Golden Prague

The hottest city on travellers lips today!

Prague, Lady of the Czech lands, Head of the Kingdom, City of One Hundred Spires, Heart of Europe, Rome of the North, Stony Prague, Golden Prague. Call her what you will, Prague is one of the hottest names amongst young travellers in Europe at the moment.

Prague is a city of gilded castles and over 500 spires piercing the dynamic skyline. Sitting smack in the geographical middle of Europe, Prague has always played an important role in the history of the continent. She has cherished the reputation as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, rich in architectural heritage largely resulting from centuries of escaping the worst ravages of war and, more recently, the floods in August 2002.

The entire medieval center is an evocative maze of cobbled lanes, ancient courtyards, dark passages, all watched over by the largest ancient castle in the world constructed in the 9th century which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Prague's fine Gothic face was established by King Otakar II, featuring the Charles University, Charles Bridge and St Vitus Cathedral. The town was organised into five major districts;

Prague Castle: Prague Castle is the most popular sight visited in Prague and the largest ancient castle in the world. Constructed in the 9th century by Prince Boøivoj, the castle transformed itself from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. The castle has three courtyards and it has always been the seat of Czech rulers as well as the official residence.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross was designed in the second half of the 18 century, once a treasury of St Vitus Cathedral today it displays a number of cult objects, such as relics, busts, crucifixes, shrines, vestments, monstrances, bibles, plaques, paintings, and jewels.

Mihulka Powder Tower was built at the end of the 15th century originally as a part of the castle's defenses, later it was a workshop of a cannon and bell-maker. During Rudolf II's reign the tower became a laboratory for alchemists and then it was used as a gunpowder store until 1754. Today it is a museum of alchemy, bell and cannon forging, and Renaissance life in Prague Castle.

The picture gallery of Prague Castle was created in 1965 and houses paintings from the 16th to 18th centuries. The highlights include Titian's The Toilet of a Young Lady, Rubens' The Assembly of the Olympic Gods and Guido Reni's The Centaur Nessus Abducting Deianeira.

The Old Royal Palace is one of the oldest parts of the castle dating from 1135. It was the seat of Bohemian princes but from the 13th to the 16th century it was the king's palace. Vladislav Hall is in the center of the palace, used for banquets, councils, and coronations. The other parts are the Rider's staircase, a place where all the Czech presidents have been sworn, New Land Rolls Room and All Saints' Chapel. The Royal Garden was created in 1535 for Ferdinand I. It is a highly recommended place for a stroll especially in spring. The Lions Court is where the Emperor Rudolf II had his zoo.

Named after the goldsmiths who lived there in the 17th century, Golden Lane is popular with its tiny colourful houses built right into the arches of the Castle walls. In the 18th and 19th centuries they were occupied by squatters, later it was the home of the writer Franz Kafka and the Nobel-laureate poet Jaroslaf Seifert, most are souvenir shops today.

Lesser town: 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.

Lesser Town Square started as a market place and has always been the center 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 Smiøický 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.

Known as the Venice of Prague, Kampa Island has been formed by a branch of the Vltava called the Devil's Stream. 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.

Named after the Emperor Charles IV in the 19th century, the Charles Bridge is Prague's most familiar monument. Designed by Petr Parler, it was completed in 1400 and it connects the Lesser Town with the Old Town. There are thirty statues on the bridge, of which many have been replaced with copies and the originals can be seen in the Lapidarium of the National Museum and at Vyšehrad.

Old town: Mentioned in 1091, it is the oldest of the towns of Prague to gain the privileges of a town in the 13th century. However, its name dates back to the 14th century when the New Town was founded. The center of the Old Town has always been the Old Town Square dominated by the Church of Our Lady of Týn and the Town Hall.

Powder Gate Tower was begun in 1475 during the reign of King Vladislav II Jagiello to form one of the 13 entrances to the Old Town. The gate acquired its present name in the 17th century when it was used to store gunpowder. Today, there is a small exhibition about the tower and it is open for great views.

