Prague
Old Town Square
1. Prague Castle
Climb the Old Castle Steps
to Prague Castle and visit its
courtyards and the interiors
of the Old Royal Palace. From
St. Vitus Cathedral, head to
the Golden Lane – a former
haven for alchemists and
charlatans.
2. Vyšehrad
Soak up the atmosphere
of the Vyšehrad fortified
settlement, where before the
arrival of Christianity pagan
princes prayed to their forest
idols and where today stands
one of the most beautiful
churches in Prague.
3. Palace Gardens
Relax on the terraces of
the Baroque gardens below
Prague Castle and stroll
through the narrow, steep
streets of the Lesser Town.
4. Charles Bridge
Take an early morning walk
across the medieval stone
bridge, before its magnificent
Baroque statues are besieged
by crowds of tourists.
5. Old Town Square with
the Astronomical Clock
Do not forget that the Old
Town Square is the true heart
of Prague. What’s more, at the
top of every hour you can see
a procession of the Apostles
on the Old Town Hall
Astronomical Clock! Then,
while enjoying a beer or coffee
under Baroque arcades, you
can watch the bustle on the
square and admire the towers
of Týn Church.
6. The Jewish town
of Josefov
Follow the footsteps of Franz
Kafka and Prague’s famous
rabbis to the narrow lanes of
the former Jewish ghetto.
Prague is said to be the “heart
ofEurope” and is sometimes
called the “motherof
cities”. Over the centuries,
people have invented such
nicknames for Prague as the
CityofaHundredSpires,
GoldenPrague or Magic
Prague – always celebrating
its architectural and spiritual
richness and its mystical
attraction. You will discover
the glorious history of this
former imperial and royal city,
which today is the lively and
modern capital of the Czech
Republic, at almost every step
on Prague’s storied streets.
A guided tour of Prague
We will lead you to famous
monuments and places
full of history and also trace
the footsteps of celebrated
personalities, all with the
high-quality commentary
of professional tour guides.
A QR code links
to the website
www.prague.eu,
where you can purchase
the service online.
TOP 10
The Church of Our Lady before Týn
The Golden Lane
Charles Bridge
www.czechtourism.com 1
7. The Infant Jesus
of Prague
Visit the Church of Our Lady
Victorious, where pilgrims
pray to the famous Infant
Jesus of Prague for protection
and help.
8. Municipal House
Go to a concert of Mozart
or Vivaldi at the Municipal
House, the most magnificent
Czech Art Nouveau building.
9. Petřín Hill
Surrounded by trees on the
top of Petřín, you will forget
that you are in the heart of
a metropolis.
10. Estates Theatre
Go to the Estates Theatre to
see the opera The Marriage
of Figaro where it was
personally conducted by the
genius Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart in 1787. This opera
has played here ever since.
Gothic and Romanesque
glory
The oldest Romanesque
church building in Prague is
the 11th-century Rotunda
of St. Martin at Vyšehrad,
with circumferential walls
nearly a metre thick. The
most famous, of course, is
the Basilica of St. George
at Prague Castle, in whose
interior you can see the
tomb of the Czech patron
St. Ludmila.
Gothic architecture
experienced its greatest
period of expansion in Prague
in the 14th century, during
the reign of the Holy Roman
Emperor and Bohemian
King Charles IV. St. Vitus
Cathedral and the Old
Royal Palace at Prague
Castle are among the jewels
of European architectural
heritage.
A photo of the Charles
Bridge with the silhouette
of Prague Castle in the
background – this has
become the visual symbol of
the city of Prague. The bridge,
with 31 statues and a massive
tower at either end, is more
than half a kilometre long. Its
most famous decoration is a
Baroque statue of St. John of
Nepomuk.
The Old Town Hall
complex is made up of a
70-metre tower, three adjacent
buildings, and its biggest
attraction: the Astronomical
Clock, where at every hour
wooden statues of the twelve
Apostles file past.
The Church of Our Lady
before Týn, with two
80-metre towers, was in its
time the tallest building in
Prague. The church is the
burial place of the Danish
astronomer Tycho Brahe.
The fame of the Prague
Astronomical Clock spread
throughout Europe. Many
wanted the Czech clockmaker
Master Hanuš to construct
for their city an equally
wondrous instrument for
measuring time. The Prague
city councillors did not want
to lose the uniqueness of their
clock, so they had Master
Hanuš blinded. Other legends
are told about the Old Town
Astronomical Clock. One says
that when the instrument
stops working, war will come
to the land.
