Czechs stood in line for hours Monday to pay their last respects to Vaclav Havel, the former president whose funeral is due to held Friday.

President Vaclav Klaus and Dagmar Havlova, Havel's widow, have decided to have the funeral on Friday. Leaders from around the globe are expected to attend the funeral of the dissident leader and anti-Communist hero.

The Czech government has declared three days of official mourning beginning Wednesday, preparing for the first state funeral in the country for more than 30 years.

Born on October 5, 1936, Vaclav Havel was one of the fathers of pro-democracy movement in Eastern Europe. He led the "velvet revolution" against Communist rule in Czechoslovakia in 1989 and became president after the collapse of the regime.

One of his famous works is "Power of the Powerless", which analyses how a totalitarian regime sticks to power by manipulating and morally corrupting individuals. He was a global figure who believed in the motto: "Truth and love must prevail over lies and hate."

Have a look at some of the memorable moments in his life: