Prague is really a very beautiful city and eccentric.
Take, for example, architecture that crosses the landscape of a city. From the socialist era, with its distinctive aesthetics (reminiscent of a rocket ship), to regal castles dating back to the 10th century, and the building of the Dancing House, built in 1989.
The stage structure is equally eclectic, with objects ranging from the quaint statues of architect David Cerna, which are plentiful in the city, to the quaint Magic Cave, in Prague.
Naturally, these quirky elements, complemented by the picturesque Vltava River, lush parks and lively nightlife, make the city extraordinarily colorful, including the city of Prague in the photo.
Historical sites and architecture
Prague architecture dates back to medieval times and even earlier. in Czech, one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. Installed in 1410, the watch has its own history.
It is the main attraction and there is heavy tourist traffic here all day long.
An early morning stop will allow you to see the sights of Prague in a relaxed atmosphere and take great photos, or if the crowds don't bother you, the light throughout Old Town Square is unparalleled before sunset (which can be late at 21:15 in summer).
Visit the top of the Old Town Hall tower for a beautiful view of the historic district of Prague. The tower is open on Mondays from 11:00 to 10:00. and from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 10:00. Photos of the Old Town of Prague are especially beautiful in spring and summer.
The castle complex is truly a sight to behold, and a visit at sunset allows for some unforgettable pictures.
Charles Bridge is the main area for photo sessions. As with Old Town Square, photographers wishing to take a photo without hindrance can visit it earlier in the morning, as the bridge is heavily attacked throughout the day. The view of the river, with baroque statues lining the edges of the bridge, and the majestic castle towering in the background, is well worth the wait for the patient photographer.
Parks and squares
Prague also has some poignant, culturally significant works of art.
Prague is dotted with parks that often host festivals or social events. One park, Wallenstein Garden, is especially attractive to photographers because of the wild peacocks that inhabit the area. The park is a true hidden gem located near Prague Castle, but generally devoid of the usual tourists who gather in the more famous areas of the city.
The park is open from April to October, so plan your visit during this time period if this place is on your list of sightseeing needs.
Best views and vantage points
The Astronomical Tower and Castle are not the only scenic vistas that offer stunning views of the sprawling cityscape. Some of the most exciting vantage points:
Bellavista: The atmosphere in this cafe is on par with the best in the city; Come in the evening to enjoy dinner with a view.
: some truly unique types of Czech charm.
Жižkov Tower: The structure itself makes it a place for an intriguing subject for photography, and the views from the tower are equally surreal. The tower has become a popular attraction and park with excellent restaurants and a cocktail lounge.
Sometimes the stunning views are not defined by the city's skyline, but by the sky itself, reflecting the calm river. For early hikers, sunrise is a magical time to wander the city's cobblestone streets.
Yuri Pavlovich was very depressed, he wanted to give up business, forget about his family and, having sent all common sense to hell, leave. Leaving is not a new desire for men. The world knows the case of a 40-year-old Frenchman, a petty official and an exemplary father, who once after dinner suddenly said irritably: "Enough! I'm tired of everything!" - and fled to Haiti in the morning. That Frenchman was called Gauguin. True, Yuri Pavlovich did not remember Gauguin. While smoking a cigarette at the window, on the opposite side of the street, he saw what could save him from black melancholy - a travel agency. And Yuri Pavlovich fell into the hands of chance.
Fate in the form of a manager ordered: Czech Republic. Prague. For five days. Hotel "Cityin". Departure tomorrow at 8 am. Suitable? "Suitable!" - confirmed our hero and decided that fate is not so blind: a former neighbor and friend of youth Slava lived in Prague.
Yuri Pavlovich collected his things and did not think about the fact that every accident is a well-prepared pattern. It is not surprising that he, who wished to leave immediately, was offered to go to Prague - there was no need for delays with the registration of entry documents. The Czech Republic is a visa-free country, which is why it has earned immense popularity among tourists. Plus the cheapness of hotels, restaurants, services and goods. And the goodwill of the Czechs, most of whom (almost everyone over 30 years old) understand and can explain themselves in Russian. Therefore, the Russians became the most frequent guests of the republic, yielding the primacy in attendance only to the Germans.