Prague’s Renaissance
beauty
One of Prague’s first
buildings in the Italian
Renaissance style is the
imposing Schwarzenberg
Palace on Hradčany Square
(Hradčanské náměstí).
Nearby stands Martinic
Palace, where several
episodes of the popular
historical series The Borgias
were shot. Both palaces are
notable for their outstanding
sgraffito decoration.
Baroque pearls of Prague
It is said about the Church
of St. Nicholas in the Lesser
Town that it is the most
valuable Baroque building
north of the Alps. Its interior
is decorated with huge
frescoes with scenes from
the life of St. Nicholas. The
composer W. A. Mozart rarely
missed an opportunity to play
the church’s organ with its
four thousand pipes.
The Clementinum is one
of the greatest Baroque
complexes in Central Europe.
The most interesting places
here are the 68-metre
Astronomical Tower and
the Baroque library hall
with unique globes from the
18th century. Here you will
also find the oldest Czech
meteorological station.
The Baroque gardens
situated on the slopes below
Prague Castle and in the
Lesser Town will entice you to
relax. Be sure not to miss the
terraced Vrtbovská Garden
and the garden of Wallenstein
Palace.
Prague has always been
a living organism, where
over the centuries
allEuropeanarchitectural
styles have appeared.
Prague now boasts a totally
unique and extensive
historical city centre,
which since 1992 has been
a protected UNESCO
World Heritage Site.
Prague
Architecture
Take a boat trip on the
Vltava River and visit the
Troja Chateau with its
beautiful gardens, art
gallery and wine cellars.
Near the chateau is
a popular zoo and botanical
garden. Steamboats
sail from the Rašín
Embankment (Rašínovo
nábřeží) daily from late
March to late October.
A guided tour of Prague
A magnificent textbook
of architecture.
Discover the city’s most
beautiful buildings and the
history of their origins.
In the Royal Garden in
front of the Queen Anne
Summer Palace you will see
the Renaissance “Singing
Fountain”. The sound of
water falling on a bronze
bowl recalls the distant
ringing of Prague’s bells.
Carefully position your ear
below the bottom of the
lower bowl and let yourself
be transported.
Troja Chateau
Church of St. Nicholas
Astronomical Clock on the Old Town Square
2 Prague www.czechtourism.com 3
Symmetrical Classicist and
Empire styles
Classicism was inspired by the
ancient world, eliminating the
ostentatious ornamentation
of the Baroque period and
embracing austerity and
simplicity. A prime example
is the Estates Theatre on
the street Ovocný trh (Fruit
Market). W. A. Mozart
liked it so much that he had
precisely this theatre in mind
when writing his opera Don
Giovanni, which had its world
premiere here in 1787. The
Czech-born film director
Miloš Forman shot scenes
for his Oscar-winning film
Amadeus here.
Other examples of Classicism
and the Empire style in
Prague are the Church
of the Holy Cross on
Na Příkopě street, the
U Hybernů building on
the Square of the Republic
(náměstí Republiky) and the
Kinský Villa at the foot
of Petřín Hill.
Historicist architecture
of the 19th century
The monumental NeoRenaissance
building of
the National Museum,
which occupies the entire
top of Wenceslas Square,
is of crucial importance to
the Czech nation, as is the
Rudolfinum building on Jan
Palach Square (náměstí Jana
Palacha), which hosts major
concerts and art exhibitions.
The beautiful building of the
National Theatre is the
representative stage of the
Czech Republic and one of the
symbols of Czech identity.
Because of its rich gold
decoration, this theatre on
the banks of the Vltava River
is often called the “golden
chapel”.
Among church buildings,
noteworthy ones are the
Neo-Gothic Church of
St. Ludmila on Peace
Square (náměstí Míru) in
the Vinohrady quarter and
the Basilica of Sts. Peter
and Paul at Vyšehrad,
which is one of the dominant
landmarks of Prague.
Gems of Prague Art
Nouveau
Art Nouveau architecture
is characterized by its rich
ornamentation with a
wealth of floral motifs, all
distinctively decorated in
ceramic, gold, enamel and
coloured cut glass. It was in
full bloom in the early 20th
century when the grand
representational building
of the Royal City of Prague
was constructed – the
Municipal House (náměstí
Republiky 5). The regal
appearance of this building
is crowned with outstanding
artistic decoration by many of
the prominent personalities
of the time, such as the worldfamous
painter Alfons Mucha.
You can visit its perfectly
preserved Art Nouveau café,
and you can do likewise at
the Grand Hotel Evropa
(Václavské náměstí 25–27).
