Buzola

Interesting places

Old town

Mentioned in 1091, it is the oldest of the towns of Prague gained the privileges of a town in the 13th century. However, its name dates back to the 14th century when the New Town was founded. The centre of the Old Town has always been the Old Town Square dominated by the Church of Our Lady of Týn and the Town Hall.

Powder Gate (Prašná brána)
The 65m-tall Powder Tower was begun in 1475 during the reign of King Vladislav II Jagiello to form one of the 13 entrances to the Old Town. In 1483 it was left unfinished because the king moved to Prague Castle. Between 1875 and 1886 the tower was rebuilt, decorated and steepled by Josef Mocker. The gate acquired its present name in the 17th century when it was used to store gunpowder. Today, there is a small exhibition about the tower and it is open for great views.

Municipal House (Obecní dům)
Built on the site of the royal court between 1906 and 1912, it is Prague's most prominent Art Nouveau building. Above the main entrance there is a huge mosaic "Homage to Prague" by Karel Špillar. Inside, there is the Smetana Hall - the biggest concert hall in Prague, number of smaller halls, conference rooms and offices, cafés and restaurants to relax and enjoy the inner decoration. On 28 October 1918, the Czechoslovakian Republic was proclaimed here and meetings between Civic Forum and the communist regime were held here in November1989.

Celetná Street (Celetná ulice)
Named after the plaited bread rolls that were first baked here in the Middle Ages, the Celetná Street is a pedestrianised lane from the Old Town square to the Powder Tower. There are lots of architecturally and historically important houses, such as At the Three Kings, At the White Lion, At the Black Sun and At the Vulture. The most interesting one is the Cubist facade on the House of the Black Madonna, which dates only from 1912 and houses a branch of the Czech Museum of Fine Arts with a permanent exhibition on Czech Kubism.

Church of St James (Kostel sv. Jakuba)
This attractive Baroque church began in the 14th century as a Minorite monastery church. There are about 20 altars decorated with works by Jan Jioí Heinsh, Petr Brandl and Václav Vavoinec Reiner. A tomb of Count Vratislav of Mitrovice is the most beautiful Baroque tomb in Bohemia. Hanging to the left of the main door is a mummified forearm. It has been there for over 400 years, since a thief tried to steal the jewellers of the statue of the Virgin. Legend says that the Virgin grabbed his arm and held on so tightly that it had to be cut off. Because of its excellent acoustics many concerts and recitals are given in the church.

Estates Theatre (Stavovské divadlo)
Built in 1783 it is Prague's oldest theatre and one of the finest examples of Neo-classicism. Renamed the Tyl Theatre after WWII in honour of the 19th century Czech playwrite Josef Kajetán Tyl, its name reverted to Stavovské divadlo in 1990s.
Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni" had its premiere there on 29 October 1834 and in 1834 it was a musical comedy "Fidlovaeka". One of the songs became later the Czech national anthem.

Carolinum (Karolinum)
Founded by Emperor Charles IV on 7 April 1348, it is the oldest university north of the Alps. Thousands of German students left the university in 1420 when the reform preacher Jan Hus became rector.
Today the Charles University has faculties all over Prague and the Carolinum houses only some medical faculty offices, the University Club and occasional academic ceremonies.

Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)
Being Prague's heart since the 10th century and its main market place until the beginning of the 20th century, the spacious 1.7 hectare Old Town Square has been the scene of great events, both glorious and tragic. There are beautiful pastel-coloured buildings of Romanesque or Gothic origin with fascinating house signs. Some of the most prominent examples include the Kinský Palace, the House of the Stone Bell and the Štorch House. Today, the Old Town Square offers visitors a tourist information office, number of restaurants, cafés, shops and galleries.

Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Panny Marie před Týnem)
This Gothic church was built in 1365 on the site of an earlier Romanesque church. Its magnificent multiple steeples are 80m high and dominate the square. Between the early 15th century and the year of 1620 it was the main Hussite church in Prague. A beautiful entrance portal decorated with scenes of Christ's passion and a huge Rococo altar on the northern wall are its most striking features. Right of the altar there is a tomb of the Danish astronomer Tycho de Brahe who worked at the court of the Emperor Rudolph II. Týn church has a grand-sounding pipe organ and occasionally, it is a concert venue.