Two and a half hours - and the plane carried passengers from the banks of the Neva to the city on the banks of the Vltava River. The history of the Czech capital is the history of seven cities that arose in ancient times, in the 9th-12th centuries. Even the first Christian prince from the Přemyslid dynasty laid the foundations of Prague Castle and the Church of the Virgin Mary on the left bank in the bend of the Vltava. Přemyslovich moved the princely residence here, and Prague Castle became the permanent seat of Czech kings and rulers. Now Vaclav Havel lives and works in the presidential palace. Behind the stone wall of the Castle - also during the time of the princes of Pršvmyslovichvy, a spontaneous settlement of Hradcany was formed and on the same left bank all the "nickname of the town of Malaya Storona. The destructive war of the Hussites with the royal troops, and then the terrible fire of 1541 destroyed almost all the Gothic buildings of Prague Castle, Hradcany and Malaya Strana New palaces and buildings were built in a different style - Baroque and Renaissance.
No less ancient fortress cities stood on the other, right, bank of the Vltava: Vysehrad, which arose at the beginning of the 10th century, the Old City and the Jewish quarter, isolated from the Christian population; The New City was built by Emperor Karp IV and became the first in Europe to be built according to a pre-planned plan.
By the end of the 18th century, independent cities had grown so large that they almost merged territorially. And in 1784 their unification was announced. The Czech capital, called "Golden Prague", "hundred-tower", "the city of a hundred spiers" for its beauty and originality, has gone through a thousand-year history, but remained the most preserved medieval city in Europe. Prague has become a symbol of graceful architecture, palace spiers, tiled roofs, cobbled streets, famous Czech beer and equally famous Bohemian glass.
Yuri Pavlovich, honestly was more interested in beer. But I also wanted to admire the royal castles. And he tried to combine a tour of pubs with a surging love for architecture. 1
The start was good. He climbed to the very top, to the Prague Castle. The front gate leads inside the Castle from Hradčanskaya Square. At the gates there is a guard of honor, changing hourly. After observing with delight the precise refinement of the ceremony, our traveler saluted the presidential guards with a bottle of Prazdroya and drew all his attention to the gigantic church of indescribable beauty. The construction of the Cathedral of St. Vitus began in 1344, and was completed only in 1929: the long-term construction lasted for as much as 600 years.
The restaurant "U Kanovniky" is huddled under the powerful walls of the majestic cathedral. "Excursion \u003d this begins ..." - Yuri Pavlovich himself said and entered. But the beer in the restaurant was so-so. Although it was claimed that it was brewed according to recipes from 1291, the tart, expensive and, again, bottled beer did not delight him. But Golden Street turned out to be a dream lane. Cobbled, narrow, about a meter wide, with plastered one- and two-story multi-colored houses, which are built into the fortification wall of Prague Castle. Once upon a time, alchemists settled on it, trying to get gold for King Rudolf II, and goldsmiths lived there. In the 18th century, the street was occupied by the urban poor, and in the 20th century - by the Prague bohemia. In 1952-1955, the houses were renovated and housed shops and souvenir exhibitions. But every second door is a pub or cafe. Golden Street, like Nevsky Prospekt on fine days, was packed with visitors. And Yuri Pavlovich rightly decided that good beer should be sought away from places where tourists gather.
Near the Prague Castle on Lorentanskaya Street there was a glorious pub "At the Black Ox". Under the vaults of the monastery type, there are several simple wooden tables and the same benches. On the walls is something reminiscent of armor and shields from the times of knights. Modest but impressive. Such an interior is typical of Prague pubs designed for local patrons. And, in order to please the citizens of Prague, there is not a tourist price for beer: for a large mug of the famous "Velikopopovsky Goat" - 30 cents. The waiter does not really bow to the guests, but is polite and quick. As soon as the mug is empty, it is right there. Here Yuri Pavlovich dined: without any culinary art, but tasty and satisfying Slavic food - hot sausages with Czech dumplings. Looking back to "St. Thomas", to the former monastery brewery with a Gothic vaulted hall and excellent dark beer, which has been brewed here since 1352, Yuri Pavlovich wisely decided that it would be nice to correlate desires with opportunities and leave strength for exploring Prague with a "guide" Glory.