Also significant is the
Pojišťovna Praha building
(Národní 7), whose facade
is decorated with a large
and colourful Czech lion;
the Industrial Palace at
the Výstaviště exhibition
grounds in Holešovice,
where exhibitions and fairs
have been held since the
19th century; and the lavish
Vinohrady Theatre on
Peace Square (náměstí Míru),
which in its day became the
symbol of the wealth of the
Vinohrady quarter.
Go to see Mozart’s opera
The Marriage of Figaro
at the Estates Theatre,
presented in the original
Italian with English
subtitles.
Sharp edges, geometric
forms and crystalline
structures – these are the
typical elements that adorn
the facades and also the
interiors of buildings created
in the unique architectural
style of Czech Cubism
Prague Cubism
Visit the most famous Cubist
building, the House at the
Black Madonna (Ovocný
trh 19), designed by the
leading Czech architect Josef
Gočár. It houses an original
Cubist café with beautiful
chandeliers and light fixtures
and also the Kubista shop,
where you can buy products
such as jewellery, ceramics
and light fixtures by designers
inspired by this style. Note
the Baroque statue of the
Black Madonna on the corner
of the house, which gave the
building its name.
A walking tour of Prague
Cubism
Take a walk past three of
the most beautiful Cubist
residential buildings in
Prague, designed by the
architect Josef Chochol and
located below Vyšehrad. Not
far from the Výtoň tram stop
is the opulent Kovařovic
Villa (Libušina 3). On
the corner of Neklanova
On a walk through the
centre of Prague, don’t
overlook the unique
Cubist lamppost made
of artificial stone, metal
and glass on Jungmann
Square (Jungmannovo
náměstí). Credited with
the preservation of this
lamppost was the worldfamous
Czech architect
Jan Kaplický, who designed
such buildings as the Lord’s
Media Centre in London.
and Přemyslova streets is
a masterpiece of architectural
Cubism – a four-storey
residential building. And
beside the tram line leading
from the city centre to Podolí
below Vyšehrad Rock stands
the two-storey “Triple
House”.
House at the Black Madonna, Cubist Café
Cubist ceramics – Pavel Janák
Kovařovic Villa
Powder Tower and Municipal House
Vrtbovská Garden
National Theatre
Visit the villa of the sculptor
and graphic artist František
Bílek near Prague Castle.
The Art Nouveau building
with its rough brick facade
was intended by the artist
to express fields of grain
(the columns) and a scythe,
which is represented by the
unusual semicircular layout
of the house. A permanent
exhibition presents Bílek’s
sculptural works from his
peak creative period.
4 Prague www.czechtourism.com 5
At the ancient seat of
Bohemian kings you will
encounter unique buildings
from many architectural
periods, from the Middle
Ages to the 20th century.
Today the castle is the seat
of the president of the Czech
Republic, yet a large part of
the complex is still open to the
public.
Prague Castle
St. Vitus Cathedral (1)
is the largest and most
important church in Prague.
Don’t miss the Art Nouveau
window by Alfons Mucha,
the Gothic tombs of Czech
kings or the Chapel of
St. Wenceslas, the patron
saint of the nation. Inside
the chapel, which is richly
decorated with semi-precious
stones, there is a room that
protects the Czech crown
jewels – a crown, sceptre
and orb. They are displayed
on special occasions. Do not
overlook the valuable mosaic
above the Golden Gate next
to the entrance to the south
tower, from which you can
enjoy spectacular views.
The Old Royal Palace (2)
served as the residence of
Czech kings until the 16th
century. During a tour of
the palace you will see the
great Vladislav Hall with
its magnificent late Gothic
vaulting. The St. George
Basilica (3) enjoys renown
as one of the oldest religious
buildings in Central Europe.
It was founded as early as
920, and with the exception of
the façade, which was lavishly
rebuilt in the Baroque style,
it retains its Romanesque
character. The colourful little
houses with tiny windows
and chimneys in the Golden
Lane (4) are where until the
mid-20th century craftsmen
and artists lived, including
Franz Kafka.
The Queen Anne Summer
Palace (5) in the Royal
Garden was built for
festivities but also for rest
and relaxation. In the park
in front of it is the “Singing
Fountain”. The Daliborka
Tower (6) was part of the
castle fortifications. Today
you can see the foundations
Do not miss the ceremonial
passing of the standards
and changing of the guard
at Prague Castle, which
is held with great fanfare
every day at noon in the
castle’s first courtyard.