Kinský Palace (Palác Kinských)
Built between 1755 and 1765 by Anselmo Lurago according to the designs by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, it is the most beautiful Rococo building in Prague. In 1768 it was bought by Štipán Kinský, an Imperial diplomat. In February 1948 Klement Gottwald proclaimed communist rule in Czechoslovakia from the palace balcony. Nowadays, the Kinský palace belongs to the National Gallery.

Jan Hus Monument (Pomník Jana Husa)
Completed in 1915 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus, the Czech Hussite reformer, the massive monument dominates the square. It shows two groups of people, a young mother symbolising national rebirth and the figure of Hus emphasising the moral authority of the man who gave up life rather than his beliefs.

Church of St Nicholas (Kostel sv. Mikuláše)
This church was completed in 1735 by Kilian Dientzenhofer; its statues are work of Antonín Braun. Originally a church of a Benedictine Monastery, now belongs to the Czechoslovakian Hussite Church. There are beautiful ceiling paintigs that shows scenes from the life of St Nicholas and St Benedict, and a wonderful chandelier. It is a concert venue during the summer.

Old Town Hall (Staroměstská radnice)
Old Town's ancient town hall was established in 1338 after the agreement of King John of Luxemburg to set up a town council. Several old houses had to be knocked together over the centuries as the Old Town Hall expanded. A Gothic chapel and a neo-Gothic north wing were destroyed by the Nazis in spring 1945. The chapel has been reconstructed. The most popular part of the tower is the Town Hall Clock (Orloj). Originally instaled in 1410, the clock was rebuilt by the Master Hanuš in 1490. It consists of three parts - the procession of Apostles, the astronomical clock and the calendar. The main attraction is the hourly procession of the 12 Apostles. The height of the tower is 69,5 m and it offers a great view of the city.

House at the Two Golden Bears (Dům u dvou zlatých medvědů)
Constructed from two earlier houses in 1567 it is a building with one of the most beautiful Renaissance portals in Prague, added in 1590. In 1885 Egon Erwin Kisch, known as the "Furious Reporter" was born here.

Church of St Gall (Kostel sv. Havla)
Founded in the 13th century it was one of the four Old Town parish churches. It was an important centre of the reformation movement and Jan Hus and Jan of Nepomuk also preached here. In the chapel, there is a tomb of the well-known Bohemian Baroque artist Karel Škréta. Since the middle ages Prague's best-known market has been held in Havelská Street.

Church of St Martin in the Wall (Kostel sv. Martina ve zdi)
Used to mark the boundary between the Old Town and the New Town, its name dates from the time when the church was a part of the town wall during the fortification of the Old Town. Originally a Romanesque building it was renovated in Gothic style twice. During the Hussite Movement in 1414, it was this church where communion was offered for the first time to everyone, not only to priests.

Church of St Giles (Kostel sv. Jilží)
The church was founded in 1371 on the site of an old Romanesque church. In 1420 it became a Hussite parish church but during the Counter-Reformation the Dominicans gained possession. There is a tomb of Václav Reiner, a painter who created the ceiling frescos.

Bethlehem Chapel (Betlémská kaple)
It is a faithful reconstruction of the original 14-th century church in which Jan Hus preached between 1402 and 1413. Handed over to the Jesuits after the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620, the church was completely rebuilt and in 1786 a residential house was built on the side. Following old illustrations the chapel was reconstructed after the WWII.

Clam-Gallas Palace (Clam-Gallasův palác)
Named after the wealthy patron of the arts, Václav Gallas, this outstanding Baroque palace was built by Johann Bernhard Fischer of Erlach between 1713 - 1719. There are statues made by Matthias Bernhard Braun and a theatre where Beethoven performed some of his works. The palace has been restored and today it houses the Municipal Archives of Prague.

Mariánské Square (Mariánské náměstí)
A statue of Rabbi Löw and a statue of the Iron Man dominate the square from the corners of the Town Hall built in 1912. A garden wall of Clamm-Gallas Palace encloses the southern side of the square. There is a statue of the River Vltava made by Václav Práchner in 1812. This sculpture is popularly called Terezka.

