Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 1.5 million and is one of the best preserved cities in Europe, given its turbulent past…
A walk through the city resembles a walk through an open-air museum. The largest palace complex, the best beer and numerous legends make the charm of this city completely irresistible.
One of the legends says the city was founded by Princess Libuse, who had the gift of seeing into the future. ” I can see a great city with glory, touching the stars. In the forest by the river Vltava you will find a man grinding the threshold (in Czech Prah) for his house,
so let’s call this city Praha”. There are others, but this one is the most beautiful.
Prague is perceived by many as a winter city, but if we know that it is located at the same latitude as Frankfurt or Paris, it provides great opportunities for visiting this city. It is best to visit Prague in spring and autumn.
Prague is also called “the city of a thousand peaks”, the exact number of them is not known, but this indicates that there are many things that you must see and visit in Prague, whether you have one, two or three days at your disposal.
I did my homework and here is my list:
1. Prague Castle
If you only have one day in Prague, this is a place you must visit. The largest royal complex in Europe, which dominates the panorama of Prague. It consists of several units. Here you will visit the Cathedral of St. Vitus, the old palace, Golden Street, climb the tower, visit the royal gardens. The entrance fee depends on what you want to visit.
Tip: You can enter the castle complex for free, but you cannot enter the buildings themselves without a ticket.
2. Charles Bridge
Bridges are a big deal in Prague. There are many of them, but only 18 cross from one side to the other of the longest river in the Czech Republic, the Vltava. 14 of them connect various islands with the river bank. The shortest Cechuv Bridge is only 169m. But there is only one Charles Bridge.
Besides being the first in its time, it didn’t always look like this. The statues were only added in the 17th century. It has numerous interesting legends and horror stories.
It is not very recommended for people in wheelchairs, but I had to visit it.
TIP: To avoid huge crowds, you have to get up early in the morning.
3.Old town
The most visited place in the city is the 600-year-old square where there are some other important sights of Prague.
These are: the Tin Church, the monument to Jan Hus and the Astronomical Clock. The church was built in the Gothic style and is full of interesting details. Inside is the oldest organ in the Czech Republic, which dates back to the 17th century.
The monument in the center is dedicated to the great reformer Jan Huss, who was publicly burned for his religious beliefs.
The famous astronomy clock is accompanied by numerous legends.
This is the most visited place on the square, especially when there is a performance at a certain time. It dates back to the 5th century, making it the oldest clock in Europe.
4. Wenceslas Square
The place where some of the most important events in Czech history took place was once a livestock square where peasants came to sell their horses to the Czech Guard. It was named after Saint Wenceslaus, who is considered the patron saint of Bohemia.
There are some other important sights on the square: the Monument to St. Wenceslas and its antipode, located in the Lucerne passage. There is also David Cerny’s controversial sculpture called Kun, which means horse in Czech.
There is also the National Museum, a neo-Gothic building that dominates the square.
5. National Museum
The National Museum is the largest and most famous Czech museum. It is located in an imposing neo-Renaissance building at the top of Wenceslas Square. The exhibitions are divided into historical, natural history, ethnographic, etc.
A very rich collection, which will bring you closer to parts of Czech history and prehistory.
TIP: If you climb to the dome of the museum you will have a fantastic view of the city.
6. Obecní Dům
In this place stood the King’s Court in the 15th century and the Coronation Procession started from here.
Today, since 1912. this is a building, which is one of the best examples of art nouveau style. A meeting place for all famous Czechs of that time.
Concerts, various cultural events, exhibitions are held here. The interior of the building is also impressive with beautifully decorated windows, lots of geometric details, murals.
Lunch or some dessert in one of the restaurants in this building is a special pleasure. You will have the impression as if you entered a time machine.
7. Powder Tower
Black tower with a Gothic appearance, which dates from the 11th century. It separates the old from the new part of the city. Although it once served as a gunpowder store, its purpose is not to serve as protection, but to impress visitors when they come to the city. The tower is 65 m high and you can climb to the lookout point, where you can enjoy a magnificent view every day.
8. St. Nicholas Square
Once you cross the Charles Bridge, all roads lead to this iconic square. It was named after the Church of St. Nicholas, which dominates the square. Here, under the impressive dome, there is an organ composed of 4000 pipes and is 6 m high. On the year 1787. Mozart played on them. He often came to Prague.
Also, here is the Holy Trinity column, which marks the place where hundreds of executions were carried out.
However, the pillar, like in many other places, is dedicated to the victory over the plague, which was raging in the city. There are three churches of this name in the city.
9. Žižkov TV Tower
This is the tallest building in Prague. From here there is a 360-degree view of the city. Built in the early 90s, the local population did not like it. Later, the famous Czech artist David Cerny added crawling babies to the structure, so when you find yourself there, look for them with your eyes.
The Žiskov tower with the antenna is a total of 216 m high, which is quite enough to see the city from a bird’s eye view.
10. Dancing house
Another feature of the city, which you must see and visit, is this building.
It was designed by the architect duo Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić. Some say that the inspiration was the famous playing couple Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, while others say that the building should symbolize yin and yang. It doesn’t really fit into the surroundings, but it has been here for a long time, so over time it has become an important feature of the city.
11. The old tower above the bridge
Another of the towers with a popular view is the old tower above the Charles bridge. From this tower you have a view of all that Prague is, the old town, Tin Church, Charles Bridge. The view of the river from a bird’s eye view will be a real reward. In the tower itself, there is also a small museum with objects that bear witness to the past of the Charles Bridge.
