The iconic building on the corner of Národní and Spálená streets in Prague, today Máj Národní, is starting to write a new chapter in its history. The two-year renovation, which transformed the original monofunctional Máj department store into Máj Národní, is coming to an end.
On an area of over 17,000 sqm, a space with shops, gastronomy and an amusement park for all generations was created. Máj Národní will open to its visitors on Monday, June 24, 2024. As of Sunday, May 19, 2024, the facade of the Máj Národní building on Národní třída in Prague 1 is decorated with sculptures of two butterflies by the Czech artist David Černý.
The unique work of art carries multiple symbols. "David Černý's work celebrates Czechoslovak fighter pilots, heroes who served with RAF operational squadrons during World War II. There are 359 small silhouettes of fighter planes created from cobblestones because there were exactly 359 fighters. Butterflies symbolise peace, the Spitfire is a symbol of a weapon, of war. There is a fine line between peace and war, and current events in the world make this appeal even stronger," explains Martin Klán, Member of BoD at Amadeus Real Estate, which has owned the department store building since 2019.