"Old man, have you come here on business or just to have a rest?" - a longtime acquaintance from a student of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts grew up to be a restorer of the Museum of the City of Prague, but he never gained solidity. "Just like that - drink beer!" - Yuri Pavlovich, who had long forgotten about the crappy mood, barely appeared. "Well, if you drink, so along with Yeltsin!" - and the friends went to the beer halls, which the presidents had already bypassed before them.
On the descent from Prague Castle to Hradcany, there is Nerudova Street. And on it is the pub "U Zolotykh 13". It's not even a pub, but a small restaurant. It appeared about four years ago, but managed to acquire its own history. During the visit of the Russian president to the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel came here with Boris Yeltsin. And now the owner of the restaurant Pan Moulik tells each guest how the presidents drank a mug of "Pilsen", talked, ate a sandwich with veal, drank another mug of "Pilsen", took pictures and left. Finally, Yeltsin presented Moulik with a watch with the inscription "From the first president of Russia." The master keeps the clock as a relic. Tourists, especially Russians, examine "Yeltsin's mug", sit down at the table "consecrated" by their own president, at which wax figures of Yeltsin and Havel are now sitting, take pictures and order, order. Our friends were no exception to the rule. We drank "Prazdroya", ate lamb with lecho. And then Slava remembered that on the other bank of the Vltava there is a pub where Havel was sitting with Clinton. Well, we must go!
It is a stone's throw from Nerudova Street to Mostovaya Street, and right there a unique monument of the past opens - Charles Bridge, along which the famous Royal Road ran. According to the rule established by Charles IV, when the new king ascended the throne, the coronation procession began at Vysehrad, went through the Old Town and followed to Prague Castle. From the side of the Old Town in 1380, at the beginning of the Karpov Bridge, a passable arch and a tower were installed, which is considered the most beautiful medieval tower in Europe. But this miracle of architecture once made the citizens of Prague tremble with horror. For ten whole years - from 1621 to 1631 - the tower was "decorated" with "living sculptures" - the severed heads of rebel nobles who opposed the rule of the Habsburgs. Now Charles Bridge is a half-kilometer long pedestrian zone. And if you then walk along Karpovaya Street, you will just find yourself on Hus Street, in the pub "At the Golden Tiger".
The interior is still the same - long planed tables, benches, chairs. There are a lot of people in the pub, looking like tourists. But beer is not expensive, about 17-20 kroons. In the center of the room there is a photo: Clinton, Havel and the famous Czech writer Bogomil Hrabal, the most famous regular in this pub. Friends ordered from the Golden Tiger "Staropramen" old Prague beer, which is especially popular now in Germany, and as an "accompaniment" to it - salted nuts and spicy cheese. "Remember, Yura, you absolutely cannot use salted fish with Czech beer. Sorry, but here, brother, this tradition of ours is not welcome," the Russian Czech Slava began "explanatory work". - Nobody knows how many types of beer are brewed in the Czech Republic, - every town, and even every village has its own variety. And each according to original recipes. Brewer - in the Czech Republic sounds proudly. But the best beer is always draft. Do you remember the phrase of youth that hung on every beer chest in St. Petersburg: "Wait for the beer sludge". So, you don't have to wait for any sludge. You need to be able to pour it. The foam should be such that a pencil could stand in a mug with beer. No, don't check it here! Let's go to my area ... "
There are thousands of beer halls in Prague: for Prague men this is a place of meeting and communication. As a rule, they go to pubs near the house, so the audience in them is constant and the atmosphere is homey. Slava lived 20 minutes from Karpov Bridge, on the embankment of the Chertovka River, one of the branches of the Vltava. Quiet center, courtyard and nondescript door. We went in, and there, as in the unforgettable "Zucchini of 13 chairs", - comfort, friendliness. In the middle of the day there are few visitors, but, undoubtedly, everyone knows each other well, and as a good acquaintance they nod to Slava: "Good day, Vaclav!" Yuri Pavlovich was immediately christened "Jurai" in the Czech manner, and they were happy to show him how a pencil sticks out in the foam of thick dark "Urquel".