Charles Street (Karlova ulice)
Originally called Jesuits street, in the 12th century this narrow medieval street was part of the Royal Route and it has always connected the Old Town by way of Charles Bridge with the Old Town Square. There are several original Gothic and Renaissance houses, such as the Colloredo-Mansfeld Palace, At the French Crown, the Schönfeld Palace, At the Blue Pike, At the Golden Snake. Many of them are converted into shops to attract the tourists.

Palace of the Lords of Kunštát (Dům Pánů z Kunštátu)
The palace was built around the year of 1200. On the basement, there are three of the best-preserved Romanesque rooms in Prague. The house was enlarged in Gothic style by the Lords of Kunštát and Podibrady in the 15th century. Today it houses a historical exhibition devoted to George of Podibrady, a hussite king, who stayed here for a time.

Clementinum (Klementinum)
Formerly a Jesuit college established in the former Dominican monastery of St Clement between 1653 - 1723. It is the largest complex of buildings in Prague after Prague castle. The Church of St Clemens and the Church of St Salvator are its part. When the Jesuits had to leave Prague in 1773, the Clementinum became the Prague University and National library. Concerts are often held in the Mirror Chapel.

Knights of the Cross Square (Křížovnické náměstí)
Located in front of the Old Town Bridge Tower, there are nice views across the Vltava. This small square is bounded on three sides by the Church of St Francis, the Baroque Church of St Salvator and the Old Town Bridge Tower. In the centre of the square there is a bronze Neo-Gothic statue of Charles IV unveiled in 1848 in honour of the 500th anniversary of the founding of Prague's Carolinum University.

New Town

NEW TOWN

The carefully planned New Town was founded by Charles IV in 1348. Twice as large as the Old Town, it was mainly inhabited by tradesmen and craftsmen. During the late19th century its outer fortification were demolished and redeveloped to its present appearance. Today it is not particularly attractive to tourists because of its modernness.

Welceslas Square (Václavské náměstí)
Originally a horse market, it got its present name in the mid-19th century. The Wenceslas Square is the main centre of modern Prague surrounded by shops, cinemas, office blocks, hotels, restaurants and cafés. The 750 m long and 60 m wide square has been the scene of a great deal of Czech history. In 1969 a university student Jan Palach burnt himself to death in protest against the Warsaw Pact invasion and in November 1989 protest meetings against police brutality were held here and led to the Velvet Revolution and the end of communism in Czechoslovakia. In the middle of the square is a monument of St Wenceslas on a horse accompanied with sculptures of four Czech patron saints.

Church of Our Lady of the Snows (Kostel Panny Marie Sněžné)
Intended to be the grandest church in Prague it was found by Charles IV in 1347 but only the chancel was ever completed. The church played an important part in the history of the Hussite movement. It was a Hussite stronghold. Jan Želivský, the Hussite firebrand, preached at the church and was buried here after his execution in 1422. In 1603, the church was restored by Franciscans. Beside the church is the Chapel of the Pasov Virgin (kaple Panny Marie Pasovské) where temporary art exhibitions are held.

Franciscan Garden (Františkánská zahrada)
Originally a monastery garden built by the Franciscans beside the Church of Our Lady of the Snows, nowadays the garden is a peaceful park close to the Wenceslas Square. Some herbs cultivated by the Franciscans in the 17th century have been grown here since 1980s.

National Museum (Národní muzeum)
Founded in 1818 as a regional natural history museum, the architectural symbol of the Czech National Revival was completed in 1890 in a Neo-Renaissance style. It stands at the upper part of the Wenceslas Square and it is more than 70 m high. Its hall, façade, staircase and ramp are decorated with sculptures made by famous artists. Inside of the building are many historical paintings by František Ženíšek, Václav Brožík and Vojtich Hynais. There are changing exhibitions as well as permanent collections devoted to archaeology, anthropology, mineralogy, natural history and numismatics.

State Opera (Státní opera)
Originally a German theatre, this Neo-Rococo building was designed by famous architects from Vienna and built around 1886 to rival the Czechs' National Theatre. On the pediment of the Classical façade are figures of Dionysos and Thalia. Until 1882 Bedoich Smetana was the director of the theatre, in 1945 it became the city's main opera house.

Church of St Ignatius (Kostel sv. Ignáce)
It is a typical Baroque Jesuit church built by Carlo Lurago, who started in 1665, and Paul Ignatz Bayer. The later added the church's tower in 1687. The church was supposed to impress people with the power and glamour of the Jesuits' faith, so there are lots of stuccowork and statues of Jesuit and Czech saints.

