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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 (ternbersk palc)
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.
ernn palace (ernnsk palc)
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 (Kapucnsk klter)
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 (Strahovsk klter)
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.
and it gained a Renaissance vault. Later in the 16 th century, a portal between the chapel and the
Vladislav Hall was built.
When the neighbouring Rosenberg Palace became a Residence for Noblewomen in the 1750s,
the All Saints Chapel became their collegiate church.
Renaissance decoration
The Archbishops Palace was rebuilt in 1562 1563 in Renaissance style, according to a project
by Bonifac Wohlmut, and later once again by Ulrico Aostalli. There are still some remains of
Renaissance sgraffitoes from the 16 th century in the courtyard of the palace.
Chapel of St. John the Baptist was built in the palace in 1599. It is decorated with stuccoes and
paintings by Daniel Alexius of Kvetna.
considered whether it should be liquidated in the 1780s. The clock soon stopped working for a
long time.
The major repair was inevitable and it came in 1865. The clock was modernized and a new
Calendar Dial was painted by Josef Manes. In 1945 the German army damaged the Astronomical
Clock and some of the statues burned. They were replaced by replicas later, and the striking of
the clock was changed from the Old Czech Time to the Central European Time.
The Astronomical Clock consists of the windows with apostles at the top, the Astronomical Dial,
which is the oldest part, the Calendar Dial underneath and various sculptures around.
Figures of Apostles
The wooden figures of apostles with their attributes appear in the windows every hour, while at
the same time some of the sculptures begin to move: the Death holds its hourglass and beckons
to the Turkish man sculpture, which shakes its head in response. There is Vanity portrayed as a
man with a mirror and Miserliness as a man with a moneybag, shaking a stick. The other statues,
that dont move, are an Astronomer, a Chronicler, a Philosopher and an Angel. When the apostles
finish their journey, the golden cockerel at the top crows and quivers its wings, the bell rings and
the clock chimes the hour.
Astronomical Dial
The Astronomical Dial shows the medieval perception of the Universe: the Earth is the center.
The blue part of the dial represents the sky above the horizon, the brown part the sky below it.
There are Latin words ORTVS (east) and OCCASVS (west) written above the horizon, and
AVRORA (dawn) and CPEPVSCVLVM (twilight) below. There is a Zodiac ring, which
represents the stars in the sky and it moves according to it. The two clock hands bear the signs of
the Sun and the Moon.
There are three circles on the dial, showing different time: the outer circle with Schwabacher
numerals shows the Old Czech Time (Italian Time), the circle with Roman numbers shows the
Central European Time and the inner circle with Arabic numerals shows the Babylonian Time:
the length of an hour differs there according to the season it is longer in the summer, shorter in
the winter. The Prague Astronomical Clock is the only one in the world able to measure it.
Furthermore, the little star by the zodiac ring shows the sidereal time.
Calendar Dial
The newest part of the clock is the Calendar Dial. There is the Prague Old Town symbol in the
centre. The rotary outer circle describes every single day of the year, and the current date is
indicated at the top. There are also medallions with zodiac signs and with pictures depicting
every month.
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 (Malostransk nmst)
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 Smiick 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. Mikule)
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, fresoes and paintings inside the church
are by leading artists of the day, such as Karel krta and Johann Kracker.
Wallenstein Palace (Valdtejnsk palc)
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. Tome)
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 krta and Vclav Vavinec Reiner.
Vrtba Garden (Vrtbovsk zahrada)
This beautiful Baroque garden was designed by Frantiek Maxmilin Kaka 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 (Chrm Panny Marie Vtzn)
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 (Maltzsk nmst)
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 (ertovka). 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.
paintings and drawings by children held in the Terezn concentration camp during
WWII.
Klausen Synagogue (Klausov synagga)
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 Terezn concentration camp .
Old-New Synagogue (Staronov synagga)
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 (Vysok 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 (idovsk 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 (panlsk synagga)
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 (Klter sv. Aneky)
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 (Rudilfinum)
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.
Built in 1783 it is Prague's oldest theatre and one of the finest examples of Neoclassicism. Renamed the Tyl Theatre after WWII in honour of the 19th century Czech
playwrite Josef Kajetn Tyl, its name reverted to Stavovsk divadlo in 1990s.
Mozart's opera Don Giovanni had its premiere there on 29 October 1834 and in
1834 it was a musical comedy Fidlovaka. 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 (Staromstsk nmst)
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 pastelcoloured buildings of Romanesque or Gothic origin with fascinating house signs.
Some of the most prominent examples include the Kinsk Palace, the House of the
Stone Bell and the torch House. Today, the Old Town Square offers visitors a tourist
information office, number of restaurants, cafs, shops and galleries.
Church of Our Lady before Tyn (Kostel Panny Marie ped Tnem)
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. Tn church has a grand-sounding pipe organ and
occasionally, it is a concert venue.
Kinsk Palace (Palc Kinskch)
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 tpn Kinsk, an Imperial diplomat. In February 1948 Klement
Gottwald proclaimed communist rule in Czechoslovakia from the palace balcony.
Nowadays, the Kinsk palace belongs to the National Gallery.
Jan Hus Monument (Pomnk 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. Mikule)
This church was completed in 1735 by Kilian Dientzenhofer; its statues are work of
Antonn 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 (Staromstsk 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 Hanu 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 (Dm u dvou zlatch medvd)
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 krta. Since the middle ages Prague's best-known market has
been held in Havelsk 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. Jilj)
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 Vclav Reiner, a painter who
created the ceiling frescos.
Bethlehem Chapel (Betlmsk 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-Gallasv palc)
Named after the wealthy patron of the arts, Vclav 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.
Marinsk Square (Marinsk nmst)
A statue of Rabbi Lw 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 Vclav Prchner 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 Schnfeld
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 Kuntt (Dm Pn z Kunttu)
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 Kuntt and Podbrady in the 15th century. Today it houses a
historical exhibition devoted to George of Podbrady, 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 (Kovnick nmst)
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.
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 Metodje)
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 (Faustv Dm)
Built in the 14th century and owned by the alchemists Prince Vclav 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 (Klter 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. tpna)
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. Vorily)
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 (Nrodn 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 Libue by
Bedich Smetana, the architect Josef Ztek's masterpiece burned down two months
later but it was founded again and restored within two years. The stage curtain is
the work of Vojtch Hynais, the ceiling paintings are by Frantiek enek.
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.