“Okay, Slava, lead me today in the footsteps of the brave soldier Schweik,” Yuri Pavlovich determined the beer route the next morning. “You don’t have enough time or money to get around everything,” Slava doubted. “Here, in the right-bank Prague, wherever you look, there are Schweik pubs everywhere.” Nevertheless, he brought Yurai to the famous tavern "U kalicha". The innkeeper claims that it was here that the gallant soldier often visited and refers to the interior of the establishment, where even "a portrait of the emperor, perched with flies ..." is preserved (just like in Hasek's novel). The menu matches the interior and you can taste the specialties: "Lieutenant Lukash's beef tenderloin with garnish" or "Lieutenant Oak's potato cake". By the way, you can choose a dish in Russian. The beer in the tavern is light "Plzeský Prazdroi", as well as amazing dark beer. "U Chashi" is very popular among Prague residents and visitors, and the prices here correspond to the popularity.
The main square of Prague - Wenceslas Square - with a width of 60 meters and a length of 750 meters, resembles a boulevard. In the very middle of it there is a strip of lawns and flower beds, benches for resting. In the XIV century, when the New Town was founded, there was a horse trade here, and the place was called the Horse Market. The current name of the square has nothing to do with the name of President Havel, since it was renamed into Wenceslas Square 150 years ago. The boulevard and the streets adjacent to it have been turned into a pedestrian zone and are filled with strollers at any time of the year. In the vicinity of Wenceslas Square, there is Krementsova Street, and on it is the U Flku beer restaurant. It's hard to believe, but the fact is that this pub is five centuries old. There was once a monastery here, with a tavern, and with it a brewery. And since that time has been living beer ^ "Flkovskiy Lazak". Thick, not just dark - black. The tables are also black, the benches are black. And "live music" - a brass band. "At Flku's" pub is divided into several rooms: the princely and Wenceslas halls, and even a large courtyard, stand out. After two mugs of the "Flkovskiy lounger", Yuri Pavlovich, although he did not fall ill, became kinder and softened. And either the orchestra playing "Amur Waves", or the organ-grinder who wandered into the Flekov's yard, suddenly made me remember with fondness his work, home and sadly think: "Fool that he didn't take his wife to Prague with him." And all the problems that drove Yuri Pavlovich to a foreign country were no longer problems. Maybe because the "foreign country" turned out to be the Czech Republic, with the welcoming beauty of Prague, with pubs, where they do not require "wait for the foam to settle," but simply add more. Misplaced nostalgia and falling into the lyrics were a clear sign that the beer degrees from "Priest" were superimposed on the degrees from "Fleck" and reached a critical point. And Yuri Pavlovich did not like busting and put an end to the beer excursion. At least for this, not yet the last day in Prague ...
Vladimir Sergeev
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is one of the most interesting cities in the world to visit. Prague has many historical sights - Gothic castles, palaces, temples, cathedrals, squares, interesting and unique museums, and extraordinary modern wonders, such as the Dancing House or the Singing Fountains. This city is indeed the gold among the cities of our planet, and maybe that is why the inhabitants of the Czech Republic themselves often call it "Zlata Praga", which can be understood without translation into Russian.
First of all, it is worth visiting the Prague Castle. It is here that the magnificent and impressive St. Vitus Cathedral with graceful towers is located, which was built for almost five hundred years and is an amazing combination of three styles: Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance. There are also the Monastery of St. George, the Strahov Monastery, the Old Royal Palace, the Royal Garden and the famous Prague Zlata street. Also in the Prague Castle are the National Gallery, the Picture Gallery of the Prague Castle, the Exhibition "History of Prague Castle". It was in the Prague Castle that kings and queens have long lived, and now it is the residence of the President of the Czech Republic. By the way, Prague Castle is the most visited place among tourists. At the same time, the entrance to Prague Castle is free, and only some places of visits will require payment.
Be sure to visit the famous Charles Bridge in Prague, which has been the hallmark of the city for many years. This large bridge (more than half a kilometer long and ten meters wide) is interesting in itself, and on this bridge there are three dozen statues and sculptures (and each sculpture has its own history and legend, like the Charles Bridge itself).
Interesting in Prague is the Old Town Square, where there are very famous and significant architectural monuments: the Old Town Hall with chimes (which, in addition to time, will also show the position of the sun, moon and constellations), where there is an observation deck where you can climb, Tyn Church, Golc Palace -Kinsky. Here, by the way, it is worth seeing the unique Museum of Czech Glass "Mozer".
It is worth visiting Wenceslas Square, where there is a monument to St. Wenceslas and an interesting Czech National Museum, as well as shops, souvenir shops, hotels. The House of Faust and the fantastic Dancing House are also located here, which are also worth paying attention to (especially the last one). Many of Prague's festive events are now held on Wenceslas Square itself.
