Top 35 Prague Attractions, Czech

Such epithets as "mystical", "magic", "mysterious" are firmly entrenched in Prague. Many tourists fall in love with the capital of Bohemia forever and call it the most beautiful city in Europe. Indeed, there is something magical about the gloomy Gothic castles, winding lanes and ancient cathedrals of Prague.

Guests of the city are waiting not only for original excursions around the city at night, a visit to the ancient Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and river walks along the Vltava. A trip to Prague is also a unique opportunity to enjoy traditional Czech cuisine and taste incomparable Czech beer, which has been brewed according to ancient monastery recipes for many centuries.

For lovers of spectacle, artists and musicians in medieval costumes have prepared performances that, like hundreds of years ago, they give in the middle of the city's street squares.

What to see and where to go in Prague?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

The Charles Bridge

City medieval bridge thrown across the Vltava River and connecting Staro Mesto and Mala Strana. Named after Emperor Charles IV. Since its construction in the middle of the 14th century, the construction has served as a way for rulers to drive through it to their castle. Since 1974, the bridge has been pedestrianised. Now it is a lively place where tourists walk, paintings by street artists are put up for sale and costumed performances take place.

Wenceslas Square

The central square of the Novo Mesto district, the cultural center of Prague, where social and state events are often held. Along the square are hotels, famous shops, restaurants, nightclubs and offices of large companies. The square is named after the main patron of the Czech Republic, St. Wenceslas. Fairs and executions have been held here since the 14th century. Gradually Wenceslas Square was surrounded by houses of artisans and merchants.

Old Town Square

The main square of the city in the Staro Mesto district, which has been full of life since the 12th century. Back in those distant times, a large market operated here, where various goods were delivered along the Vltava. The ancient buildings surrounding the square are very well preserved, as they were able to avoid large-scale destruction during the Second World War (except for the Town Hall building). Thanks to this, today tourists can admire the wonderful examples of Gothic and Baroque.

Old Town Hall and astronomical clock

After Staro Mesto was recognized as a city, according to the laws of the 13th century, it was necessary to build a town hall where the city government could be located. But its own town hall appeared in Prague only in the XIV century. For 700 years of existence, it has grown significantly, as many outbuildings have appeared. On the ancient town hall tower there is a working Astronomical clock of the beginning of the 15th century - a unique creation of watchmakers with many dials built into each other.

Tyn temple

A picturesque Gothic cathedral, a real decoration of the Old Town Square. The temple began to be built in the XIV century, it took more than 160 years to build it. The ashes of significant historical figures rest inside. Two 80-meter towers rise above the temple, from which the gloomy breath of the Middle Ages blows. Inside there are a couple of dozen altars, distinguished by rich decoration and luxury.

Church of St. Nicholas

The main temple of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church was built in the first half of the 18th century. Although there are many stately buildings on the Old Town Square, the Church of St. Nicholas is hard to miss. Statues, stained glass windows and frescoes resemble art objects. The organ plays an important role in the interior. Around it there is a lot of gilding and small details of decoration. And the temple's crystal chandelier is a gift from the Russian Emperor Alexander II.

Karlštejn Castle

The famous Czech castle is 30 km. from Prague. It is an almost impregnable fortress, where important state documents, relics, jewelry and symbols of power were kept. The fortification was built by order of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in the middle of the 14th century. The ruler personally supervised the construction and decoration works. Karlstejn remembers the glorious kings of the past and keeps sacred relics within its walls.

Prague Castle

The complex of buildings included in the Guinness Book of Records due to its huge size (70 thousand m²). Here are located historical palaces, ancient cathedrals and chapels, galleries, towers and museums, as well as the famous "Golden Lane". The Prague Castle is the seat of the government of the Czech Republic. The first settlements existed here in the 9th-11th centuries, as evidenced by excavations. Prague Castle is a "city within a city", it is considered the core of the Czech capital.

Troy Castle

Baroque palace on the outskirts of Prague, surrounded by picturesque landscaped gardens. It has an external resemblance to classic Italian villas. At the end of the 17th century, the complex belonged to the aristocratic Stenberg family. Inside there is a collection of 19th-century paintings, a wine museum and a collection of oriental ceramics. The most luxurious interior is the Imperial Hall, where you can see frescoes glorifying the deeds of the Habsburg dynasty.

Visegrad

An ancient castle and defensive structure in the southern part of Prague, built on a hill. Vysehrad appeared in the 10th century and flourished by the end of the 11th century, but soon fell into decay. It was revived under Charles IV. Here is the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, which is associated with the formation of the statehood of the Czech Republic. Back in the 11th century, Prince Vratislav II planned to build a temple on the model of the main cathedral in the Vatican, but due to a fire, the plan could not be fully implemented.

