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WHAT TO VISIT
IN PRAGUE
- New
Town(Nové Mesto)
-
State Opera (Státní opera)
- The dancing House (Tancící dum)
- Václavské námestí (abbreviated in “Václavák”)
- The
Carl Bridge
(Karluv most)
- Castle of Prague (Pražský hrad)
incomes and prices
Getting there
-
Vinohrady
- Museums and Galleries
The
New Town
Nové
Město
When the New Town of Prague was built 600 years ago, it was meant to serve as
Prague's main commercial district.
And that is how it can still be characterized today. Numerous businesses, hotels
and banks are located there, as well as department stores, boutiques and a few
small shopping malls. The New Town is also rich with culture, offering many
theatres, movie theatres, museums, and an opera house.
The Wenceslas Square is the bustling center of Nové město and the district
stretches northeast and southwest of it towards the river. Some other squares
are Karlovo náměstí, Senovážné náměstí, and Náměstí republiky. The two
boulevards that you will not want to miss are Národní and Na příkopě, both
separating the New Town from the Old Town.
All three lines of the metro run through the New Town: line A between Můstek
and Muzeum, line B between Karlovo náměstí and Florenc, and
line C between I. P. Pavlova and Florenc.
History
The New Town was founded by king Charles IV in 1348 as a large new area between
Vyšehrad and the Old Town. The new district was to increase the size and
population of Charles' beloved city in a time when Prague became the capital of
the Holy Roman Empire. A lot of trade and business moved there from the already
existing Old Town and Malá Strana.
King Charles planned the street layout of Nové město himself and personally kept
an eye on the progress of the construction work, supposedly making sure that his
street plan was being followed to the letter. The layout was quite modern for
that time, employing large squares and wide boulevards. The three main squares
all served as markets: the Horse Market (Koňský trh) - now Wenceslas
Square, the Cattle Market (Dobytčí trh) - now Charles Square, and the Hay
Market (Senovážné náměstí) - still carrying the same name. All three
markets were interconnected by today's Vodičkova and Jindřišská streets.
Although the New Town was originally built in the Gothic style, much of its
current architecture comes from the end of the 19th century when the majority of
the original buildings were torn down in a sweeping cleanup of the slums into
which the district had turned. New buildings were put up by the architects of
the time and the result is a varied mixture of architectural styles similar to
those that can be found in the neighboring district of Vinohrady.
Getting There
The heart of the New Town is Wenceslas Square, which is a good place to start
your tour and is easily reachable on foot from the Old Town and by public
transportation from anywhere else. To get to the top of
the long square (to the National Museum and statue of St. Wenceslas), take line
A or C of the metro or tram 11 and get off at Muzeum. To get to the
approximate middle of the square (near the Lucerna Passage and Hotel Evropa),
take line A of the metro, get off at Můstek and follow the exit that says
Václavské náměstí/Vodičkova (not Můstek), or take tram 3, 9, 14,
or 24 and get off at Václavské náměstí. To get to the bottom of Wenceslas
Square (for Na příkopě and Národní streets), take line A of the metro, get off
at Můstek and exit at Můstek.
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State Opera
Státní opera
Just a block from the National Museum, the beautiful building of
the State Opera finds itself lost and somehow invisible at its unfortunate
location on the ever-busy Legerova thoroughfare and in the shadow of the
Communist-built eyesore of the former Parliament building. The Opera was built
by German architects and opened in 1888 as the Neues Deutsches Theater.
The repertoire includes opera and ballet performances by renowned composers.
Address:
Legerova 75, Prague 1 -
Getting there: Metro A/C to Muzeum
www.opera.cz
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Dancing House
Tančící dům
The Dancing House (Tančící dům, also called "Ginger and
Fred" after the couple that inspired it) on the Rašínovo nábřeží embankment is
one of Prague's rarities, admired and disliked at the same time. This eccentric
building was designed by the American architect Frank Gehry and was finished in
1996. It strikes an odd pose in the orderly row of century-old architecture. To
get there, walk down Resslova from Karlovo náměstí or take tram 17 or 21 to
Jiráskovo náměstí.
