Local attractions

Prague Castle

A castle was built at this site in the 9^th centrury, and a Romanesque palace was erected there in the 12^th century. In the 14^th century, during the rule of Charles IV, it was rebuilt in the Gothic style. The Royal palace was rebuilt to the current shape under the Jagellos at the end of the 15^th century, and at that time, the builder Benedikt Rejt added the now-famous Vladislav Hall, also in the Gothic style. The castle was enlarged in the 16^th centrury, especially after a big fire in 1541. The Spanish Hall, in a new part of the castle, was added during the reign of Rudolph II, and it took its final form during the reign of Emress Maria Theresa, under the direction of the architect M. Pacassi. After World War I, architect J. Plecnik renovated the interior and gardens of the castle.
On the basis of archeological research and the oldest written sources it is thought that Prague Castle was founded around the year 880 by Prince Borivoj of the house of Premyslides. The period of the rule of King and later Emperor Charles IV. (in the middle of the 14^th century) was a time of prosperity for Prague Castle, for then it first became an imperial residence, the seat of the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. The royal palace was magnificently rebuilt and the fortifications strengthened. Building began on the Gothic church of St. Vitus on the model of French cathedrals.
The adaptation of the Castle came to its height in the second half of the 16^th century, during the rule of Rudolph II. The emperor settled permanently in Prague Castle and began to turn it into a grand and dignified centre of the empire. And he founded the northern wing of the palace, with today's Spanish Hall, to house his precious artistic and scientific collections.
Nowadays, Prague Castle serves as a seat of the Czech President.

St. Vitus Cathedral

The Gothic St. Vitus cathedral is the spiritual symbol of the Czech state. John of Luxembourg and his sons Charles and John Henry founded it in the 14^th century. It took nearly six centuries to build. The current cathedral is situated on the site of a 10^th century rotunda. Designed by architects Mathias Arras and Petr Parler, its construction started in 1344. The final stage of construction was completed only in the period between 1873 and 1929. There are underground tombs of Czech kings in the cathedral. Parler also built St. Wenceslas Chapel which is decorated with frescoes and semi-precious stones. The Czech crown jewels are deposited there too.

Golden Lane

Small houses built in the gothic fortification, the homes of 16^th century castle riflemen and craftsmen. Between the years 1916 - 1917, Franz Kafka lived in No. 22.

Queen Anna´s Summerhouse

Perhaps the most remarkable Renaissance building in Prague. The palace was designed by Paolo della Stella and built between 1535 - 1537 but not finished until 1557 - 1563 by architect B. Wohlmut. The famous Singing Fountain, which makes sound resembling music, is located in the garden and was designed and cast by Tomas Jaros in 1564 - 1568. The palace hosts arts exhibitions.

Loretta

Prague 1, Loretanské náměstí 7
This former place of pilgrimage with a copy of Santa Casa was built during 1626 – 1631, and the Baroque Church of the Nativity of Our Lord was added in 1734 – 1735. K. I. Dientzenhofer rebuilt the façade of the front wing in 1720 - 1722. The tower contains 27 Loretto bells, which play a Marian song We Greet You a Thousand Times (every hour from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.). The most valuable item of the liturgical treasury is the so-called Prague Sun, a monstrance weighing over 12 kg and embellished with 6,222 diamonds.

Strahov Monastery

Prague 1, Strahovské nádvoří 1/132
A Monastery of the Premonstratensian Order at Strahov, built originally in the Romanesque style, including the Church of Our Lady and the Strahov Library. The Library contains an early Baroque Theological Hall from 1671 – 1679 and a Classicist Philosophical Hall dating from 1785 – 1794, decorated with frescoes by A. Maulbertsch.

Petrin Tower

A reduced copy of the Eiffel Tower (60m high, with 299 steps) as well as the Petrin Labyrinth (a maze of mirrors) were built in 1891 on the occasion of the Jubilee Exhibition.

St. Nicolas Church

Prague 1, Malostranské nám.
This church, built in the period of 1704 - 1755, is the most significant historical structure of the so-called Prague Baroque. The architects were G. Santini, K. I. Dientzenhofer and A. Lurago. W. A. Mozart played the organ there during his stay in Prague. The belfry offers a view of the Lesser Town and an exposition "Music of Prague Lofts" is situated there.