Jesuit College (Jezuitská kolej)
Built by Carlo Lurago and Paul Ignaz Bayer from 1656 to 1702, the Jesuit College occupies half side of Charles Square. Converted into a military hospital in 1773, the Jesuit College is now a teaching hospital as a part of Charles University.

Charles Square (Karlovo náměstí)
Originally a cattle market, the square was founded by Charles IV as the main centre of Prague's new side. It is the largest enclosed square in Prague and one of the largest in Europe. The New Town Hall (Novomistská radnice), which served to its purpose up to the year 1784, was built between the years of 1377 - 1418. Renovated in 1905 the town hall today is used for administrative purposes, cultural and social events. Another attractions are the Baroque Cathedral of St. Ignatius (Chrám sv. Ignáce) completed in 1670 by Carlo Lurago and the Emause Monastery (Emauzský klášter) founded in 1347. Its extraordinary series of frescos in the cloister are the largest collection of medieval wall paintings outside Italy.
Since the mid-19th century the Charles Square has been a park. Today, it is surrounded by busy roads but with its many statues of Czech writers, scientists and artists, it is still a nice place to sit and relax.

Church of St Cyril and St Methodius (Kostel sv. Cyrila a Metoděje)
Built in the 1730s by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer and dedicated to St Carles Borromeo, this Baroque church served as a church of retired priests. Closed in 1783 and restored in 1930s, the church was rededicated to St Cyril and St Methodius. It is also remembered as the site of the last stand of the parachutists who assassinated the Imperial Natzi Protector Reinhard Heydrich in May 1942 and fought to their death rather than surrender. A memorial plaque as well as bullet holes made by the German machine guns are on the outer wall on the crypt.

Faust House (Faustův Dum)
Built in the 14th century and owned by the alchemists Prince Václav of Opava, Edward Kelley (16th century) and by Count Ferdinand Mladota in the 18th century, this Baroque mansion is associated with the legend of the devil, Faust.

Slavonic Monastery (Klášter na Sovanech)
The monastery was founded in 1347 for the Croatian Benedictines. Their services were held in the Old Slavonic language, hence its name. In 1446 a Hussite order was formed here. Owned by Spanish Benedictines in the 17th century, the Baroque monastery was taken over by German Benedictines and rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style. Although many wall paintings were damaged during the WWII, there are still some important 14th-century wall paintings to admire.

Church of St Stephen (Kostel sv. Štěpána)
It was founded by Charles IV in 1351 as a parish church and completed in 1401. The Branberg Chapel was built in the late 17th century. There is a tomb of Matthias Braun, a Baroque sculptor. The church's main attraction is a beautiful Gothic panel painting of the Madonna dating from 1472.

Church of St Ursula (Kostel sv. Voršily)
This Baroque church with lively Baroque paintings on the altars was built as a part of an Ursuline convent in the 17th century. The original sculptures are still present on the facade, in front of the church are statues of St John Nepomuk. The church has been returned to the Ursuline order and has become a Catholic school.

National Theatre (Národní divadlo)
Funded entirely by private donations and created by the most important artists of that era, the Neo-Renaissance National Theatre has always been an important symbol of the Czech cultural revival. Opened in 1881 with the opera "Libuše" by Bedoich Smetana, the architect Josef Zítek's masterpiece burned down two months later but it was founded again and restored within two years. The stage curtain is the work of Vojtich Hynais, the ceiling paintings are by František Ženíšek.
Today, the theatre is used for ballet and opera performances, as well as drama.
The New Stage of the National Theatre was built by architect Karel Prager in the 1970s from Cuban marble plates and glass. It houses Laterna Magica , one of Prague's best-known theatre groups.

LESSER TOWN

The Lesser Town was founded in 1257 on the slopes bellow the Prague castle and it is the part of Prague least affected by resent history.

Nerudova Street (Nerudova ulice)
Named after the poet and journalist Jan Neruda, who lived at No 47 in the House of Two Suns, it is the picturesque narrow street that leads up to Prague castle as a part of Royal Way. There is a splendid selection of heraldic beasts and emblems on the houses, for example the Red Eagle, the Three Fiddles, the Golden Horseshoe, the Green lobster and the White Swan.
There are also a number of grand Baroque buildings, such as the Thun-Hohenstain Palace, the Morzin Palace, the Church of Our Lady of Unceasing Succour.