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Café Slavia
The famous Grand Café Slavia, located across from the National
Theatre, opened in 1881 (the same year as the theatre) and became a meeting
place of artists and intellectuals, including former president Václav Havel who
was a frequent customer during his dissident years. The café was closed in 1991
due to ownership issues, and reopened six years later, having been restored to
its 1930s Art Deco look. It is a nice place to go for coffee and dessert at the
end of the day or after a night at the theatre. Beautiful views of the Prague
Castle can be enjoyed from the café's riverside windows.
Address:
Smetanovo nábřeží 2, Prague 1
Getting there: Metro B to Národní třída
or tram 6, 9, 17, 18, 21, 22 or 23 to Národní divadlo
Hours: 8.00 - 23.00
www.cafeslavia.cz
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Wenceslav Square
abbreviated in “Václavák”
Wenceslas Square was established
as the Horse Market (Koňský trh) by Charles IV in 1348 and received its
present name during the Czech National Revival in 1848. The square holds great
historical significance as the center of gatherings, demonstrations and
important events of Czech history since the Middle Ages. Some of the events that
took place on Wenceslas Square were the declaration of the First Czechoslovak
Republic in 1918, protests against the Soviet invasion in 1968, and the fall of
Communism in 1989. Václavské náměstí (abbreviated as "Václavák"
by the locals) is not your typical town square. The wide, sloping boulevard is
some 700 meters (0.4 mile) long and 60 meters wide - a size almost unheard of at
the time it was built. It is now a busy array of stores, hotels, restaurants,
nightclubs and casinos. During the day, Wenceslas Square is bustling with locals,
tourists and traffic (watch out for pickpockets!). At night, it becomes the
center of entertainment as people stream into the many nightclubs, discos, and
movie theatres that line both sides of the square.The
equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas at the top of
the square was created by Josef Václav Myslbek and placed there in 1912. It is
the locals' most popular meeting spot - "at the horse" (u koně) or
"under the tail" (pod ocasem). The statue is a historically important
monument. A plaque nearby is dedicated to the victims of Communism.The buildings
around the upper part of Wenceslas Square are interconnected with a system of
passages, the most famous of them being the Lucerna (Lantern)
Passage. It was built in 1907 - 1921 and one of the architects was the
grandfather of former president Václav Havel. The large passage connects
Vodičkova and Štěpánská streets and houses numerous stores and restaurants, a
movie theatre, music bar, and a prestigious concert hall - the Grand Lucerna
Hall.
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Charles Bridge
Karlův most
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Charles Bridge is a stone Gothic bridge that connects the Old
Town and Malá Strana. It was actually called the Stone Bridge (Kamenný
most) during the first several centuries. Its construction was
commissioned by Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV and began in 1357. In charge of the construction was
architect Petr Parléř whose other works include the St. Vitus Cathedral
at the Prague Castle. It is said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar
to strengthen the construction of the bridge. |
Charles Bridge is one of the many monuments that were built
during Charles' reign but it is not the first bridge that ever connected the
Prague banks of the Vltava. Another bridge used to stand in its place - the
Judith Bridge, which was the first stone bridge
over the river. It was built in 1172 and collapsed in a flood in 1342.