Charles Bridge

The bridge was bulit based on the wish of the most known Czech emperor Charles IV. Started in 1357 by Master Otto and completed by Petr Parléř, this is the oldest bridge in Prague. Its statues and sculptural groups date mostly to the 18^th century. The most well knows are the works of Matthias Braun and Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The bridge is 515 metres long and 10 metres wide. According to the legend the bridge is said to be bulit up from eggs and water.

Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock

Dating back to the 12^th centruy, the square has witnessed many significant events. Beside the Old Town Hall and the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, the square has several other dominants – the baroque St. Nicolas church (K. I. Dientzenhofer, 1732 – 1735), the roccoco Kinský palace housing the National Gallery graphic collection, the Stone Bell house – a gothic palace from the 14^th century, now the Municipal Gallery concert and exhibition rooms, as well as the Master Jan Hus Memorial sculptured by Ladislav Šaloun (1915). The square witnessed the execution of 27 Czech noblemen on 21st June 1621 – in the memory of that event, 7 crosses are marked in the pavement. The Prague meridian can be seen not far from there.
The Town Hall was founded in 1338. In 1364, the tower was joined to a chapel and in 1470 the Town Hall was rebuilt in the Gothic style. The clock dates to the beginning of the 15^th centrury; on the hour, a procession of the Twelve Apostoles appears in the window in the upper part. In the lower part, there are 12 medallions with the signs of the zodiac, created by Josef Mánes (1865). The eastern wing of the Town Hall was destroyed on May 8, 1945, and has not been rebuilt yet.

Jewish Quarter

It dates back to the 13^th century but its present appearance is mainly the result of a vast redevelopment action undertaken between the years 1893 – 1913. Only a few most significant buildings were saved, the living testimony of the history of Prague Jews, which lasted for many centuries. Yet these buildings form the best present complex of Jewish historical monuments in the whole Europe. Six synagogues remain from this old settlement, which includes the Jewish Town Hall and the Old Jewish Cemetery - the most remarkable in Europe. Except the Old-New Synagogue they are part of the Jewish Museum.

Old-New Synagogue

Prague 1, Červená street
The oldest preserved synagogue in Central Europe. It was built in the early Gothic style in the late 13^th century and richly adorned by stonework. Also the inside furnishings (gothic wrought-iron grill, wrought chandeliers) are of ancient origin. Up until now it has served as a house of prayer and the main synagogue of the Prague Jewish community.

Jewish Museum

Prague 1, Široká street
Permanent exhibition: A memorial to 77 297 Holocaust victims - the drawings of children from the Terezin concentration camp.

Municipal House

Prague 1, Náměstí Republiky 5
An Art Noveau building constructed in 1905 – 1911 (A. Balšánek, O. Polívka) on the site of the former king´s court, a seat of the kings of Bohemia from the end of the 14^th century until 1438. The rich interior and exterior decorations is the work of A. Mucha, M. Švabinský, J. V. Myslbek and others. The monumental Smetana concert hall forms the centre of the building being the place of the International Music Festival Pražské Jaro (Prague Spring) and a lot of other concerts and important social events.

Wenceslas Square

Prague 1, New Town
Prague´s centre of commerce. The upper part or the square is dominated by a statue of the main patron, saint of the Czech lands, St. Wenceslas and four other Czech patron saints (St. Prokop, St. Adalbert, St. Ludmila and St. Agnes) by J. V. Myslbek. Erected in 1912.

National Museum

Prague 1, Václavské náměstí 68
Neo-renaissance building designed by architect J. Schulz in 1890.

National Theatre

Prague 1, Národní třída 2
A neo-Renaissance building from 1868 – 1881, built to plans of J. Zítek. A fire destroyed most of the building in its first year of existence. It was rebuilt by architect Josef Schulz in 1883 and underwent a thorough renovation hundred years later. The authors of both exterior and interior decorations are artists of the so-called National Theatre generation: M. Aleš, F. Ženíšek, V. Hynais, J. V. Myslbek and others. The National Theatre is a major Czech stage and its repertoire includes drama, opera and ballet.

ZOO

One of the biggest and most known ZOOs across Europe. For more information please visit the webpages of Prague ZOO on www.zoopraha.cz