A girl walks past the John Lennon Wall in Prague center . The John Lennon Wall is a wall, which once was one most of which could be found in any of the buildings in the Mala Strana district in the capital of the Czech Republic : Prague, but since the beginning of the 80 so named to be continually decorated with graffiti -inspired new figure of John Lennon and pieces of Beatles songs . The wall is located in the Plaza Velkop ? Evorské nám ? Stí , against Buquoy Palace which houses the French embassy and is owned by the Knights of the Maltese Cross Order that allow continuously follow new graffiti painting on it. The origin of the wall as it is known today dates back to the date on which John Lennon was murdered in 1980 . The leader of the Beatles was revered as a hero by the pacifists of central and eastern Europe in an era in which the communist authorities of these countries forbid even playing the same songs for your message considered subversive. After Lennon's death , on the wall appeared a portrait of the artist with challenging phrases painted with the authorities. The communist police proceeded to erase them but every time they tried , was a replay graffiti pieces also appearing Beatles songs as well as drawings of flowers, peace messages and other expressions of the youth of the time . Not even the installation of surveillance cameras night could prevent recurrence painted every time they were "cleaned " by the authorities. Today the wall is meant not only as a memorial to Lennon figure , but also a monument to freedom of expression and non-violent rebellion that brought Czech youth against an authoritarian regime. In 1998 the poor condition of the original wall meant I had to be rehabilitated, but after rehabilitation graffiti reappeared immediately . Markéta Lehecková .