The Uber ride to Smíchov, one of Prague’s trendiest neighborhoods on the west bank of the Vltava River, was quick.
My destination was the Musoleum, the private museum of Czech sculptor David Cerný, one of the country’s most famous and controversial contemporary artists.
The Musoleum showcases his life’s work, including original sculptures, models, drawings, architectural projects, and several iconic pieces that have transformed the capital’s urban landscape.
Cerný was waiting for me in the lobby, portraying a surprising resemblance to rock icon Mick Jagger. I wanted to hear first-hand about his monumental Head of Franz Kafka, a 10.6-meter-high, 39-ton sculpture composed of 42 rotating stainless-steel layers.
Since 2014, it has become one of Prague’s most recognizable modern landmarks and one of the city’s most photographed public artworks.
Why Kafka’s rotating head has become a Prague icon
I was intrigued by one major question: Has the image of Franz Kafka – the German-speaking Jewish writer born in the Bohemia region, widely regarded as one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century – changed in recent years?
“What does Kafka mean to you, and why did you choose him for the rotating sculpture that has become a symbol of Prague’s renewal?” I asked Cerný.
“During the communist era, Kafka was a symbol of resistance,” he said. “I was born in 1967, and when I was young, Kafka seemed more German than Czech to me.
“But I clearly remember that the Soviets regarded Kafka as something gray, somewhere between forbidden and tolerated. Czech intellectuals, however, always embraced him as one of their own.”
“When I was commissioned at the beginning of the millennium to create a major artwork for Prague,” Cerný continued, “Kafka immediately came to mind, as did the location. He worked as an insurance clerk very close to where the sculpture stands today.
“The area was once home to a Jewish cemetery, and it is also next to Národní metro station, whose name means ‘national’ or ‘independence.’
“This triple connection – Kafka being a little German, a little Jewish, and a little Czech – seemed perfect for a rotating sculpture in that particular place.”
“I drew inspiration from an earlier work I exhibited in Charlotte, North Carolina, called Metamorphosis, which was made from similar materials and featured an anonymous portrait,” he said.
“To me, Kafka is the Marilyn Monroe of the 21st century, and that is why I chose him as the subject of the piece,” Cerný revealed.
Once overlooked, Kafka becomes a defining symbol of Prague
Kafka's place in Czech heritage has changed dramatically in recent decades. A writer once largely overlooked in his hometown has become one of Prague’s greatest cultural ambassadors and an essential part of the city’s tourism narrative.
The transformation began after the fall of communism in 1989, when Czechia started reconnecting with the multicultural roots of old Bohemia, where Czech, German, and Jewish communities lived side by side.
Yet the real momentum has come in recent years, driven by two major factors: the centenary of Kafka’s death in 2024, and a conscious effort by Czech tourism authorities to promote Prague through the story of its world-famous literary son.
Today, Kafka is no longer viewed simply as a German-language writer of Jewish origin. He is presented as a Prague-born global icon whose life and work are inseparable from the city’s identity.
Dedicated walking tours, exhibitions, public art, and cultural events have turned “Kafka’s Prague” into a tourism brand of its own.
Franz Kafka was born in Prague in 1883, and besides writing, he spent most of his life wandering its streets, drawing inspiration from the city’s unique atmosphere.
Besides creating iconic works such as The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle, Kafka was known for his long walks through the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter.
The Little White Horse building, which once housed the offices and warehouses of a trading company operating throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was among the buildings he passed during these walks.
Today, it is home to The Julius Prague, a luxury hotel that offers visitors a contemporary interpretation of that era. Its elegant design and spacious suites stand at the heart of a city increasingly embracing Kafka as one of its greatest cultural ambassadors.
The hotel lies within walking distance of many sites connected to the writer’s life, allowing guests to experience both modern Prague and the timeless atmosphere that inspired his work.
Must-see Kafka sites across Prague
For visitors wishing to step into Kafka’s world, Prague offers countless opportunities. Among the must-see sites, beyond Cerný’s rotating head, are:
The Franz Kafka Museum, located on the banks of the Vltava in Malá Strana, features manuscripts, letters, photographs, and multimedia exhibits exploring the writer’s life and imagination.