From the museums of Prague (except those mentioned above), it is worth visiting the Prague City Museum, the Museum of Czech Music, the Museum of Czech Literature, the National Technical Museum and other museums of the city.
Even in Prague, you can admire the Troy Castle, Vrtba Palace, Valdstein Palace, the Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord in Vinohrady, the Church of St. Nicholas, Prague's old Jewish cemetery (some of whose gravestones have been standing since the fifteenth century). And to see Prague from a bird's eye view, you can go to Petrin Hill, where the Petrin Tower is located (a copy of the Parisian Eiffel Tower), from the observation deck of which you can enjoy a beautiful view of Prague.
And those who get tired of antiquity and historical monuments can go to the famous Prague Zoo and watch an unusual show of the Singing Fountains - a kaleidoscope of water, light and stage performance.
Golden Prague is a beautiful and interesting city, rich in architectural monuments and ancient Gothic buildings, museums and galleries, cobbled squares, winding streets and other attractions. Impressions from visiting this amazing city will be remembered for a long time.
You will remain in your soul forever
City of songs and chestnut leaves
Golden friend of Moscow!
Older readers may remember the song about Prague that Marc Bernes performed so sincerely. And most of the young people, most likely, have already visited the capital of the Czech Republic - one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, moreover, not so far from Russia: the plane Moscow-Prague covers 1,670 km in less than two and a half hours.
Getting off the ramp at Vaclav Havel Airport, you can get to the city center by regular buses - a distance of about 20 km (in fact, the airport is located on the outskirts of Prague), the price of a limited ticket valid for 30 minutes is 24 CZK. Yes, in the Czech Republic, it is not the euro in circulation, but its own currency, and a small amount of it will need to be bought at the exchange office of the airport (considering not the best rate).
By the way, it makes sense to ask about changes in the exchange rate of the kroon at home, if you plan a trip in advance - and if the ratio to the ruble is favorable, buy it from one of the banks. Unfortunately, there are less and less of them in Moscow, but such points of sale still exist.
The routes of the buses from the airport differ only in their final destinations - for bus no. 100 it is the Zličín metro station (yellow line B), and for bus no. 119, the station Nádraží Veleslavín (green line A).
In addition, there is a more comfortable option in the form of the Airport Express bus - it runs from Terminal 1 to the main train station Praha hl. nádraží (metro line C), and a ticket costs 60 CZK.
Well, if you are on vacation in Karlovy Vary and want to go to Prague on the weekend (which we strongly advise you to do), you can get to the capital by a Student bus - it goes to the Florenc bus station in the very center of the city, the time is the journey takes two hours, the ticket costs 160 CZK
So, you are in Prague ... How to build the best route depends on where you arrived and how much time you have. Here there is an extensive public transport network (bus, tram), three metro lines - for example, the already mentioned Florenc bus station is combined with stations of two lines (red and yellow). But it is best to walk around this beautiful city on foot.
By the way, why is the city called that? Some scholars associate the toponym Praha with the Czech word prah (threshold), which in ancient times was also the name of the river bank. Others believe that it comes from the word pražení (hardening, roasting), since a lot of bread was produced in this region. But the majority agree that for the city the most significant was not roasting and not just the river bank, but the crossings over the Vltava, on which it stands - that is, the rapids.
Today's Prague consists of districts that for a long time were considered separate cities (Stare Mesto, Nove Mesto, Hradcany, Mala Strana, Vysehrad). In the past, they not only had a different status, a system of subordination, management, finance, etc., but sometimes even feuded, and sometimes it came to real military operations. The first (but not final) attempt to reconcile the cities of Prague dates back to 1518, when the townspeople of Old Town merged with New Town. Finally, it was possible to unite separate cities on the territory of Prague only in 1784 during the reign of Emperor Joseph II.
Wenceslas Square starts from the National Museum
Let's start our walk from Wenceslas Square, located in the very center of the so-called New Town (Nove Mesto) - an area whose founder and creator is considered the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, King of Bohemia Charles IV (yes, the same one after whom the Karlovy Vary). Under him, Prague became one of the largest metropolises in Europe in the XIV century, the third largest city in the empire.