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Unlike its predecessor, Charles Bridge
has survived many floods, most recently in August 2002 when the country
experienced the worst flood in the past 500 years - so the egg yolks must
not have been such a bad idea.There is a tower
standing on each end of the bridge. Both the Staroměstská věž on
the Old Town end and the Malostranská věž on the Malá Strana end
can be climbed for a view of Prague and the bridge from above.Baroque
statues (a total of 30) began to be placed on either side of Charles
Bridge in the 17th century. Now many of them are copies and the originals
can be seen in the Lapidarium (see
Prague Museums). The most popular
statue is probably the one of St. John of Nepomuk, a Czech martyr saint who
was executed during the reign of Wenceslas IV by being thrown into the
Vltava from the bridge. The plaque on the |
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statue has been polished to a shine by countless people
having touched it over the centuries. Touching the statue is supposed to
bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague. |
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Charles Bridge is on the top of every Prague visitor's
must-see list. It is also popular with Czech artists, musicians and souvenir
vendors whose stands line both sides of the bridge year-round. A great time
of day to come to the bridge is at sunset when one can enjoy a breathtaking
view of the fully lit Prague Castle against the evening sky. The bridge is
now a pedestrian zone (although both tram and car traffic were allowed there
in the past) and is almost constantly filled with people. If you want to
have it all to yourself, go there at night or very early in the morning. |
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Prague Castle
Pražský
hrad
Opening Hours
• Summer season (March 26 - October 31)
Exteriors:
Daily 5 a.m. - midnight
Interiors: Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Powder Tower,
Golden Lane, Daliborka Tower)
Prague Castle gardens and Deer Moat: Daily 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Winter season (November 1 - March 25)
Exteriors:
6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Interiors: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
(St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Powder Tower,
Golden Lane, Daliborka Tower)
Prague Castle gardens and Deer Moat: Closed
Records indicate that Prague Castle is the largest castle area in the world. Its
three courtyards and a number of magnificent buildings cover over 7 hectares (18
acres), so be prepared to see a lot and do some walking. Depending on the time
you have and your interests, you can decide which interiors to visit.
History
The Prague Castle (Pražský hrad) was founded around 880 by prince Bořivoj
of the Premyslid dynasty. The first stone building in the castle area was the
Church of the Virgin Mary of which only remnants can be seen today. In the 10th
century, St. George's Basilica was founded and the first Czech convent was
established there - St. George's Convent, which now houses a gallery. St. Vitus
Rotunda, also from the 10th century, was replaced by St. Vitus Basilica in the
11th century, and it is where St. Vitus Cathedral stands today.
Starting in the 10th century, the Prague Castle served as the seat of Czech
princes and later kings, and the seat of the Prague bishop.
The Prague Castle experienced one of its greatest periods during the reign of
Charles IV (1346-1378) when it became the seat of the Holy Roman Emperor. The
Royal Palace was rebuilt, the fortifications were strengthened, and the
construction of St. Vitus Cathedral was initiated, following the style of Gothic
French cathedrals of the time.
The expansion of the Castle continued during the reign of Charles' son Wenceslas
IV, but the Hussite wars (1419 - 1437) and the subsequent decades during which
the Castle was abandoned lead to its
deterioration.
King Wladislaw Jagellon moved into the Castle after 1483 and the complex grew
once again. New fortifications and guard towers (the Powder Tower, New White
Tower, and Daliborka) were built. The Royal Palace was further remodeled and
expanded by the grandiose Wladislaw Hall, one of the first demonstrations of the
Renaissance style in the Czech lands.
By the time the Habsburg dynasty took over the Czech throne in 1526, the
Renaissance style was in full swing in Europe. The seat of power moved to Vienna
and the Prague Castle served mainly for recreational purposes. The Royal Garden
was built and entertainment sites such as the Belvedere and Ballgame Hall were
added in the 16th century. The Cathedral and Royal Palace were modified. New
residential buildings were built to the west of the Old Royal Palace.
The reconstruction of the Castle culminated during the reign of Holy Roman
Emperor Rudolf II who became Czech king in 1575 and moved his court back to
Prague. He wished to turn the Castle into an elegant center of power that would
attract foreign artists, scientists and diplomats. The north wing of the Palace
and the Spanish Hall were added to house the emperor's vast collections of art
and science.
The Prague Defenestration of 1618 initiated a long period of wars during which
the Prague Castle was damaged and looted, rarely serving as the seat of power.
The last large reconstruction of the Castle took place in the second half of the
18th century when it took on a style of a chateau. However, the seat of power
was again in Vienna and the Castle continued to deteriorate.