Lesser Town Square (Malostranské náměstí)
Started as a market place it has always been the centre of life in the Lesser Town. Today, there are official buildings and restaurants. The important buildings include the St Nicholas Church, the Town Hall, the Sternberg Palace, the Smioický Palace. On the facade of the Baroque Kaiserstain Palace there is a bust of the great Czech soprano Emma Destinn who lived there between 1908 and 1914.

St Nicholas Church (Kostel sv. Mikuláše)
It is the dominant of the Lesser Town Square and one of central Europe's finest baroque buildings begun by Kristof Dientzenhofer, continued by his son Kilian and finished by Anselmo Lurago. The statues, fresçoes and paintings inside the church are by leading artists of the day, such as Karel Škréta and Johann Kracker.

Wallenstein Palace (Valdštejnský palác)
Built between 1624 and 1630 by Albrecht von Wallenstein, generalisimo of the Habsburg armies, it was meant to overshadow even the Prague Castle. It is so large that 23 houses, three gardens and the municipal brick kiln had to be razed to make way for the palace and its grounds. There are also splendid gardens laid out as they were in those days. Now it houses the Senate of the Czech Republic.

Church of st Thomas (Kostel sv. Tomáše)
This original Gothic church was founded for the Order of Augustinian Hermits by Wenceslas II in 1285 and completed in 1379, along with an Augustinian Monastery and St Thomas' Brewery. In the richly decorated interior are paintings and statues by Czech artists including Karel Škréta and Václav Vavoinec Reiner.

Vrtba Garden (Vrtbovská zahrada)
This beautiful Baroque garden was designed by František Maxmilián Kaoka in about 1720. Statues and vases are by Mathias Brown. There is a good view of Prague Castle and the Lesser Town from the terrace.

Church of Our Lady Victorious (Chrám Panny Marie Vítězné)
Originally a Carmelite church this Early Baroque church was built on the site of an earlier protestant Hussite Church after the Battle of White Mountain in 1620. Inside, there is the miraculous Infant Child of Prague, one of the most revered images in the Catholic world, dating from the year 1628.

Maltese Square (Maltézské náměstí)
It was named after the Knights of Malta who in 1169 established a monastery that used to stay beside the Church of Our Lady Below the Chain. The largest building, Nostitz Palace, is home to the Dutch embassy and in summer there are concerts given at the palace. Opposit the French embassy there is the John Lennon Wall that used to be a kind of political focus before 1989.

Kampa Island (Kampa)
Known as the Venice of Prague, Kampa Island has been formed by a branch of the Vltava called the Devil's Stream (Eertovka). Originally there were only gardens on the island but it was also used for washing clothes and bleaching linen. In the 17th century the island became well known for its pottery markets. Today it is an elegant part of Prague with a village-like character.

Charles Bridge (Karlův most)
Named after the Emperor Charles IV in 19th century the Charles Bridge is Prague's most familiar monument. Designed by Petr Parler, it was completed in 1400 and it connects the Lesser Town with the Old Town. Although it is now pedestrianised, it withstood wheeled traffic for 600 years. There are thirty statues on the bridge, many of them have been replaced with copies. Originals are kept in the Lapidarium of the National Museum and at Vyšehrad. The magnificent Gothic Old Town Bridge Tower was designed by Petr Parler and built at the end of the 14th century. It is considered the finest Gothic tower in central Europe, mainly for its decoration. There are marvellous views of the Vltava river Valley, the Žofín, Stoelecký Island, the Old Town and the Lesser Town.

Vojan Park (Vojanovy sady)
One of the oldest parks in Prague, Vojan Park, was founded around the year of 1300. It was devastated in 1420 but in 17th century it was the garden of the Convent of Barefooted Carmelites. There are two chapels - the Chapel of Elijah and a chapel dedicated to St Theresa. By the entrance to the park there is an 18th-century statue of St John Nepomuk by Ignaz Platzer.