So that the construction would not be delayed, the emperor issued a decree abolishing the payment of taxes for 12 years for everyone who builds a house on this territory within 18 months. And many really did fit within this deadline.
On Christmas Eve, there are stalls selling souvenirs and treats
As for Wenceslas Square (Prague residents call it Vaclavak), it is, in fact, a boulevard 60 m wide and 750 m long, going downhill from the National Museum and the equestrian monument to St. Wenceslas to the Old Town. The square appeared in the XIV century as a horse market, and began to take on its modern appearance at the end of the XIX century, when the fortifications of the New Town were demolished, and the National Museum was built on the site of the Horse Gate.
The blacksmith works right on the square
Tourists are greeted by funny characters
The monument to Saint Wenceslas, the patron saint of the country, was erected in front of the museum in 1912, and six years later, on October 28, 1918, a proclamation about the proclamation of the democratic republic of Czechoslovakia was read to the crowd gathered at the monument. Here the most significant events in the life of the country take place, here meetings are arranged "under the tail", there are also large hotels, shops and cafes.
At the end of the square, perpendicular to it, is the pedestrian street Na Prsikope (that is, "on the moat" that separated the old town from the new in the Middle Ages). Today it is the main shopping street in the Czech capital and one of the best shopping spots. And also, according to the rating of the Cushman & Wakefield company, Na Příkopě street took the 27th place in terms of the cost of rent in the world (1980 euros per sq. M.) - this is the most expensive street in Prague, the Czech Republic and throughout Central Europe.
Community house
Starting from Wenceslas Square, Na Přikope Street will lead you to Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky). Sometimes they say that if you do not visit here, you will not recognize the real Prague. It was here, in the building of the current Public House, that the independence of Czechoslovakia was proclaimed in 1918 (hence the name of the square).
The public house was built on the site of an old royal palace that served as the seat of Czech kings in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is a pearl of Prague architecture, the spiritual and cultural center of city life. The dome of the building is decorated with mosaics; there are concert halls with interiors of amazing beauty, the main of which is named after the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana and is one of the main venues of the Prague Spring International Music Festival.
Powder gate
The public house is connected by a covered bridge with the powerful Powder Gate (Prašná brána) - a 65 m high Gothic tower that replaced the destroyed Upper Gate in the 15th century. Anyway, these are the only surviving gates of the Old City. A spiral staircase with about 200 steps leads to the top of the tower. In the 18th century, the tower was used as a powder store, which is why it got its current name.
Celetná Street, which runs from the Powder Gate, is the beginning of the Royal Route. The Czech rulers traveled along this route to the coronation, and it passes through the most interesting sights of the city - Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Hradcany Square, to Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. Let us and we follow this path.
In the Old Town, meat is fried right on the street
This is how trdlo is made - a traditional pastry made from yeast dough, wound in a spiral on a spit made of wood or metal
Souvenir kiosk
Showcase with Czech pomegranate
On the way, we will come across numerous restaurants where you can taste local cuisine, and shops offering various souvenirs and the famous Czech pomegranate. This transparent mineral of deep red color, belonging to the pyrope group,has long been found in the river sand of the Vltava, and the best is considered a pomegranate from Turnov, a city in the north of Bohemia, where lapidary workshops have been operating since the 16th century.
Old Town Square
Narrow streets lead us to the Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), located in the very center of the Old Town. Known since the 12th century, it was a city marketplace, a place of executions and ceremonies. The square is surrounded by town houses with facades of various architectural styles: Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo.
Tyn temple
The dominant feature of the square is the Church of the Virgin Mary in front of Tyn (or simply the Tyn Church). Its sharp Gothic spiers pierce the sky, and the great Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1564 - 1601), who in the last years of his life served as the court mathematician and astrologer of Emperor Rudolf II, is buried at the altar.
Church of St. Mikulas
Another monumental religious building on the square is the Church of St. Nicholas, now the main temple of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church. One of the main attractions here is a crystal chandelier, donated by the Russian Emperor Alexander II, since in 1870-1914. the temple was rented by the Russian Orthodox Church.
City hall
Hundreds of people come to the Town Hall to watch the Prague Astronomical Clock
The clock on the tower strikes noon ...
