The Lennon Wall Prague

The John Lennon Wall Prague (With 3 Ns Not 2)

John Lennon was and is a hero in Prague – even though John himself never visited Prague in his life.

In Mala Strana, near the French Embassy, you’ll still find the John Lennon Wall. The wall that is nothing special has been named Lennon´s since the 1980s when the young people of Prague filled it with John Lennon related graffiti and lyrics from Beatles songs.

The Communist Era

Lennon became a hero to the youth of Communist Europe prior to 1989 when western pop songs were banned by Communist governments, and especially John Lennon´s songs. Some young people and musicians were jailed for playing it!

When John Lennon was killed in 1980 he became a sort of folk hero to the young of Prague and his picture was painted on this one wall with graffiti defying the authorities. By doing this young people risked prison as many were charged with “subversive activities against the state”.

But the young people kept showing up at night to paint images of John and Beatles lyrics along with their own dreams about freedom and peace on the wall.

The Communist police constantly whitewash over the portrait and messages never managed to keep the wall clean. The day after it was whitewashed it again was full of poems, images of flowers and new paintings of Lennon. Even the installation of surveillance cameras and the posting of an overnight guard never stopped the youth of Prague.