Prague Loreta

A complex of buildings around a copy of the hut of the Virgin Mary, where this saint was brought up and grew up (according to Christian beliefs). Similar "lorets" are widely used throughout Europe. The Prague House was built in the 17th century in the Baroque style. On its territory there are seven chapels, a clock tower, decorative fountains and galleries. Prague's Loreta is a very popular and visited Catholic center.

St. Vitus Cathedral

The main (cathedral) church of the Czech capital is located on the territory of Prague Castle. The cathedral is dedicated to three saints at once: Vitus, Voytek and Wenceslas. In the 10th century, a small basilica was located on the site of the building, which, under Charles IV in the 14th century, began to grow and be completed. The cathedral was built in several stages over almost four centuries. The last work was completed in 1929.

Strahov Monastery

The monastery was built for the monastic order of the Premonstratensians in the 12th century. It is located close enough to the Prague Castle, so it could not avoid damage during the Hussite wars, the storming of the fortress during the Thirty Years' War and other battles. There is a large library on the territory of the monastery, where 2.5 thousand ancient manuscripts are stored, including the Strahov Gospel of the 9th century.

National Theater

The main theater of Prague, which is considered one of the symbols of the national revival of the Czech people. It was erected at the expense of the people, since the government of Austria-Hungary did not allocate money. The opening took place in 1881, but soon the theater burned down and reopened in 1883. The building adorns the Vltava embankment and is not inferior in beauty even to the famous Vienna Opera. The interior is made with elegance and luxury.

Rudolfinum

A colorful building on Jan Palach Square - two in one - a concert hall and a gallery. Named "Rudolfinum" in honor of the Austrian crown prince. The initiator of the construction is the Savings Bank of the Czech Republic. The opening ceremony took place in 1885. For 20 years in the first half of the last century, the Parliament was sitting in this building. In the 90s, reconstruction took place, and the site was transferred to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

National Museum

The building was built in the Neo-Renaissance style according to the project of the architect D. Schulz. There are expositions that tell about the history of the Czech Republic. It is proposed to see paleontological and anthropological collections, a library, a collection of coins, medals, sculptures and other materials found during excavations. The museum has several branches in addition to the main building.

National Technical Museum

It was opened in 1908 with the aim of gathering technical achievements from different fields in one place. Among them are photographic art, the transport industry, printing craft, metallurgy, astronomy, and military affairs. The exposition is divided into themes and distributed in separate halls. At the beginning of this century, the building and the exhibitions themselves went through a major reconstruction. The public was again allowed into the museum in 2011.

Museum of Communism

The post-war history of Czechoslovakia is something that today's Czechs do not want to forget or repeat. The museum covers the period from the coup of 1948 to the revolution of 1989. Exhibits: photographs, propaganda and motivating posters, busts and statues, authentic interiors, equipment and documents, dummies of rockets, wardrobe items. The names of the halls are also curious: “Dream”, “Reality”, “Nightmare”.

National Memorial to the Heroes of Terror Heydrich

7 Czechoslovak saboteurs in 1942 accomplished a real feat by killing a prominent Nazi figure, Reinhard Heydrich. Their memory was immortalized in the form of a memorial in the Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius. A board with information about the soldiers is installed on the building. There is an embrasure nearby, on which there are even traces of shots. A permanent exhibition was placed in the hall of the temple, and bronze busts and biographies of soldiers were placed in the crypt.

Jewish Museum

More than 100 years ago, the historian August Stein began to collect artifacts from the city's lost synagogues, as well as religious objects important to the Jewish community. The resulting museum has become so extensive that it is called the "Jewish city". The attraction includes several synagogues, but only the Spanish one is used for religious purposes. In addition, there are educational and cultural centers.

Franz Kafka Museum

A museum (or rather a traveling exhibition) dedicated to the Czech literary genius F. Kafka. The exposition contains the first published books of the master, his manuscripts, diaries, sketches and photographs. In the courtyard there is a sculptural group-fountain of a very ambiguous content. It depicts two men urinating on a map of the Czech Republic. There is an opinion that the creator D. Cherny put political overtones into his creation, but the majority believes that this is a simple shocking.

Sculpture "Head of Franz Kafka"

An art object made of stainless steel is installed near the Quadrio shopping complex. The sculpture consists of horizontal layers rotating at different speeds. They freeze for a while and fold into a huge head, and then start moving again. The author of the project is David Cherny. He felt that it was not enough to present Kafka in a static sculpture. The writer was unusual, so you need to use a creative approach to portray him.