... and the figures of the apostles are shown in the windows above the clock
But the most famous building on the square is the town hall built in the XIV century. Every day hundreds of tourists gather at the foot of its tower to see the famous astronomical clock - the Prague Astronomical Clock or, as they are also called, the eagle (from lat. horologium - clock). Installed in 1410, it is the third oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest still in operation.
Orloj consists of three main components located vertically on the tower: in the center there is an astronomical dial that shows Old Bohemian, Babylonian, Central European (modern) and sidereal times, times of sunrise and sunset, the position of the Sun and Moon among the zodiacal constellations, as well as phases The moon. On the sides of the dial there are figures moving every hour, among which the figure of Death in the form of a human skeleton stands out. Upstairs, on either side of the stone sculpture of an angel, there are two windows in which every hour, when the clock strikes, the figures of the 12 apostles are shown. Above the angel is the figure of a golden rooster, which crows at the end of the procession.
The city center of Prague often offers a city tour in a retro car
After admiring the chimes, we once again plunge into the labyrinth of narrow streets of the Old Town, making our way to the Charles Bridge. On the way, you will surely come across exotic retro cars of various stripes, with an offer to take a walk.
And, lifting your head, you will see very interesting house signs at the level of the second and third floors of old buildings. Once they served as landmarks in a big city, reflecting the personality of the owner of the house - his profession, artistic tastes, political predilections, name or nickname. There are more than 300 such signs in Prague, and their exact number is unknown to anyone.
House sign "At the carp"
Some of the signs are associated with mystical stories. For example, they say that a beautiful girl lived in the house "By the Carp" and once, after a flood of the Vltava River, she found three carps on the floor. As soon as she was about to give the fish to the cats, one of the carps stirred in her hand and said in a human voice: “Don't do this, don't harm us. If you put us under the covers for the night, we will thank you generously. " The girl got scared, dropped the carp on the floor, ran after her two sisters and told them everything. At first they laughed, and then advised her to do as the carp asked. The girl put three carps under the blanket, and she went to sleep in the closet. When she looked into the room in the morning, her blood froze in her veins from fear: fish scales were everywhere on the floor, the carps disappeared, and three young men were sleeping in her bed, one more beautiful than the other. It could not be otherwise - they had a triple wedding, and the best of the sisters got the most handsome of the three guys.
Old Town Bridge Tower. It is located on an intermediate, not end support, that is, directly above the water
And here we go to the Charles Bridge - the hallmark of Prague. Its length is 520 m, width - 9.5 m, it rests on 16 powerful arches, faced with hewn sandstone blocks and connects the historical districts of Old Town and Mala Strana.
In ancient times, there was a crossing over the river along tied logs (the so-called rapids - isn't it the one from which the city got its name?). The previous bridges were demolished by floods, until Charles IV ordered the laying of a new, stone bridge - and this was done in 1357 on July 9 at 5 hours 31 minutes in the morning. The moment was chosen on the recommendation of astrologers and was considered favorable because of the mirrored sequence of numbers: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 7, 5, 3, 1.
Forged grating at the place where St. John of Nepomuk was thrown from the bridge into the river
It is believed that touching the bas-reliefs on the pedestal of the monument to Jan Nepomuk brings good luck
Saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth
Blessed Augustine is depicted in bishop's attire with a flaming heart in his hand, stepping on heretical books with his right foot.
Charles Bridge is decorated with thirty sculptures, mainly of religious content. Numerous tourists do not even realize that these are not originals: most of the statues were made of soft and short-lived sandstone, therefore, in order to protect them from damage and destruction, they were replaced with copies (the originals are kept in the Lapidarium of the National Museum in the Prague district of Holesovice).
According to legend, it was from the Charles Bridge that Saint John of Nepomuk, revered in the Czech Republic, was thrown in a sack - the place where this happened can be seen on the right hand on the way towards Mala Strana.
The statue of the knight Brunzvik stands not on the bridge, but on its support
Musicians on the Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge offers a magnificent view of Prague Castle
The only statue that stands not on the bridge, but on its support is the legendary knight Brunzvik. According to Czech legends, he went to wander the world, experienced many dangerous adventures, and a lion became his friend, who helped him get a magic sword. Returning home, Brunzvik took the throne, where he ruled for 40 years, guarded by a faithful lion and a magic sword. It is believed that this lion is depicted on the coat of arms of the Czech Republic, and the sword is hidden at the base of the Charles Bridge, and will lie there as long as nothing threatens Prague.
