What comes to mind when Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk is mentioned? A dignified equestrian? An old grey-haired man with a beard and round spectacles? A contemplative president?

It is no wonder we imagin eso many versions of him: Masaryk was already 65 years old when he began his fight for an independent republic. Therefore, it should be no suprise that few know how to imagine young Tomáš.

We will take you on a stroll through Prague, which was an important part of Masaryk’s life. There was a time when he was a “mere” professor well-known among students and intellectuals. At that time, he conveyed to Czechs his idealsof Czechness and democracy even though these sentiments were not shared by rest of society. He strolled through the streets of the city without being noticed, just like any other ordinary citizen, only to travel through the same places a couple of years later with full presidental honours. Masaryk and Prague simply belong together.