Petřín Hill (Petřín)
With a height of 318 m the Petoín Hill is a network of eight parks offering magnificent panoramas of Prague. Most of the vineyards from the 12th century were transformed into gardens and orchards by the 18th century and today it is a great place for quiet walks easily accessible from Hradeany and Strahov or by funicular railway from Újezd. Up the hill there is the Štefánik Observatory, the 60m high Observation Tower - an imitation of the Eifel Tower, the Hunger Wall that was built by the poor of the city in return for food in the 14th century, the Mirror Maze, the Church of St Lawrence and the wooden Church of St Michael

JEWISH QUATER

Named after the emperor Josef II, whose reforms helped to ease living conditions for the Jewish, the Jewish Quarter contains the remains of Prague's former Jewish ghetto. As many of the Jewish died during the WWII and were forced by the communist regime to leave the country, the current Prague community numbers 5000 - 6000 people. There are two figures synonymous with this part of the city, Franz Kafka (1883 - 1924) and the mystical humunculus Golem created by Jehuda ben Bezalel, also known as Rabi Löw.

Old Jewish Cemetery (Starý židovský hřbitov)
Founded in 1478, it is Europe's oldest surviving Jewish cemetery. People had to be buried on top of each other because of lack of space. There are about 12 layer and over 12,000 gravestones. 100,000 people are thought to have been buried here, the last one was Moses Beck in 1787. The most prominent graves are those of Mordechai Maisel and Rabi Löw

Pinkas Synagogue (Pinkasova Synagóga)
Founded in 1479 by Rabbi Pinkas this synagogue was rebuilt many times over the centuries. There is a gallery for women added in the early 17th century. Since after the WWII it has served as a memorial to all the 77,297 Jewish Czechoslowak victims of the Nazis. Their names are inscribed on the walls. There is also a collection of paintings and drawings by children held in the Terezín concentration camp during WWII.

Klausen Synagogue (Klausová synagóga)
This Baroque synagogue was completed in 1694. There is a good exhibition of Hebrew prints and manuscripts, an exhibition of Jewish traditions and customs and also drawings of children from the Terezín concentration camp.

Old-New Synagogue (Staronová synagóga)
Built around 1270, it is the oldest working synagogue in Europe and one of Prague's earliest Gothic buildings. On the eastern wall is the Holy Ark in which the Torah scrolls are kept, on the walls are Hebrew biblical abbreviations.

High Synagogue (Vysoká synagoga)
So called because its prayer hall is on the first floor, this synagogue was built in the 16th century and financed by Mordechai Maisel, mayor of the Jewish Town. There is an exhibition of Torah mantles, curtains, silver ornaments and also a Jewish museum shop on the ground floor.

Jewish Town Hall (Židovská radnice)
This synagogue was built by Maisel in 1586, its rococo facade was added in the 18 century. There is a clock tower with Hebrew figures whose hands run backwards because Hebrew reads from right to left. Except the Kosher Eatery it is closed to the public.

Maisel Synagogue (Maiselova synagoga)
Built by Maisel the original Renaissance building was a victim of the fire in 1689. A new neo-Gothic synagogue has been built in its place.
Since the 1960s it has housed a fascinating collection of Jewish silver, textiles, prints and books, most of them brought to Prague by the Nazis with the intention of establishing a museum of vanished people.

Church of the Holy Ghost (Kostel sv. Ducha)
It was built in the mid-14th century as a part of a convent of Benedictine nuns. The church was destroyed in 1420 during the Husite Wars and badly damaged by the fire of 1689. The furnishings are mainly Baroque. Inside the church there is a statue of St Ann and busts of St Wenceslas and St Adalbert, in front of the church stands a stone statue of St John Nepomuk.

Spanish Synagogue (Španělská synagóga)
Built in 1868 the Spanish synagogue was named after its striking Moorish interior. There is an exhibition showing the life of the Jews in the Czech Republic from emancipation to the present day.

St Agnes's Convent (Klášter sv. Anežky)
The convent was founded in 1234 by Agnes, a sister of King Wenceslas I. In the1230s it was a double monastery of the female Poor Clares and the male Minorites. There are two churches in the convent: the St Salvator Church where the tomb of St Agnes has been found, and the St Francis Church with the tomb of the King Wenceslas I, Today, the convent is used by the National Gallery to display a collection of European medieval art.