12. Metronome (Letna Park)
If you’re wondering where the best view of Prague’s bridges is, the answer is Letna Park.
There is a large metal sculpture of a metronome. In this place, there used to be a sculpture of Stalin, which was demolished in 1962. Here, in addition to the view, you have the opportunity to go for a walk, but also to relax in the numerous beer gardens.
13. Petrin tower
Another viewpoint in the “city with a thousand towers” is the Petrin Tower from 1891, which resembles the Eiffel Tower in Paris. In fact, it is, but done in a scale of 1:5. It is 64 m high and offers an excellent view of the city. You can go up the stairs, of which there are exactly 299, but also by elevator.
14. National Theatre
The National Theater is a neo-Renaissance building built in 1881. by voluntary contributions from citizens and rebuilt again in 1883 after a fire. It represents the center of cultural life in Prague. It is also surrounded by some cult cafes, where the important names of the Czech Republic used to gather. Such as Slavia Cafe, where Jan Masaryk, Karel Čapek and others. Here they drank coffee and exchanged ideas. Opera, theater and ballet are located here. The performances are well attended and are a real treat as the highlight of the evening.
15. Devil’s stream
There are many legends around Čertovka (Devil’s Stream). One story says that Karburek’s friendly spirit, the Water Spirit, blesses those who give him beer with pike or eels.
Another story is about how the stream is haunted by a wicked old woman. She lived next to Malta Square in a house called “At the Seven Devils”.
She was notorious for casting curses on people who dared enter her home.
16. Slavonic island
If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city but be close to the center, this small green island is the ideal solution. It is connected to the mainland by a small isthmus and there are cafes, a playground and Zofin Palace, where concerts, conferences, banquets and even weddings are held in the lush greenery.
The island was created in 1784. and it is prone to flooding, so the palace itself was badly damaged.
17. Sailing on the Vltava River
The largest river in the Czech Republic, the Vltava, flows through Prague. Touring Prague from the water is a unique experience.
You can do this by boat, but you can also rent a pedal boat. The Vltava in this part is neither fast nor deep, so you will feel completely safe and relaxed while observing the city from a different perspective.
18. Little quarter
You will reach this part of the city by crossing the Legionary bridge, which is not as picturesque and large as its famous neighbor, but it gives you a different view of the city.
This most beautiful part of the city was founded by King Otokar II in 1257. The right side was the center of the Czech bourgeoisie, while the German and Italian population lived on the left side. They settled there after the invitation of the king to contribute to the development of the city with their skills. On the Little quarter, you can sit down in the Savoj cafe and enjoy a traditional breakfast and coffee.
19. Strahov Monastery
Strahov Monastery is a must-see item in any Prague itinerary because it has an unusual library, which you can visit under special conditions. There is also a monastery brewery where you can try excellent beer.
20. Loreto
One of the most important shrines in the city. It was built after the Italian Loreto, where, according to legend, the Virgin Mary lived and where the Archangel Gabriel told her that she would give birth to the son of God.
The Prague Loreto was made by Countess Katarina Lobković in 1626. It is considered the most faithful to the Italian original. In the treasury, many precious objects are kept, and the most important is a gift, which Countess Ljudmila Kolowrat received from her 35-year-younger husband. His wedding gift was 6,500 diamonds, which the countess bequeathed to Loreto after her death. A monstrance with 6222 diamonds was made from it, and the rest was pay for the work. Here is also the famous carillion, a musical instrument made of bells. There are 30 of those bells, and 27 of them play the hymn “Thousands of greetings to you” every hour. Three bells are not connected to the ringing mechanism.
21. Czernin Palace and Garden
The baroque Czernin Palace has been the seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1675. The palace is the longest baroque building in Prague; the front part is 150 m long and has 365 windows.
The palace was built by Count Humprecht Jan Chernin from Čudenica, the only one from the Czech aristocracy, who fought on the winning side in the Battle of the White Mountain. He was rewarded with the confiscated property of many Protestant families. Combined with his savings he could, as one of the richest Bohemian aristocrats, afford to build the largest palace in the city overlooking Prague Castle.
When Čhernin moved to the Vienna Palace, the palace was for some time housing for the poor, then a hospital, and then a military barracks.
Since 1918 it belongs to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Czernin Palace is also the place where the son of the first president of Czechoslovakia, Jan Masaryk, died in 1948. This is the last Czech death by defenestration in Prague.
22. Visit the huge Vietnamese market in Prague – SAPA
If you want a unique gourmet experience, that is to eat authentic Vietnamese food in Prague, Visit SAPA – Prague Vietnamese Market.
During the communist years, many Vietnamese students came to the Czech Republic as part of study programs at the invitation of the Czech government. Many stayed and opened restaurants all over the city. The largest concentration is in Sapa, which is located on the edge of the city.
You can stroll through small passages full of restaurants, cafes and grocery stores. You will feel like you are in Little Hanoi, as Sapa is called.
23. Museum of metal figures
Apart from the many other attractions that Prague has to offer if you are limited on time it is not worth visiting but since it is on your way I recommend visiting it as the items are made from recycled materials.
Conclusion
Prague is quite a compact city so you can visit many of these points in one day. If you don’t make it, you have to come back because Prague deserves another visite.
Have you been to Prague?
Did I miss something?
Traveled and enjoyed,
Marko Veličković