Memorial to the Victims of Communism

A modern monument from 2002, which, according to the idea of ​​the author Zubek, should symbolize the suffering of political prisoners during the rule of the communist government on the territory of the Czech Republic. The memorial consists of seven male figures descending the stairs. Each next one contains more and more significant defects: cracks, breaks, absence of limbs.

Petrin Tower

The tower erected for the opening of the Industrial Exhibition in 1891. It has been nicknamed "Prague's Eiffel Tower". At first, the tower played the role of an observation deck, from where a good view of the city opened. In the middle of the 20th century, the first antenna for television broadcasting was placed in it, which led to an increase in the length of the structure by 20 meters. The total height of the Petrin Tower is 60 meters.

Zizkov TV Tower

The current television tower, built at the end of the 20th century. The height of the structure is more than 200 meters, it is perfectly visible from any part of Prague. The building is quite unusual, it has repeatedly been included in the lists of the ugliest buildings in the world, then in the ratings of the most original. The observation deck is located at a height of 93 meters. The tower also has a panoramic restaurant, a bar and a hotel where newlyweds like to settle.

powder tower

An old gothic building right in the middle of the street near the metro station "Namnesti Respubliki". A city gate once stood in its place. In the 18th century, a gunpowder warehouse was located here, from where the name of the building came from. Today, there is a photo exhibition inside and an observation deck is open, from where you can take some spectacular pictures. The Powder Tower reminds tourists of the dark years of the Middle Ages with all its appearance.

Public House

A building erected on the site of an old royal residence. After the construction was completed, meetings and exhibitions were held in it. This place is of particular importance for the country, since here in 1918 the independence of the Czech Republic was declared. Nowadays, concerts are held on the territory of the Public House. Every spring, the Prague Spring music festival takes place here, which brings together bands from all over the world.

Jewish Quarter (Josefov)

Quarter on the site of the Jewish ghetto of the XI century. Until the beginning of the 18th century, it was surrounded by a wall, but at the behest of Joseph II, the barriers were demolished. The quarter was completely rebuilt at the end of the 19th century, only a few old buildings and synagogues, as well as the old Jewish cemetery, have survived. Before the events of the Second World War, more than 100 thousand people lived here, now the population is only a few thousand inhabitants.

Vinarna Devil

The narrowest street in Prague, or rather a narrow alley, which is only 70 cm wide. Only one person can pass here at a time. In order to prevent people from colliding, pedestrian traffic lights work at both ends of the street. In the high tourist season, a lot of people gather near these traffic lights, waiting for their turn. The name comes from the winery, which is located near the alley.

golden lane

A street-museum in Prague Castle lined with "toy houses" inhabited by fairy-tale characters. In the 16th century, jewelers and chasers working for the Treasury lived here (hence the name of the street). According to one popular legend, alchemists also settled on Golden Lane, whose main job was to turn any suitable material into gold. The place became uninhabited after the Second World War, all the houses were adapted for museums.

Havel market

Food and souvenir market, designed mainly for tourists. Here you can buy flowers, berries, honey, sweets, pastries and much more. A wide variety of souvenirs is also presented: wood and leather products, marionette dolls, Bohemian glass, jewelry. The market has existed since the 13th century, in the Middle Ages the Germans lived in the vicinity, who gave the name to the market in honor of St. Havel.

Prague Zoo

The zoo, which contains more than 400 species of animals, some of them are recognized as endangered. There is a petting zoo and a children's railway on site. Numerous pavilions recreate the atmosphere of different climatic zones. The most impressive is the Indonesian Jungle Pavilion built in 2002. Only in the Prague Zoo, the only one in all of Europe, Galapagos tortoises live.

John Lennon Wall

Wall with numerous graffiti, created by fans of the Beatles and D. Lennon. There is a version that it arose as a protest against the communist authorities. The monument symbolized the free spirit, the desire for independence and freedom. Authorities have tried to demolish the wall several times, but to no avail. It should be noted that the legendary musician himself never visited Prague.

dancing House

An interesting and non-standard architectural solution, implemented by F. Gary and V. Milunich. The house is located in the center of Prague, on the ground floor there is a French restaurant. The structure is sometimes referred to as the "glass" and the "drunken house". The Dancing House is built in a modern deconstructivist style that uses asymmetrical and sometimes messy forms. At first, the townspeople did not accept the innovative building, but pretty soon it became the "highlight" of Prague.

Vltava river

The longest river flowing through the territory of the Czech Republic. "Vltava" in translation from the ancient dialect means "wild water". Within the city, several bridges span the river, the most beautiful of which is Charles Bridge. In the warm season, there are many walking routes for tourists. From the boat you can admire the magnificent city architecture and see Prague from a slightly unusual angle.