The Rudolfinum (Rudolfinum)
Built between 1876 and 1884 the Rudolfinum is an outstanding example of Czech Neo-Renaissance style. It was named in honour of Crown Prince Rudolf of Habsburg. Between the wars it served as the seat of the Czechoslovak parliament, today it is a home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and the Rudolfinum Gallery where temporary art exhibitions are held.

PRAGUE CASTLE & HRADČANY

Prague Castle is the most popular sight visited in Prague. It is the largest ancient castle in the world (570 m long, on average 128 m wide, area 7.28 hectares).

Constructed in the 9th century by Prince Booivoj, the castle transformed itself from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. Rulers made their own additions so there is a mixture of styles. Prague castle has had four major reconstructions, but it keeps its classical facelift it took on in the 18 century during the reign of Maria Theresa.

The castle has three courtyards and it has always been the seat of Czech rulers as well as the official residence. Allow at least half a day (it does not include time for museum visits) if you want to examine it in depth.

Chapel of the Holy Cross (Kaple sv. Kříže)
The Chapel of the Holy Cross was designed in the second half of the 18 century and remodeled in the mid-19 century. It was once a treasury of St Vitus Cathedral. There are cult objects, such as relics, busts, crucifixes, shrines, vestments, monstrances, bibles, plaques, paintings, jewels, gold- and silver-plated weapons.

Picture Gallery of Prague Castle (Obrazárna Pražského hradu)
Created in 1965 the gallery houses paintings from the 16th - 18th centuries. The highlights include Titian's The Toilet of a Young Lady, Rubens' The Assembly of the Olympic Gods and Guido Reni's The Centaur Nessus Abducting Deianeira. There are also sculptures, paintings by Czech Baroque artists and many of Rudolph's II (Emperor, 1575 - 1611) best paintings.

Imperial Stables (Císařská konírna)
There are temporary art exhibits.

The Spanish Hall (Španělský sál) and Rudolf Gallery (Rudolfova galerie)
are amongst buildings that have been converted for state purposes. They are open to the public only once a year in early May).

St Vitus Cathedral (Katedrála Sv. Víta)
The cathedral's foundation stone was laid in 1344 by Emperor Charles IV. The first architect was Matthias of Arras, after his death Petr Parler took over and completed much of the structure in late-Gothic style. Over the following centuries renaissance and baroque details were added and the job was completed in 1929. The most beautiful of numerous side chapels, Parler's Chapel of St Wenceslas, houses the crown jewels and the tomb of "Good King" Wenceslas.

There are many superb exaples of 20th century Czech stained glass and marvellous pieces of art, for example a wooden relief by Caspar Bechterle that shows the escape of Frederik of the Palatinate from Prague in 1621, and wooden Crucifixion by František Bílek The Royal Crypt contains the remains of Charles IV, Wenceslas IV, George of Podibrady and Rudolf II.
There are excellent views from the Great Tower on a clear day.

Old Royal Palace (Starý Královský Palác)
Dating from 1135 it is one of the oldest parts of the castle. It was the seat of Bohemian princes but from the 13th to the 16th century it was the king's palace. Vladislav Hall (Vladislavský sál), in the centre of the palace, was used for banquets, councils, coronations and in bad weather, jousting. The other parts are the Rider's staircase (Jezdecké schody), a place where all the Czech presidents have been sworn, Ludvík Wing famous for the defenestration of 1618, New Land Rolls Room, the old map repository for land titles and All Saints' Chapel.

Mihulka Powder Tower (Prašná věž)
This tower was built at the end of the 15th century originally as a part of the castle's defences, later it was a workshop of a cannon and bell-maker. During Rudolf II's reign (1576 - 1612) the tower became a laboratory for alchemists and then it was used as a gunpowder store until 1754. Today it is a museum of alchemy, bell- and cannon-forging and Renaissance life in Prague Castle.

Convent of St George (Klášter Sv. Jiří)
Established in 973 by Boleslav II it was Bohemia's first convent. In 1782 it was converted into barracks, in 1962 - 74 reconstructed and today as a branch of the National Gallery it houses an excellent collection of Czech Renaissance and baroque art.

Basilika of St George (Bazilika Sv. Jiří)
Founded by Prince Vratislav I in the 10th century it is the best preserved Romanesque church in Prague, the fasade is baroque from the 17th century though. There are tombs of Přemysl royalty. The acoustics make it a good venue for classical concerts.