In 1848, emperor Ferdinand V moved to the Prague Castle. The Chapel of the Holy
Cross on the Second
Courtyard was rebuilt and the Spanish Hall and Rudolf's Gallery were remodeled.
With the fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1918, the Prague Castle welcomed
the first president of independent Czechoslovakia, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. Some
needed remodeling was commissioned to the Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik. The
construction of St. Vitus Cathedral was finished in 1929.
After 1989, many areas of the Castle were made accessible to the public for the
first time in history, including the Royal Garden, Ballgame Hall, the south
gardens, or the Imperial Stables. Today, the Prague Castle is the seat of the
Czech president and the most important National Cultural Monument of the Czech
Republic. A number of priceless art relics, historical documents, as well as the
Czech Crown Jewels are stored there.
Getting There
• Getting There on Foot
If you would like to walk, you have several options:
Nerudova street
- walk up the picturesque (and quite steep) Nerudova street from Malostranské
náměstí and at the top take a sharp right onto Ke Hradu. You will end up in
front of the main entrance to the Castle.
Castle Stairs (Zámecké schody)
- start up Nerudova from Malostranské náměstí and take a quick right onto
Zámecká street. Then turn left to climb the romantic Castle Stairs, which will
take you to the Garden on the Ramparts (Zahrada na Valech).
Old Castle Stairs (Staré zámecké schody)
- the stairs start near the Malostranská metro station and will put you at the
beginning of Jiřská street. You will be rewarded with one of the most beautiful
views of
Prague.
Old Castle Stairs
• Getting There by Tram
Taking the tram will save you a walk uphill or up the stairs, and the ride is
quite scenic. Take tram 22 or 23 (e.g. from Národní třída or the
Malostranská metro station) and get off at one of these stops:
Královský letohrádek
- if you get off here, you can start with the Royal Garden, Belveder and
Ballgame Hall, then cross the Deer Moat bridge to get to the Second Courtyard
Note: The Royal Garden and Deer Moat are closed from November through March
Pražský hrad
- get off here if you would like to start at the Second Courtyard
Pohořelec
- getting off here will enable you to walk to the Castle through Hradčany and
arrive at the main entrance. Probably the nicest route.
A good way to go is to take the tram up to the Castle and walk back down when
you're done.
Admission
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket counters or at the Prague Castle
Information Center on the Third Courtyard (open daily 9.00 - 17.00/16.00 in
winter). Each ticket is valid for two days. Admission to St. Vitus Cathedral is
not included in any of the routes. A separate fee of 100 CZK/person is charged
to visit the cathedral.
Route A: Old Royal Palace, 'The Story of Prague Castle' Exhibition, Prague
Castle Picture Gallery, St. George's Basilica, St. George's Convent - National
Gallery, Golden Lane & Daliborka Tower
Full: 350 Kč
Reduced: 175 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 520 Kč
Free: children under 6
Route B: Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane & Daliborka Tower
Full: 220 Kč
Reduced: 110 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 330 Kč
Free: children under 6
Route C: Golden Lane & Daliborka Tower
Full: 50 Kč
Reduced: ---
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 100 Kč
Free: children under 6
Route D: St. George's Basilica
Full: 50 Kč
Reduced: 25 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 100 Kč
Free: children under 6
Route E: Prague Castle Picture Gallery
Full: 150 Kč
Reduced: 80 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 200 Kč
Free: children under 6
Route F: St. George's Convent - National Gallery
Full: 100 Kč
Reduced: 50 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 150 Kč
Free: children under 6
Route P: 'The Story of Prague Castle' Permanent Exhibition
Full: 140 Kč
Reduced: 80 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 260 Kč
Free: children under 6
The following monuments are wheelchair accessible:
Old Royal Palace - Wladislaw Hall entrance
St. George's Basilica
Ballgame Hall
Imperial Stables
Rudolf's Gallery and Spanish Hall
Prague Castle Picture Gallery
Prague Castle Gardens
St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral restroom
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Vinohrady
Vinohrady is a beautiful residential area of Prague that carries a reputation of
prestige and elegance. It covers portions of Prague 2, 3, and 10. Most of its
grand Neo-Renaissance, Art Nouveau, Pseudo Baroque, and Neo-Gothic buildings
come from the second half of the 19th century and first half of the 20th
century, and many have been and continue to be restored in an amazing array of
color and architectural detail.