18
5
6
7
2
3
4
Chapel of St. Wenceslas
Panorama of the Hradčany quarter
6 Prague www.czechtourism.com 7
of the dungeon, and the tower
offers a beautiful view of the
Deer Moat (7) below Prague
Castle – a wooded ravine
where Emperor Rudolf II
went to hunt game.
The Baroque Riding
School (8), which is more
than 90 metres long, was
where the nobility came to
hone their equestrian skills.
It now holds exhibitions of
fine art.
The Queen Anne Summer Palace
Changing of the guard at Prague Castle
Panoramic views of Prague
are truly breathtaking. When
you look out over the city from
the Prague Castle, you will see
why it is called the Cityof
aHundredSpires – countless
towers and the spires of
churches and other buildings
rise above it.
The tower of the Old Town
Hall offers the most
comfortable ascent – it
is completely accessible by
wheelchair. From the nearly
60-metre tower you will have
a beautiful view of the Old
Town Square and the roofs of
the nearby houses.
The Petřín Tower (in
Petřín Gardens), which is
the younger sister of the
Eiffel Tower, has the most
stairs – 299. It measures
only 60 metres, but it is set
in a beautiful location – on
top of Petřín Hill, which is
popular with Prague residents
as a place for walks. In good
weather, you can catch a
glimpse of Říp Mountain in
the distance, a hallowed place
in Czech history.
The Žižkov TV Tower affords
the most distant views.
Prague’s tallest structure (216
metres), it has a panoramic
terrace from which on a
clear day you can even see
the peaks of the Krkonoše
Mountains in north-east
Bohemia. The sculptor
David Černý mounted huge
sculptures of climbing babies
on the tower’s exterior.
The most beautiful
view of the Prague Castle
complex is your reward for
climbing the 287 steps to the
observation deck of the tower
of St. Vitus Cathedral. Inside
the tower is the largest Czech
bell, nicknamed Zikmund.
Other Prague towers are
cerainly worth a visit – the
belltower of the Church of St.
Nicholas in the Lesser Town,
the Old Town and Lesser
Town towers of the Charles
Bridge, and the Powder
Tower.
Views of Prague will open
up before you not only from
Prague’s towers but also from
the surrounding hilltop parks
– you will enjoy a bird’s-eye
view from Vyšehrad, Petřín,
Hradčany or Letná Plain
Panoramic
Prague
The most beautiful
photographs of the
panorama of Prague Castle
with the Charles Bridge can
be taken from the Smetana
Embankment (Smetanovo
nábřeží).
You can see a virtual
panorama of Prague on the
website
www.stovezata.praha.eu.
It captures 360° views
of the city from Prague
towers.
On the large map, look for
the symbol. It indicates
the places that will offer
you the loveliest views of
Prague.
Old Town towers
Prague Castle and Charles Bridge
8 Prague www.czechtourism.com 9
Petřín Tower
Charles Bridge from the Lesser Town Tower
Prague is a city tailor-made
for romance. Evening strolls
through the narrowstreets in
the glow of old street lamps,
exploring half-forgotten
nooks and corners of the Old
Town, wandering through the
blooming orchards on Petřín
Hill, aboatride on the Vltava
River, a picnic on the grass
along the river banks – all
these romantic experiences
are at your fingertips in
Prague.
Romantic
Prague
Romantic Kampa is
located in the Lesser Town,
just below the Charles
Bridge. Originally it was an
island separated from the
mainland by the Čertovka
mill race. Waterwheels can
be seen to this day, as well as
picturesque houses and small
squares from which you can
head to beautiful park land
near the river.
Other islands are also
romantic – you can relax
pleasantly on the grass on
Střelecký (Shooting) Island –
at sunset there is an especially
breathtaking view of the
National Theatre from here.
An ideal place for romantic
walks is Letná Park above
the Vltava River, and a
popular place for picnics
is the former game park
Stromovka.
Right in the city centre
rises Petřín Hill, where
particularly in
May, amongst the flowering
cherry trees, romance hangs
in the air. At its top you will
find a look-out tower and
a pavilion with a mirror maze.
For more than a century,
visitors have been able to
reach the top of the hill via
a unique funicular. Observe how Prague
gradually lights up after
dusk, for example from
the outlook platform at
Prague Castle. First to be
illuminated are buildings
from the 10th century, and
at an interval of 3 minutes
structures from the
following centuries are
lighted.
On Slovanský (Slavic) Island
you can rent a rowboat
or a pedal boat and see
the Charles Bridge, the art
museum at Sova Mills and
Střelecký Island from the
water, just as it was seen
for centuries by rafters who
floated wood down the
Vltava.