Built in 1783 it is Prague's oldest theatre and one of the finest examples of Neo-classicism. Renamed the Tyl Theatre after WWII in honour of the 19th century Czech playwrite Josef Kajetán Tyl, its name reverted to Stavovské divadlo in 1990s.

Originally called Jesuits street, Charles Street, in the 12th century was a narrow medieval street and a part of the Royal Route. There are several original Gothic and Renaissance houses, such as the Colloredo-Mansfeld Palace, the French Crown, the Schönfeld Palace, the Blue Pike, and the Golden Snake.

New Town: The carefully planned New Town was founded by Charles IV in 1348. Twice as large as the Old Town, it was mainly inhabited by tradesmen and craftsmen. Today it is not particularly attractive to tourists due to its modernness.

The Wenceslas Square is the main center of modern Prague surrounded by shops, cinemas, office blocks, hotels, restaurants and cafés. The 750 m long and 60 m wide square has been the scene of a great deal of Czech history. In 1969 a university student Jan Palach burnt himself to death in protest against the Warsaw Pact invasion and in November 1989 protest meetings against police brutality were held here and led to the Velvet Revolution and the end of communism in Czechoslovakia. In the middle of the square is a monument of St Wenceslas on a horse accompanied with sculptures of four Czech patron saints.

Founded in 1818 as a regional natural history museum, the architectural symbol of the Czech National Revival was completed in 1890 in a Neo-Renaissance style. The National Museum stands at the upper part of the Wenceslas Square and it is more than 70 m high. Its hall, façade, staircase and ramp are decorated with sculptures made by famous artists. Inside of the building are many historical paintings by František Ženíšek, Václav Brožík and Vojtìch Hynais.

The National Theater was funded entirely by private donations and created by the most important artists of that era, the Neo-Renaissance National Theater has always been an important symbol of the Czech cultural revival. Opened in 1881 with the opera “Libuše” by Bedøich Smetana, the architect Josef Zítek's masterpiece burned down two months later but it was founded again and restored within two years. Today, the theater is used for ballet and opera performances, as well as drama.

Jewish Quarter: Across the river you will find the Jewish community, also known as the Ghetto. Here you can wander the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery, numerous Synagogues and historic buildings all dating back to the 14th Century. As many of the Jewish died during the WWII and were forced by the communist regime to leave the country, the current Prague community numbers 5000 – 6000 people.

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.

The city is teeming with contrasts, as Gothic churches mingle with cubist ultra-modern buildings, classical music entangles with jazz and rock, and the vestiges of Prague’s vulnerable past foil with the incredibly youthful social life.

Prague is pure in culture, customs and traditions. Despite centuries of brutal occupations and cruel hardships suffered, the people of Prague have reason to rejoice in the stunning beauty of a city that not even Hitler could raise a hand to in anger. It is due to the remarkable survival of this city that Prague’s strong sense of identity exists, and we as visitors are able to revel in the gold.

Prague has a year-round calendar of cultural riches on offer, with music predominating. The jewel in the crown is the Prague Spring International Music Festival (12 May-4 June), with classical music concerts in theatres, churches and historic buildings. Other musical interludes include Music Ecumenica (early April), which celebrates spiritual music; Musica Sacra Praga (mid-April and October), which features sacred music in various concert halls and churches; the Festival of Chamber Music (May); the Open-Air Opera Festival (July-August); the Verdi Festival (August-September); the Lucerne International Jazz Festival (October) and Musica Iudaica (October-November), a festival of Jewish music. If music is not your scene, visit in January, when Febiofest, an international film, television and video festival, is on; June, when Tanec Praha, a modern dance festival, limbers up; or July-September, when the Prague Folk Festival takes place.

In this amazing city you’re also bound to see value for your money, from what you eat and drink to where you lay your head to rest at night.