Borisovna Nemtsova (; born 26 March 1984) is a Russian journalist and social activist. She is the daughter of Boris Nemtsov. Early life Nemtsova was born in Gorky, USSR (now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia) on 26 March 1984, to Russian pol ...
.


Memorial site to Alexei Navalny

Following the death of the leading Russian opposition politician
Alexei Navalny Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny (, ; 4 June 197616 February 2024) was a Russian Opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia, opposition leader, anti-corruption in Russia, corruption activist and political prisoner. He founded the Anti-Corruption Found ...
in February 2024, a memorial site was created here to honour his memory. Hundreds of people gathered here, bringing flowers, candles and banners with slogans such as ''Putin killed Navalny'', ''It was murder'' and ''We will not forget and we will not forgive''.


Boris Nemtsov Squares elsewhere

In Washington, D.C., USA, a section of the street in front of the Russian embassy has been named Boris Nemtsov Plaza since 2018. Boris Nemtsov Square is also located in
Vilnius Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...
,
Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
, and a park near the Russian embassy in
Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
was renamed after Nemtsov.


Anna Politkovskaya promenade

In addition to
Boris Nemtsov Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov; (9 October 195927 February 2015) was a Russian physicist, liberalism in Russia, liberal politician, and outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin. Early in his political career, he was involved in the introduction of reform ...
, another prominent Russian personality -
Anna Politkovskaya Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya (; 30 August 1958 – 7 October 2006) was a Russians, Russian investigative journalist who reported on political and social events in Russia, in particular, the Second Chechen War (1999–2005). It was her repor ...
, a journalist for the opposition newspaper
Novaya Gazeta ''Novaya Gazeta'' (, ) is an independent Russian newspaper. It is known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs, the Chechen wars, corruption among the ruling elite, and increasing authoritarianism i ...
who covered, among other things, Russia's military involvement in
Chechnya Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federa ...
and who was assassinated in 2006 - was added to the Prague local directory on February 27, 2020. ''"The murders of Politkovskaya and Nemstov demonstrated an inexorable process of the centralization of power in the Kremlin, the repression of human rights and independent journalism, and the use of regime propaganda to demonize all opponents and to whip up nationalist hatred"'', said
National Endowment for Democracy The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization in the United States founded in 1983 with the stated aim of advancing democracy worldwide and counter communism, communist influence abroad, by prom ...
President
Carl Gershman Carl Gershman (born July 20, 1943) served from 1984 to 2021 as the founding president of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a private, congressionally-funded, grant-making institution that supports non-governmental groups working for dem ...
. Prague has joined the list of cities honoring the name of Politkovskaya - there is also ''Politkovskaya Street'' in
Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...
, ''Rue Anna Politkovskaia'' in
Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
, ''Place Anna Politkovskaïa'' – located in the Paris suburb of
Montreuil Montreuil is a French place name derived from Medieval Latin , "Little Monastery". It most often refers to Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis (aka Montreuil-sous-Bois), a French commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, Seine-St-Denis department. It ma ...
and in the Villa Doria Pamphilj park in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, a small square was named after the Russian journalist in 2007. The hall for press conferences in the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...
is named after
Anna Politkovskaya Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya (; 30 August 1958 – 7 October 2006) was a Russians, Russian investigative journalist who reported on political and social events in Russia, in particular, the Second Chechen War (1999–2005). It was her repor ...
. The promenade by the Governor's Summer Palace in
Stromovka Stromovka (Royal Game Reserve) is a large park in the Bubeneč district of Prague. It sits on the floodplain of the river Vltava. At present, it spreads over an area of 95 hectares. It was established in the thirteenth century as a game reserve f ...
, near the newly renamed Nemtsov Square, is named after her. "It's a good step, very human and generous," said Vitaly Yaroshevsky, a former associate of the murdered journalist and deputy editor-in-chief of
Novaya Gazeta ''Novaya Gazeta'' (, ) is an independent Russian newspaper. It is known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs, the Chechen wars, corruption among the ruling elite, and increasing authoritarianism i ...
, who came to see the opening of the new promenade. File:Pojmenování Promenády Anny Politkovské ve Stromovce v Praze, 27.2.2020 (3).jpg File:Pojmenování Promenády Anny Politkovské ve Stromovce v Praze, 27.2.2020.jpg File:Pojmenování Promenády Anny Politkovské ve Stromovce v Praze, 27.2.2020 (5).jpg File:Pojmenování Promenády Anny Politkovské ve Stromovce v Praze, 27.2.2020 (detail).jpg, (detail)


Alexei Navalny Lookout

In February 2021 somebody has put up an unofficial street sign reading “
Alexei Navalny Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny (, ; 4 June 197616 February 2024) was a Russian Opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia, opposition leader, anti-corruption in Russia, corruption activist and political prisoner. He founded the Anti-Corruption Found ...
Lookout” by Prague’s Stromovka Park. The sign is very near the city’s Russian Embassy and between the actually existing
Boris Nemtsov Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov; (9 October 195927 February 2015) was a Russian physicist, liberalism in Russia, liberal politician, and outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin. Early in his political career, he was involved in the introduction of reform ...
Square and
Anna Politkovskaya Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya (; 30 August 1958 – 7 October 2006) was a Russians, Russian investigative journalist who reported on political and social events in Russia, in particular, the Second Chechen War (1999–2005). It was her repor ...
Promenade.В Праге в парке рядом с посольством РФ появилась табличка "Смотровая площадка Алексея Навального", Настоящее Время, 4.2.2021
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nemtsov Boris, Square, Prague Squares in Prague 2020 establishments in the Czech Republic