A view of Prague from Petřín Hill
Čertovka mill race
10 Prague www.czechtourism.com 11
Charles Bridge
Wedding, Vrtbovská Garden
Today, Prague is a
cosmopolitan city where we
find side by side restaurants
with cuisines from around
the world. Amid this babel
offlavoursandaromas,
however, you will still easily
recognize a typical Czech
restaurant with toothsome
dishes, Czech beer on
draught and excellent
Moravian wine.
Culinary
Prague
Musical
Prague
For centuries, traditional
Czech cooking was influenced
by other nations, due to
its location in the centre of
Europe, and Czech cuisine
likewise had a big influence
on Austrian and Bavarian
cooking. Yet it still maintains
a very distinctive character.
Popular Czech dishes include
variations of sauces with
meat and dumplings, roast
poultry, freshwater fish,
hearty soups, sweet buns, and
cold meals that are a perfect
accompaniment to beer.
Many gourmands set off to
Prague in search of excellent
Czech beer. It is offered
by most restaurants and
bars. These days, the best
beer is being poured in the
so-called brewpubs, which
are large, often multi-storey,
restaurants where beer is
brewed on site in brass tanks.
The best foods to enjoy with
beer are spicy goulash, roast
duck, roast pork knuckle or,
when you are not terribly
hungry, pickled sausages
called utopenci, literally
“drowned men”.
When dining at a restaurant,
order the popular Czech dish
svíčková na smetaně –
tenderloin in cream sauce.
Your plate will arrive with
a slice of quality beef with
dumplings, all bathing in
a mild yet flavourful sauce
made from vegetables and
cream.
Gastronomy at the highest
level can be experienced
at the Alcron restaurant
in the Radisson Blu Hotel
(Štěpánská 40), at the
Feld Restaurant
If you are looking for
a quality restaurant,
choose one that is marked
with the Czech Specials
sticker. This designation
guarantees high-quality
Czech cuisine in a pleasant
environment. Look for more
about Czech cuisine at
www.czechspecials.cz.
Visit Prague’s farmers’
markets, where food
producers from the Czech
countryside come to sell
their products – homemade
cheese, sausages, ham,
fish delicacies, sweets
and wine. Large farmers’
markets take place
seasonally, for example,
at George of Poděbrady
Square (náměstí Jiřího
z Poděbrad) and along the
waterfront near the Palacký
Bridge.
When one mentions Czech
music, many will immediately
think of the composers
AntonínDvořák and Bedřich
Smetana, who were inspired
by Prague to create their
world-known musical
masterpieces.
You can learn about the life
of Antonín Dvořák, whose
Symphony No. 9, known
as From the New World,
was played when American
astronauts first landed on the
Moon, at a museum in Villa
America (Ke Karlovu 20).
The Museum of Bedřich
Smetana, where you
can hear, for example, his
symphonic poem Vltava, is
located in a historical building
near the Charles Bridge
(Novotného lávka 1).
“My Praguers understand
me” – this is the famous
declaration the genius
Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart made to express his
relationship to the people of
Prague. His stays in Prague
are associated primarily with
the Estates Theatre, where he
conducted the world premiere
of one of his operas, and the
Church of St. Nicholas, where
he played the organ.
Don’t miss a music festival
Prague Spring, a festival
of classical music, is held in
May and June at such venues
as the Rudolfinum and the
Municipal House.
Strings of Autumn,
a festival whose programme
creates a bridge between
musical genres, takes place in
the fall at places including the
Rudolfinum and the Estates
Theatre.
The Summer Night’s
Dream festival holds
concerts at the end of summer
on floating stages on the
Vltava River near the Charles
Bridge.
United Islands is
a multigenre festival taking
place on Prague’s islands in
the summer.
Visit the Czech Museum
of Music (Karmelitská 2/4),
where you can see a piano
that belonged to Bedřich
Smetana and listen to
original recordings of
musical compositions.
A thrilling marriage of
music, water and light
effects takes place at
the Křižík Fountain at
the Výstaviště exhibition
grounds in Holešovice.
Especially in the summer
season, do not miss a ballet
performance to the music
of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake
or The Nutcracker.
www.krizikovafontana.cz
A guided tour of Prague
Through Prague in search
of music.
In the footsteps of Antonín
Dvořák, W. A. Mozart,
Bedřich Smetana, all the
way to the John Lennon
Wall.
Czech beer
Lunch on a terrace
A scene from a performance of the opera Don Giovanni
Estates Theatre
12 Prague www.czechtourism.com 13
(12, U Milosrdných) and
at La Degustation Bohême
Bourgeoise (Haštalská 18),
which boast a Michelin star.
