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Prague is a political, cultural, and economic hub of central Europe, with a rich history and Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architectures. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia and residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, most notably Charles IV (r. 1346–1378) and Rudolf II (r. 1575–1611).
- Introduction
- Architectural Styles
- Prague Castle and Hradcany
- Lesser Town and Charles Bridge
- Old Town
- New Town, Vysehrad & Surroundings
Prague
The capital of the Czech Republic is our most valuable urban conservation area. In 1992 the historical core of the city covering 866 hectares was listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Register. Prague was one of the nine cities awarded by the European Community the title of European City of Culture for the year 2000. The idea of the European City of Culture was coined by the then Greek Minister of Cuture Melina Mercouri. The first city to be honoured the title was Athens in...
Examples of architectural styles
1000 years of development presented Prague with the most beautiful historical monuments of all architectural styles: 1. Basilica of St. George (Prague Castle) 2. Rotunda of St. Longin (Na Rybnicku) 3. St. Adalbert's 4. Hybernian 5. Wilsonova 6. basement of No. 222 in Retezova street 1. Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia (U Milosrdnych) 2. Old-New Synagogue (Cervena street) 3. Charles Bridge with the bridge towers 4. St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas' and St. Vojtech's Cathedral - eastern part (Prague Cas...
Prague Castle
A castle was built on this site in the 9th century, and a Romanesque palace was erected there in the 12th century. In the 14th century, during the rule of Charles IV, it was rebuilt in the Gothic style. The Royal palace was re-built to the current shape under the Jagellos at the end of the 15th 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 16th century, especially after a big fire in 1541. The...
St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral
The Gothic St. Vitus cathedral is the spiritual symbol of the Czech state. It was founded in the late 9th century by John of Luxembourg and his sons Charles and John Henry. It took nearly six centuries to build. The current cathedral is situated on the site of a 10th-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 in the c...
Old Royal Palace
The Old Royal Palace served as the residence of Bohemian princes and kings until the 16th century. It was built upon the relics of a Romanesque palace of Prince Sobeslav. Additional reconstructions in the Gothic and Renaissance styles were initiated by famous Czech kings Premysl Otakar II, Charles IV, Wenceslas IV and Vladislav Jagello. Its most noteworthy part is the Gothic Vladislav Hall - the largest profane hall of medieval Prague (1487 - 1500, Benedikt Rejt) with a remarkable rounded rib...
Petrin Lookout Tower
A reduced copy of the Eiffel Tower (60 m high) built in 1891 on the occasion of the 1891 Jubilee Exhibition. 299 steps lead up to the top platform. Open daily: August 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. September to October 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Petrin Labyrinth
A maze of mirrors set up originally for the Jubilee Exhibition (1891) and featuring a diorama of "Battle of the Praguers with the Swedes in 1648 at the Charles Bridge". Open: April-August: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. daily September-October: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily November-March: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. /weekends only/
St. Nicolas Church
Prague 1, Malostranske nam. This church, built in the period of 1704-55, is the most significant historical structure of the so-called Prague Baroque. The architects were G. Santini, K. I. Dienzenhofer, 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. Opening hours: The Church: daily: 9 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. The Belfry: April-October: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., November-Marc...
Old Town Square
Dating from the 12th century, the square has witnessed many a significant event. Beside the Old Town Hall and the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, the square has several other dominants - the baroque St. Nicholas church (K. I. Dienzenhofer, 1732 - 1735), the rococo Kinsky palace housing the National Gallery graphic collection, the Stone Bell house - a gothic palace from the 14th century, now the Municipal Gallery concert and exhibition rooms, as well as the Master Jan Hus Memorial sculptured by...
The Old Town Hall with the Astronomical Clock
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 from the beginning of the 15th century; on the hour, a procession of the Twelve Apostles appears the window in the upper part. In the lower part, there are 12 medallions with the signs of the zodiac, created by Josef Manes (1865). The eastern wing of the Town Hall was destroyed on May 8, 1945, and has not been rebuilt yet. Open daily April-Oc...
Church of Our Lady before Tyn
Second only to the St. Vitus Cathedral, it is the most remarkable Gothic church with a Baroque interior in Prague. It contains the tomb of famous astronomer Tycho de Brahe. Part of the iterior is being renovated at present.
Wenceslas Square
Prague 1, New Town Prague's centre of commerce. The upper part of 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 Josef Vaclav Myslbek. Erected in 1912.
The National Museum
Prague 1, Vaclavske nam.68 A neo-Renaissance building designed by architect Josef Schulz in 1885-90.
The National Theatre
Prague 1, Narodni trida 2 A neo-Renaissance building of 1868-81, built to plans of J. Zitek. A fire destroyed much of the building in its first year of existence. It was rebuilt by architect Josef Schulz in 1883 and underwent a thorough renovation a hundred years later. The authors of both exterior and interior decorations are artists of the so-called National Theatre generation: M. Ales, F. Zenisek, V. Hynais, J. V. Myslbek, and others. The National Theatre is a major Czech stage and its rep...
5 days ago · Czech Republic, country located in central Europe. It comprises the historical provinces of Bohemia and Moravia along with the southern tip of Silesia, collectively called the Czech Lands. In 2016 the country adopted the name ‘Czechia’ as a shortened, informal name for the Czech Republic. The capital is Prague.
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages and lasted for almost 1,000 years until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars .
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Golden Lane, a picturesque tucked-away street in medieval Prague. It is impossible to summarize Prague’s medieval life in so few words. There are, of course, the spectacular vistas over the city: a vast expanse of red pitched roofs, imposing towers, church spires and domes, quaint bridges, walled courtyards and parks.
Middle Francia. Middle Francia ( Latin: Francia media) was a short-lived Frankish kingdom which was created in 843 by the Treaty of Verdun after an intermittent civil war between the grandsons of Charlemagne resulted in division of the united empire. Middle Francia was allocated to emperor Lothair I, the eldest son and successor of emperor ...
Aug 1, 2019 · Medieval Prague and The Charles Bridge: When to Visit and What to See. While exploring Prague, your trip won’t be complete without a visit to the famous Charles Bridge. The Czech Republic’s capital can only be described as magical. Founded in the 9th century – the “Golden City of 1000 Spires” is a feast for the eyes as you walk ...
