Sightseeing in Prague
Josefov (Jewish Quarter)
Until the end of the 19th century, the Jewish Ghetto was north of the Old Town Square. Many of the old buildings had to give way to Art Nouveau houses, but some of these old quarters have been preserved. A combi-ticket is available at the ticket office of the Jewish Museum, which grants entry to the Zidovnická radnice (Jewish Town Hall), the Klaus, Maisel, Pinkas and Spanish Synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery (the graves date from 15th to 18th centuries) and the ceremonial hall. An additional ticket is required for the Starovoná synagoga (old new synagogue) from the 13th century.
Address: U staré školy 141/1, Jewish Museum, Prague
Telephone: 222 74 92 11
Opening times: Mon-Fri and Sun 9 am-6pm (April-October); 9 am-4.30pm (Nov.-March).
Website: http://www.jewishmuseum.cz
Entrance fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Karluv most (Charles Bridge)
The construction of the most famous and most photographed Prague building, the Charles Bridge, began in 1357. It is part of a massive construction program by Charles IV, which also includes the castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and the university. The construction of these structures was supervised by the Swabian architect Peter Parler (although it is known today that the construction of the bridge began under Master Otto). The Charles Bridge replaces the former Judita Bridge (Judith Bridge), from which only one of the two towers of the Malá Strana Gate comes. The otherwise simple bridge is visually impressive because of the many statues on the parapet that were added by Jesuits during the Counter-Reformation.
The first statues of the crucifixion scene were erected in 1657; shortly afterwards came the only bronze statue, that of Saint John of Nepomuk (he was canonized after being pushed off a bridge). Most of the other statues carved from the local sandstone by Maximilian Brokoff and Matthias Bernhard were erected between 1706 and 1714 (the last one only in 1928). Because of the air pollution, a lot of originals were exchanged and placed in the lapidarium of Letná Park. Tourists are often amazed at the wooden structures at the bottom of the uprights on the side – these protect the bridge from stuck ice floes and tree trunks in the spring when the snow melts.
The bridge can only be crossed on foot and serves as a landmark for tourists. Many stands with art and handicrafts as well as a number of street musicians and solo entertainers of all kinds – from Dixie jazz groups to puppeteers – ensure entertaining.
Address: Staré Mesto (Old Town), Prague
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Muchovo Muzeum (Mucha Museum)
This museum in the Kaunitz Palace was founded in honor of the most famous artist in Czechoslovakia – Alfons Mucha (1860-1934). The collection includes many of his Paris posters, including for Sarah Bernhardt’s performances, pictures and books with designs. His Parisian studio was also rebuilt. There is a nice café on the terrace.
Address: Panská 890/7, Prague
Telephone: 221 45 13 33
Website: http://www.mucha.cz
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Obecní dum (House of Representatives)
The representative house designed by A. Balsánek and Osvald Polívka is the most beautiful Art Nouveau building in Prague and has been completely renovated after decades of neglect. The most famous Czech artists were involved in the construction (1905-1911). Karil Spillar’s eye-catching mosaic and Ladislav Saloun’s group of sculptures are a foretaste of the remarkable interior of the building. The most impressive are the public areas; among other things, the mayor’s room features murals by Alfons Mucha. The restaurant, the café and the Amerikanský bar were also designed by the architect Polívka. The centerpiece of the building is the Smetana concert hall, home to the Prague Symphony Orchestra and one of the most important concert halls during the Prague Spring Festival.
Address: náměstí Republiky, Prague
Telephone: 222 00 21 01
Opening hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (exhibition hall); daily 7.30am-11pm (café).
Website: http://www.obecni-dum.cz
Entrance fee: Free entry; Guided tours and exhibitions with entrance fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Prague wax museum
The popular wax museum is represented once in Prague and twice in the rest of the country. In Prague you can see prominent figures of the 20th century and various international dictators as well as the multimedia program “Magic Prague”.
Address: Melantrichova 504/5, Prague
Telephone: 224 22 98 53
Website: http://www.waxmuseumprague.cz
Entrance fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Prazský Hrad (Prague Castle)
The castle lying on a ridge is clearly visible in the sky and can be seen almost everywhere in Prague. The entrance is adorned with the statues of the fighting titans. Here you can see the enormous size of the imposing complex with its three courtyards, fortifications and gardens. Basically, the castle is a small village in itself and due to the rich architecture, the state apartments, churches, galleries and gardens you can hardly see everything in one day.
Most of the third courtyard is the Katedrála sv. Víta (St. Vitus Cathedral), the largest church in the country. Work on the cathedral, which is architecturally based on the cathedral of Narbonne, began in 1344, but was not completed until 1929 due to the changeable fate of the Czechs. The chapel with the reliquary of Saint Wenceslas is the most beautiful of the 22 side chapels – the walls are gilded and covered with hundreds of semi-precious stones, in between there are magnificent paintings from the 14th century. The overly decorated, baroque tomb of St. John of Nepomuk is the work of the Jesuits, who propagated this martyr instead of St. Wenceslas as the Czech patron saint.