Prague is a cityoflegends
and ghost stories.
Some have their origins
in medieval times, but many
of them belong purely
to the realm of fantasy.
On your wanderings through
Prague, let yourself become
swept up in the old tales
about headless knights,
devils and wizards.
The best-known legend of old
Prague is about the Golem.
It is said that this artificial
man was created from clay
by the Jewish scholar Rabbi
Löw to serve him and protect
the Jewish ghetto. According
to the tale, the rabbi hid the
Golem in the attic of the OldNew
Synagogue.
The painting The Death
of St. Francis Xavier,
which can be seen in the
Church of St. Nicholas in
the Lesser Town, allegedly
holds a mystery. It is said that
whoever is able to decipher
its secret while contemplating
the painting will receive
enormous wealth.
On one of the pillars of
the Charles Bridge is a
column with the Knight
Bruncvík. According to
a medieval Czech legend,
Bruncvík rescued a lion
from a dragon, and the lion
then accompanied him on
his travels. It is said that
this is how the lion became
part of the emblem of Czech
kings. The story goes that
Bruncvík’s legendary sword
was embedded in the one of
the pillars of the bridge after
the knight’s death, and it is
said that it will appear again
when the Czech nation is
experiencing its worst times.
Magic
Prague
A guided tour of Prague
Prague by night, or on the
trail of Prague legends and
ghosts.
A headless knight,
buried treasure, a burning
man – where will you
encounter them in Prague?
A performance by the Laterna Magika ensemble
The Death of St. Francis Xavier
Column with the
Knight Bruncvík
14 Prague www.czechtourism.com 15
See one of the Laterna
Magika performances
at the New Stage of
the National Theatre
(Národní 4), which use
no words but work with
a combination of film
projections, dance, music,
light and pantomime. In
the production Legends of
Magic Prague, for example,
the Golem and alchemists
from the court of Emperor
Rudolf II appear. More at
www.laterna.cz.
Prague developed over the
centuries as a crossroads
of ChristianandJewish
cultures. Dozens of churches,
from the Romanesque to
modern times, as well as
many celebrated Jewish
synagogues bear silent
witness to the city’s rich
spiritual life.
Spiritual
Prague
An important pilgrimage site
in Prague is the Loreto –
a complex encompassing the
Holy Hut and the pilgrimage
Church of the Nativity of Our
Lord. Listen to the unique
carillon that chimes at the
top of every hour. A rarity is
the Loreta Treasure, whose
most precious object is
a monstrance decorated with
6,222 diamonds.
Pilgrims from all over the
world flock to the Church
of Our Lady Victorious
(Karmelitská 9) and pray to
the Infant Jesus of Prague
for protection, healing and
help in conceiving a child.
The statuette, which is 47
centimetres high, comes from
Spain and portrays Jesus in
benediction.
Czech saints
The most famous is St. John
of Nepomuk, who is one
of the Czech patrons and is
widely known around the
world. He was martyred in
1393 and his body was thrown
into the Vltava River from
the Charles Bridge. Statues
of St. John of Nepomuk are
a traditional feature of the
Czech countryside; you will
recognize them by their halos
with five stars.
The main Czech patron
saint and a symbol of Czech
statehood is the Czech prince
St. Wenceslas, whose
monumental equestrian
statue can be seen at the top
of Wenceslas Square.
In May each year, Venetian
gondolas and dozens
of historic ships with
musicians sail down
the Vltava River in the
Midsummer Navalis,
a beautiful spectacle
of lights, music and
fireworks in honour
of St. John of Nepomuk.
In the Church of Our Lady
Victorious you can view
a collection of gowns
in which the Carmelite
Nuns dress the Infant Jesus
of Prague according
to liturgical customs.
16 Prague www.czechtourism.com 17
Statue of St. John of Nepomuk on the Charles Bridge
Statue of St. WenceslasThe Infant Jesus of Prague
Loreto
18 Prague www.czechtourism.com 19
The Maisel Synagogue was
commissioned by a wealthy
primas of the Prague Jewish
Community, Mordechai
Maisel, nearly five centuries
ago, as was the largest
synagogue in the ghetto, the
Klausen Synagogue.
In the Pinkas Synagogue,
visitors see a very unusual
exhibition – more than 4,000
drawings by Jewish children
who were interned at the
Terezín concentration camp
in northern Bohemia, many
of whom died at the hands
of the Nazis. The walls are
hand-inscribed with some
80,000 names of Czech Jews
who perished under the Nazi
regime.
