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Caf?Slavia
The famous Grand Caf?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 V?lav Havel who
was a frequent customer during his dissident years. The caf?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 caf?s riverside windows.
Address:
Smetanovo n?ře??2, Prague 1
Getting there: Metro B to N?odn?tř?a
or tram 6, 9, 17, 18, 21, 22 or 23 to N?odn?divadlo
Hours: 8.00 - 23.00
www.cafeslavia.cz
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Wenceslav Square
abbreviated in ?V?lav??
Wenceslas Square was established
as the Horse Market (Koňsk?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. V?lavsk?n?ěst?(abbreviated as
"V?lav?" 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 V?lav 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 V?lav Havel. The large passage connects
Vodičkova and ?těp?sk?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 Mal?Strana. It was actually called the Stone Bridge (Kamenn?
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 Parl?#345; 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 Staroměstsk?vě? on
the Old Town end and the Malostransk?vě? on the Mal?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 |
|
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
Pra?sk?
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 (Pra?sk?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, Tom?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 Malostransk?
n?ěst?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 (Z?eck?schody)
- start up Nerudova from Malostransk?n?ěst?and take a quick right onto
Z?eck?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 (Star?z?eck?schody)
- the stairs start near the Malostransk?metro station and will put you at the
beginning of Jiřsk?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 N?odn?tř?a or the
Malostransk?metro station) and get off at one of these stops:
Kr?ovsk?letohr?ek
- 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
Pra?sk?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,
Havl?#269;kovy sady park on the south, Legerova street on the west, and Jiř?o z
Poděbrad square on the east, from there continuing east between Vinohradsk?and
Rusk?streets all the way to the Vinohrady Cemetery. In metro talk, Vinohrady
stretches from I. P. Pavlova to ?elivsk?o stations of line A. The district's
main arteries are Vinohradsk? Korunn? and Francouzsk?streets, all served by
trams. The two main squares are N?ěst?Jiř?o z Poděbrad and N?ěst?M?u.
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 ?i?kov. The area was divided into Kr?ovsk?
Vinohrady (Royal Vinohrady) and ?i?kov in 1875. Kr?ovsk?Vinohrady received the
status of a city in 1879. A tram line between Muzeum and Flora started running
in 1897. Kr?ovsk?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 Havl?#269;kovy sady on the
south.
Getting There
To get to the
heart of Vinohrady, take line A of the metro and get off at Jiř?o z Poděbrad.
Or, to take a slower ride above ground, get on tram 11 at Muzeum and take it up
Vinohradsk?to Jiř?o 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.
N?odn?/span>
museum
V?lavsk?n?ěst?68, Prague 1 -
Metro A/C
or tram 11 to
Muzeum
www.nm.cz/english/
Muzeum hlavn?o města
Prahy
Na Poř?#269;?52, Prague 8 -
Metro B/C to
Florenc
www.muzeumprahy.cz
Uměleckoprůmyslov?museum
Listopadu 2, Prague 1 - Metro A to
Staroměstsk?/span>
www.upm.cz/index.php?language=en
Muzeum Anton?a Dvoř?a
Ke Karlovu 20, Prague - Metro C
to I. P. Pavlova
Muzeum Bedřicha Smetany
Novotn?o l?ka 1, Prague 1 -
Metro A to Staroměstsk?/span>
Lobkovick?
palace
Jiřsk?3, Prague
1 - Tram 22 or 23 to Pra?sk?hrad
-
Mozartova 169, Prague 5 - Metro B to
Anděl
www.bertramka.com
V?tavi?tě 422,
Prague 7 - Metro C to Vltavsk?/span> or
N?ra??Hole?ovice
Muchovo muzeum
Pansk?7, Prague 1 - Metro A/B to
Můstek
www.mucha.cz
N?odn?technick?muzeum
Kosteln?42, Prague 7 - Tram 1,
8, 25 or 26 to Letensk?n?ěst?/span>
www.ntm.cz
Patočkova 4,
Prague 6 - Tram 1, 2 or 18 to
Vozovna Stře?ovice
www.dp-praha.cz/en/hist-muz.htm
Galleries
Trojsk?z?ek
Z?ek Zbrasla
Městsk?knihovna
Staroměstsk?radnice
Dům U zlat?o prstenu
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