Kafka’s Birthplace, near Old Town Square, where a memorial marks the house in which Kafka was born.
Golden Lane No. 22, within Prague Castle, where Kafka lived for several months in a room rented by his sister Ottla and wrote some of his short stories.
Jaroslav Róna’s Kafka Statue, in the Jewish Quarter, inspired by one of Kafka’s early works and a highlight of literary walking tours.
Josefov, the Jewish Quarter, whose narrow streets, synagogues, and historic atmosphere preserve much of the world that shaped Kafka’s childhood.
The Old-New Synagogue, Europe’s oldest active synagogue and an important part of Kafka’s cultural environment.
Café Louvre, one of Prague’s grand historic cafés, frequented by intellectuals and artists during Kafka’s era.
Café Slavia, overlooking the Vltava and the National Theatre, and long associated with Prague’s literary traditions.
Wenceslas Square and the former Workers’ Accident Insurance Institute, where Kafka worked as a legal officer for many years, an experience that scholars believe influenced the bureaucratic worlds depicted in his novels.
The New Jewish Cemetery, where Kafka’s grave has become a pilgrimage site for admirers from around the world.
But there is another region to add to the story.
After being diagnosed with tuberculosis at the age of 34, Kafka embarked on a long search for healing through fresh air, nature, and spa treatments.
Like many intellectuals of his era, he visited the famous Bohemian spa region, including Mariánské Lázne and Karlovy Vary, hoping the thermal waters and restorative atmosphere would ease his suffering.
Although he never believed in miraculous cures, Kafka appreciated the calming rhythm of spa life and the sense of renewal offered by the mineral springs and elegant surroundings.
I followed his footsteps to better understand his desire to leave Prague for such retreats, secretly hoping for long life.
Staying at the refined Olympic Palace Spa Hotel, with its grand architecture and long wellness traditions, one can easily imagine the atmosphere of serenity and healing that once attracted Kafka and countless others to this timeless Bohemian destination.
The building itself stands on the site of the historic Germania House, where Karl Marx – the German philosopher, best known for developing the ideas of Marxism – constantly stayed, adding another layer to the city’s remarkable heritage.
While Kafka’s illness ultimately prevailed, his visits remain part of Central Europe’s enduring wellness tradition and its promise of renewal through nature.
As I observed guests supervised by the hotel medical team, I constantly wondered why they were really here, connecting to their positive hopes.
The controversial artist whose works shape modern Prague
Back in Prague, at Cerný’s Musoleum, I am reminded that his contemporary works continue to dominate the capital’s urban landscape.
From the Spitfire Butterflies adorning the façade of the historic Máj department store, to the giant Babies climbing the Zizkov Television Tower and the provocative Piss installation near the Kafka Museum. His artistic fingerprints are everywhere.
I asked Cerný how people in the Czech Republic react to his rotating Kafka work that has attracted so much attention.
He responded with a somewhat bitter smile: “No one thanks me for turning Kafka into a symbol of Prague.
“On the contrary, some people claim that I damaged the city’s uniqueness, and they haven’t really liked me since the sculpture was unveiled 12 years ago. To be honest, I’m generally not proud of my work. I’m fine with the sculpture, but nothing more than that.”
I could not help noticing the resemblance between the two artists. The comparison is difficult to ignore. Kafka was deeply self-critical and famously wanted his unpublished manuscripts destroyed after his death.
Cerný’s reluctance to celebrate his own achievements feels strikingly similar. Both men helped shape Prague’s identity while remaining uneasy about their own legacy.
Ironically, regardless of being the darling of capital society, Cerný himself seems to have fallen into a Kafkaesque predicament: his creation has taken on a life of its own, leaving the creator feeling misunderstood and unappreciated.
Yet perhaps this is precisely what makes Prague today a city experiencing a revival of Kafka’s Bohemian rhapsody – where the spirit of its most enigmatic writer continues to inspire new generations of artists, even those who, like Kafka himself, remain ambivalent about their own place in history.
The writer is the publisher of Travel Flash Tips.