At the Old Jewish
Cemetery, among the
12,000 tombstones you will
find the grave of Rabbi Löw,
who, according to ancient
legend, created an artificial
being – the Golem.
The building of the former
ceremonial hall and
charnel house was designed
in a pseudo-Romanesque
style at the beginning of the
20th century and is now an
exhibition venue.
The oldest and most beautiful
Jewish temple is the OldNew
Synagogue, which
boasts massive brick gables.
According to legend, it is in
the attic here that the fabled
Golem is stowed.
The gorgeous Spanish
Synagogue stands on the
site where Jews from Spain
settled when they were
expelled by Queen Isabella of
Castile in the 15th century.
On the tombstone of Rabbi
Löw, tourists leave little
notes with secret
wishes. It is said that the
rabbi is able to fulfil the
pilgrims’ wishes. Michelle
Obama recently did this,
and so can you.
It is said about Prague
native Franz Kafka
that nowhere but in
Prague could his novels
Metamorphosis, The
Castle and The Trial have
originated. Visit the Café
Louvre (Národní 22), where
Kafka used to go and where
the physicist Albert Einstein
also liked to stop during
his visits to Prague. Do not
miss the Café Slavia, which
was frequented not only by
Franz Kafka but later by the
writer Milan Kundera.
A guided tour of Prague
Jewish Prague.
What was the old Jewish
ghetto like? The fate of its
locations, residents and
prominent personalities.
Jewish
Prague Jews began settling in Prague
as early as the 11th century,
and the magnificentold
synagoguesin the area of
Prague known as Josefov
show that Prague has always
been an important centre of
religious and social life for the
Jewish Community in Central
Europe.
Prague in the footsteps
of Franz Kafka.
Where did the famous
writer go, where did
he live, and where
did he fulfil his secret
aspirations?
Old-New Synagogue
Statue of Franz Kafka
The Old Jewish Cemetery
Prague is a city full of
surprises. Just one day
to discover the city is not
enough. We present some
ideas on how to choose from
the best that Prague has to
offer when you are in the city
for only oneortwodays. Let it
inspire you …
Day one
The first day you will
definitely want to begin in the
Hradčany quarter. Start
from Pohořelec, near the
imposing Černín Palace,
which houses the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Stop at the
Loreto, with its Holy Hut and
a valuable treasury, and listen
to its carillon. Walk through
the Strahov Monastery
and climb the Petřín
Tower, which rises above
the city to a height of nearly
300 metres. From here, the
entire city unfolds before
your eyes. When you head
back to Hradčany Square,
stop at the Marian Plague
Column and the statue of the
first Czechoslovak president,
T. G. Masaryk. Then you
are greeted by Prague
Castle. Set aside enough
time for a tour of this most
important of Prague sights.
At the castle, be sure to visit
the Cathedral of Sts. Vitus,
Wenceslas and Adalbert
and the Golden Lane, where
alchemists once lived in the
miniature houses. If you
arrive at the first courtyard of
the castle by noon, you will
see the ceremonial changing
of the guard with an unusual
musical accompaniment.
From April to November, you
can also view the beautiful
gardens of Prague Castle.
Day two
On your second day in
Prague, explore the areas
below the castle. Tour the
picturesque Old Town and
the Lesser Town. Start at the
Municipal House, from
where you will head down
Celetná Street, where the
writer Franz Kafka lived at
No. 2 and 3, towards the
Old Town Square. Stop
at the House at the Black
Madonna (Ovocný trh 19),
where you can visit a shop to
buy a unique piece of Cubist
jewellery or a vase. On the Old
Town Square, do not miss the
show put on by the Prague
Astronomical Clock at
the top of the hour and the
picturesque façades of the
buildings in the shadow of the
Church of Our Lady Before
Týn. From here, it is only a
short walk to the Old Jewish
Quarter of Josefov. You will
definitely want to see the OldNew
Synagogue and the Old
Jewish Cemetery. If while in
this area you find yourself at
the intersection of Dušní and
Vězeňská streets, you will see
a wittily conceived statue of
Franz Kafka. If you came
here to shop, you can now
head to the elegant Pařížská
Street, where an array of
international luxury brands
have their shops. To continue
exploring the city, you should
not miss a walk across the
Charles Bridge. It is the
oldest extant bridge across the
Vltava River in Prague and
the second oldest stone bridge
in the Czech Republic. On the
other side of the bridge you
enter the picturesque Lesser
Town. Descend the steps at
the end of the Charles Bridge
and head towards the river,
and you will find yourself in
the area of the Lesser Town
called Kampa. There are
many restaurants and cafés
here, a large park, and a
museum of contemporary
art. Through the entire
neighbourhood flows
a branch of the Vltava River
called Čertovka with romantic
nooks and a watermill.