Lesser Town Bridge Tower
Steep street of Malaya strana
Crossing the Vltava along the Charles Bridge, we find ourselves in Mala Strana, a historical district of Prague, lying at the foot of two hills: the hill on which the Prague Castle is located, borders it from the north, and the tree-covered Petřín - from the south.
Like the Moscow Kremlin, Prague Castle, where the residence of the Czech President is located, is surrounded by a fortress wall with loopholes and towers. It is considered the largest residence and at the same time the largest castle in the world.
The fence of the largest castle in the world
Guard at the gates of Prague Castle
The city has long dominated the entire valley, in which lay the most important approaches to the fords across the Vltava. Its development was especially rapid during the reign of Rudolf II, who in 1583 turned Prague into the metropolis of the Holy Roman Empire.
St. Vitus Cathedral
The architectural dominant of the Castle is the St. Vitus Cathedral - a pearl of European Gothic, an artistic and national-historical shrine of the Czech Republic.
Its full name is “Cathedral of St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert”. The first rotunda church on this site is believed to have been built by Saint Wenceslas in 925, and the construction of the temple was finally completed only in the 20th century.
The length of the main nave of the cathedral is 124 m, the height of the Great South Tower is 96.5 m. On the west side there are two neo-Gothic stone towers 82 m high with a 10-meter round rosette window between them. The three portals of the cathedral are richly decorated with sculptures, stone and bronze reliefs.
Architectural details of the cathedral
Inside the cathedral
Sarcophagus of St. Adalbert
In the royal crypt under the cathedral are the tombs of Charles IV, his four wives, Wenceslas IV, Rudolf II and the daughter of Maria Theresa of Austria, Marie-Amalia of Austria.
Basilica of St. George - the oldest surviving church in Prague Castle
On Golden Lane
In addition to the Cathedral of St. Vitus, on the territory of the Castle you can see other sights, including the Basilica of St. George, founded in 920, as well as the Golden Lane with dwarf two-story houses built into the arches of the former fortress wall. Initially, it was called Jewelry Street (Zlatnitska), which is associated with the miners of gold who worked and lived here. Alchemists (this is a legend) and the writer Franz Kafka (this is a fact, in house number 22) also lived here. Now the houses have been converted into souvenir shops, and the entrance to the street is paid (250 kroons, as part of a complex ticket for Prague Castle).
View of the city from the observation deck of Prague Castle
Swans on the banks of the Vltava
After leaving the territory of the Castle, do not rush to go down to the river - first, admire the view of the city, which opens from the observation deck. And after going down, go to the very shore - here you will see white swans, which are not at all afraid of numerous tourists. Swans are migratory birds, but they are in no hurry to leave Prague: there are almost no frosty winters here, there is a lot of light food and human attention.
Vinarna Certovka - the narrowest street in Prague
Continuing along Mala Strana towards Charles Bridge, pay attention to the street called Vinarna Certovka, which is only 70 cm wide.This is the narrowest street in Prague, and so that two people do not collide on it, special pedestrian traffic lights are installed at each end.
Devil's Mill on the Chertovka River
Near the Charles Bridge, you will find the Velkopřevorska (Devil's) Mill, built on the Čertovka River - now calm, but once quite turbulent. If you look closely, next to the mill wheel you can see the sculpture of the local water Kaburek by the famous sculptor Josef Nalepa.
Water rise mark during the 2002 flood
The area of \u200b\u200bthe Čertovka river is often called the Prague Venice, as all the houses here seem to "grow" out of the surface of the water. Although about a calm river - that's how to say ... In the summer of 2002, heavy rains caused a sharp rise in the level of the Vltava. The flood turned out to be the largest in the last 500 years, the river rose by 6-7 meters, in some places houses flooded on the second floors. There is a water rise mark on one of the walls.
We closed the circle, returning to the Charles Bridge. Of course, there are many more interesting places in Prague that we have not talked about. These are Josefov - the old Jewish quarter between the right bank of the Vltava and the Old Town Square, and Vysehrad - an ancient fortress on a hill south of the city center. An extravagant "dancing house", the Petrin Tower, very similar to the Eiffel Tower, but five times smaller - to see them and many other sights, you need to come to this beautiful city again.