Royal Garden (Královská zahrada)
This garden was created in 1535 for Ferdinand I. It is a highly recommended place for a stroll especially in spring. The Lions Court is where the Emperor Rudolf II had his zoo. There is also the bronze Singing Fountain and the azalea and tulip garden where tulips were first aclimatised to Europe before being taken to Holland.

Ball-Game House (Míčovna)
It is the most beautiful building of the Royal Garden where the Habsburgs played an early version of badminton. When the game went out of fashion it was converted into stables and today it is open only for exhibitions.

Summer Palace - Belvedere (Letohrádek Kralony Anny)
It is the most authentic Italian Renaissance building outside Italy. It was built from 1538 to 1564 for Ferdinad's beloved wife Anna. It houses temporary modern art exhibitions.

Riding School (Jízdárna)
It was built at the end of the 17th century and since the end of the 1940s it has served as a gallery for temporary modern art exhibitions.

Golden Lane (Zlatá ulička)
Named after the goldsmiths who lived here in the 17th century, Golden Lane is popular with its tiny colourful houses built right into the arches of the Castle walls. In the 18th and 19th centuries they were occupied by squatters, later it was the home of the writer France Kafka (house 22) and the Nobel-laureate poet Jaroslaf Seifert. Most of them are souvenir shops today.

White Tower (Bílá věž)
It is the place where Irish alchemist Edward Kelley was imprisoned by Rudolf II.

Daliborka Tower (Daliborka)
This tower was built in the 15th century. It is named after Dalibor of Kozojedy who was imprisoned here in 1498 for supporting a peasant rebellion, and later executed. According to a legend he learnt to play the violin and his playing could be heard throughout the castle. The story was used by Bedoich Smetana in his opera Dalibor.

Lobkowicz Palace (Lobkovický palác)
Built in the 1570s it is a branch of the National Museum with a collection on Czech history until 1848 including replicas of the Czech crown jewels and the sword of executioner Jan Mydlář.

Toy Museum (Muzeum hraček)
This private museum is said to be the second largest museum of its kind in the world.

Schwarzenberg Palace (Švancenberský palác)
Built originally for the Lobkowicz family it passed through several hands before the Schwarzenbergs acquired it in 1719. There has been a Museum of Military history since 1945.

Archbishp's Palace (Arcibiskupský palác)
Bought by Ferdinand I in 1562 for the first Catholic Archbishop it is the seat of archbishops ever since. In the period of after the 1621 it was a powerful symbol of Catholic domination of the city as well as the Czech lands. It is only open to the public one day before Good Friday.

Sternberg Palace (Šternberský palác)
Named after Franc Josef Sternberg, who founded the Society of Patriotic Friends of the Arts in Bohemia in 1796, it houses the National Gallery's valuable collection of 14th- to 18th- century European art, such as works by Goya and Rembrandt.

Černín palace (Černínský palác)
This palace was built in 1668 for the Imperial Ambassador to Venice. It was badly damaged in 1757 when Prussian bombarded Prague and almost 100 years later sold to the state. Since 1918, it has been home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1948 the foreign minister, demokrat and anti-communist, Jan Masaryk fell to his death from one of the bathroom windows. It is still unclear whether it was a suicide or a murder planned by the communist secret service.

The Loreta (Loreta)
This extraordinary baroque pilgrimage church was built in 1626 with funds donated by Countess Lobkowitz. Its grandiose design and miraculous stories about this place were part of Ferdinand II's campaign to recatholicize the Czechs. Worth seeing is especially the treasury on the 1st floor.

Capuchin Monastery (Kapucínský klášter)
Founded in 1600 it was the first monastery of its kind in Bohemia. It is connected to the neighbouring Loreta and it is famous for its miraculous statue of the Madonna and Child. Each year at Christmas there is a delightful Baroque nativity scene of life-sized figures.

Strahov Monastery (Strahovský klášter)
Founded in 1140 by Vladislav II the Strahov Monastery was completed in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was functioned until the communist government closed it. Now it is a working monastery and a museum. Inside is the Church of St Roch, the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and the Strahov Picture Gallery. The biggest attraction is the Strahov Library - the largest monastic library in the country.