What else not to miss:
Vyšehrad
Head upstream along
the Vltava River to
a rocky promontory on
which rises the oldest
Bohemian royal residence,
Vyšehrad. Vyšehrad is
a place full of history and
is surrounded by many
legends. From here you
will have a spectacular
view of Prague, and in the
summer months it comes
alive with culture – plays
and concerts are held in an
open-air theatre.
Dancing House
On the Rašín Embankment
(Rašínovo nábřeží) you will
certainly be swept away
by the Dancing House,
a building from the 1990s.
It got its name because
the two towers recall the
dancers Ginger Rogers
(the glass tower) and Fred
Astaire (the concrete one).
The building was designed
by the architects Frank
Gehry and Vlado Milunić,
and the interiors were
designed in part by the
Czech-born architect Eva
Jiřičná. In 1996 the building
received a prestigious
award from the American
magazine Time.
Petřín after dark
Petřín Hill is at its most
romantic at sunset. Go
down Újezd Street and from
there you can continue all
the way to the top either on
foot along winding paths
surrounded by fruit trees or
by funicular. Just below the
lookout tower you can have
fun in the mirror maze.
A sample
itinerary
Dancing House
20 Prague
Memories
of Prague
If you want to bring back
from Prague something
truly exclusive, you should
not forget about jewellery
with Bohemian garnets.
Working with garnets has
been a tradition here since
the 14th century, and it is
said that these gemstones
have miraculous and healing
properties. A shop offering
guaranteed authenticity is
located at Dlouhá 28.
The most traditional and
most sought-after Czech craft
is high-quality art glass.
In Prague you can find a
shop on nearly every corner
selling traditional hand-cut
vases, bowls, drinking glasses
and various types of glass
figurines. The best-known
brands of glass are Moser
(Na Příkopě 12) and Preciosa
(Jindřišská 19). If you are
looking for outstanding
Czech glass in contemporary
designs, then you should not
overlook the leading Czech
glass artists: Rony Plesl, Jiří
Pelcl, Bořek Šípek and Olgoj
Chorchoj.
Fans of modern design
should not miss the Křehký
Gallery (Osadní 35), where
you’ll find on display
masterful products by
designers from the Czech
Republic and countries
around the world. At the
Modernista shop (Celetná 12)
you can buy glass, porcelain
and jewellery, ranging
from Czech Cubist and
Functionalist pieces to objects
by contemporary Czech
designers. Do not miss the
sales gallery DOX by Qubus,
located at the DOX Centre for
Contemporary Art, the largest
Visit the international
Designblok exhibition,
which takes place at Prague
galleries and shops in
the first week of October
each year and regularly
showcases leading Czech
and international designers
of furniture, jewellery,
glass, home accessories
and other decorative items.
contemporary art space in the
Czech Republic (Poupětova 1).
Its selection reflects the
absolute peak of Czech design
and conceptual creation, such
as the Qubus Design studio
(Rámová 3), founded by
the successful young Czech
designers Maxim Velčovský
and Jakub Berdych.
Women who like to dress in
high-quality and original
clothing will be delighted
by the boutique of the
designer Klára Nademlýnská
(Dlouhá 3), which offers
luxury prêt-à-porter women’s
clothing. At the same address
you will also find the exclusive
boutique of the designer
Beata Rajská, which targets
more conservative lovers of
fashion, and the boutique of
the artist and designer Natali
Ruden.
International luxury fashion
brands can be found in shops
on Pařížská Street
From our trips and journeys
we bring home experiences
and memories. Some may
have a tangible form. We
can hang them on a wall,
place them on a shelf, or eat
and drink them. But we may
also wear them, read them
or listen to them … there is a
wide range of such memories
you can take back from
Prague.
The Manufaktura Original
Czech Tradition chain of
shops, which presents
traditional Bohemian and
Moravian craft products, is
to be found in the historical
centre of Prague. Visiting
the stores is a pleasant
and relaxing experience
evoking the atmosphere of
olden times.
www.czechtourism.com
DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
Manufaktura
(www.parizskaulice.cz), which
branches off the Old Town
Square.
Sublime counterpoint, original music filled with
astonishing harmonies that brought humans
closer to God. Come hear inspiring compositions
by the great masters of the European Baroque.
Come to the Czech Republic and discover
the unique beauty of the Czech Baroque.
Live the Baroque through all your senses.
www.czechbaroque.com