Vinohrady is approximately defined by the Riegrovy sady park on the north,
Havlíčkovy sady park on the south, Legerova street on the west, and Jiřího z
Poděbrad square on the east, from there continuing east between Vinohradská and
Ruská streets all the way to the Vinohrady Cemetery. In metro talk, Vinohrady
stretches from I. P. Pavlova to Želivského stations of line A. The district's
main arteries are Vinohradská, Korunní, and Francouzská streets, all served by
trams. The two main squares are Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad and Náměstí Míru.
The name Vinohrady means "vineyards". The area was indeed covered with vineyards
starting in the 14th century when Czech king Charles IV had them planted there,
right around the time when he had the New Town built. The vineyards lasted for
some four hundred years and were later replaced by rose gardens, orchards, and
residential buildings.
An
independent community of Vinohrady was established in 1849, encompassing the
area of today's Vinohrady and Žižkov. The area was divided into Královské
Vinohrady (Royal Vinohrady) and Žižkov in 1875. Královské Vinohrady received the
status of a city in 1879. A tram line between Muzeum and Flora started running
in 1897. Královské Vinohrady was incorporated into Greater Prague as a district
in 1922 and its name was shortened to Vinohrady in 1968.
On
your walk around Vinohrady, you can also take advantage of its several parks and
gardens. The largest ones are Riegrovy sady on the north and Havlíčkovy sady on
the south.
Getting There
To
get to the heart of Vinohrady, take line A of the metro and get off at Jiřího z
Poděbrad. Or, to take a slower ride above ground, get on tram 11 at Muzeum and
take it up Vinohradská to Jiřího z Poděbrad. See below for specific locations.
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Prague Museums and Galleries
The rich artistic heritage of Prague and the Czech lands can be admired in
Prague's many museums and galleries. The numerous expositions of the National
Gallery, Municipal Gallery, National Museum, and other institutions contain
extensive collections of art of all styles and eras, ranging from fine art to
applied arts to sculpture, and spanning over two millenniums.
Národní
museum
Václavské náměstí 68, Prague 1 -
Metro A/C
or tram 11 to
Muzeum
www.nm.cz/english/
Muzeum
hlavního města Prahy
Na Poříčí 52, Prague 8 - Metro B/C to
Florenc
www.muzeumprahy.cz
Uměleckoprůmyslové
museum
Listopadu 2, Prague 1 - Metro A to
Staroměstská
www.upm.cz/index.php?language=en
Muzeum Antonína Dvořáka
Ke Karlovu 20, Prague - Metro C
to I. P. Pavlova
Muzeum Bedřicha Smetany
Novotného lávka 1, Prague 1 -
Metro A to Staroměstská
Lobkovický
palace
Jiřská 3, Prague 1 - Tram 22 or
23 to Pražský hrad
-
Mozartova 169, Prague 5 - Metro B to
Anděl
www.bertramka.com
Výstaviště 422, Prague 7 - Metro
C to Vltavská or
Nádraží Holešovice
Muchovo muzeum
Panská 7, Prague 1 - Metro A/B to
Můstek
www.mucha.cz
Národní technické muzeum
Kostelní 42, Prague 7 - Tram 1,
8, 25 or 26 to Letenské
náměstí
www.ntm.cz
Patočkova 4, Prague 6 - Tram 1, 2
or 18 to Vozovna Střešovice
www.dp-praha.cz/en/hist-muz.htm
Galleries
Trojský zámek
Zámek Zbrasla
Městská knihovna
Staroměstská
radnice
Dům U zlatého prstenu
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