The Bohemian crown jewels are housed in the royal chamber, but it is only made available to the public every now and then. The crypt is the resting place of most of the kings and queens of Bohemia. The Bazilika sv. Jirí (St. George’s Basilica) is a jewel of Romanesque architecture. It was built in 970, rebuilt in the 12th century and received its baroque facade in the 16th century. The chapel dedicated to Saint Ludmilla – the first Czech martyr – is particularly attractive. Kláster sv., Built in 973 for Benedictine nuns. Jirí (St George’s Monastery) is the oldest in the country. Today it houses a remarkable collection of early Czech art (from Gothic to Baroque).
The Belvedere, Prague’s most beautiful Renaissance building, is located in the castle gardens. It was built in the 1530s as a summer residence for Queen Anna and is now used for changing exhibitions. The houses of the court alchemists built into the fortress walls in the 16th century gave the Zlatá ulicka (Golden Lane) its name.
Address: Hradcanské námestí, Prague
Telephone: 224 37 33 68
Opening hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (April-October), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Nov.-March).
Website: http://www.hrad.cz
Entrance fee: With admission fee; admission to the castle grounds is free.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Staromestké Námestí (Old Town Square)
The old town square from the 12th century is particularly interesting for tourists. It is lined with stalls selling handicrafts and horse-drawn carriages, with which you can take a tour of the old town. In summer, the surrounding restaurants place their tables on the square, where the largest Christmas market in Prague takes place in winter. In the middle of the square is the huge statue of the reformer Jan Hus, who lived in the 14th century. Here you will also find the Prague Meridian, the zero kilometer from which all distances of the city are measured. The palaces, churches and houses around the old town ring are historically very interesting. Don’t miss the Staromestská radnice (Old Town Hall) with the Astronomical Clock. At their hourly strike (09.00-21. 00:00) the apostles appear on two windows in the upper part (from the early 15th century). Near the square is also the masterly Gothic Chrám Matky Bozí pred Týnem (Tyn Church), in which the tomb of the astronomer Tycho Brahe is located.
Address: Staré Mesto (Old Town), Prague
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Umeleckoprumyslové Museum
Although only a fraction of the collection is exhibited in the museum, this makes the generally practiced distinction between fine arts and handicrafts seem rather pointless. The fin-de-siècle building is in itself a work of art and is divided into two floors. There are special exhibitions on the ground floor and a wide range of handicrafts on the first floor. The beautiful Czech ceramics and glass exhibits are of particular interest.
Address: 17. listopadu 2, Prague
Telephone: 251 09 31 35
Website: http://www.knihovna.upm.cz
Entrance fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Václavské námestí (Wenceslas Square)
Despite the name Wenceslas Square, it is basically a long boulevard. This is where the passive resistance, the Velvet Revolution of 1989, culminated. Nothing has survived from the oldest buildings, but the front section is lined with houses of various architectural styles from the past 150 years. The lower part is a pedestrian zone. Here you can find many of the largest Prague department stores (whose architecture is often more interesting than the range of goods). The best way to get Czech and foreign newspapers is at the newsstands on the lower part of the street. The many arcades built in the 1920s with their winding passages almost always lead to a cinema. Many passages have been restored to their original Art Deco splendor, especially to accommodate modern businesses. The most beautiful passage is undoubtedly Lucerna (between Vodickova and Stepánská) with its jazz / rock concert hall, the cinema, excellent cafes and numerous small shops.
The center of the upper section is the huge equestrian statue Pomník sv. Vaclav (St. Wenceslas statue). The four surrounding statues represent the patron saint of the country: Ludmilla, Procopius, Agnes and Vojtech (Adalbert).
At the top of the square is the Národní muzeum (National Museum). It was founded in 1818 and houses the largest and oldest collection in the country. The collections with a focus on paleontology, geology, zoology and anthropology are more interesting for experts, but the building itself is worth a visit. It was built in the neo-renaissance style and, with its facade and interior, appreciates the history of the former Czechoslovakia.
Národní muzeum (National Museum)
Václavské námestí 68.
Tel: 24 49 71 11.
Internet: www.nm.cz/english
Opening times: Daily 10 am-6pm (May-September); daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (October-April); closed every first Tuesday of the month.
With admission fee; admission free every first Monday of the month.
Address: Nové Mesto (New Town), Prague
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Tourist offices
Pražská Informacní Služba (PIS – Prague Information Service)
There are six PIS branches in Prague and one at the airport. The main tourist information centers can be found in the Old Town Hall, Staromestké námestí, Prague 1; in Hlavní nádraží (Central Station), Wilsonova, Prague 1; and in Malostranská mostecká vex (Little Side Bridge Tower), Prague 1.
Address: Prague
Telephone: 221 71 44 44
Opening times: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Website: http://www.praguewelcome.cz
Visitor passes
With the Prague Card visitor pass (Internet: www.praguecard.info ) you can use the underground, trams and buses for the first 3 days. A pass without the use of transport is cheaper. The Prague Card is valid during your stay in Prague (for a maximum of one year) and it gives you free entry to 42 famous sights. The visitor pass can be obtained from the tourist information offices and the offices of the Prague Transport Company (DP).
