I planned all the outings on my own, using Rick Steves’ Prague guidebook as a reference, and with Grok’s well-meaning but incompetent help. I tried to get as many advance tickets as were available, and thus I was locked into my schedule months in advance.
The Castle Quarter and the Petrin Tower
I decided to start with the area closest to me, on the same side of the river. I had an advance ticket to the Prague Castle complex for 9 am, so I started in the nearby Waldstein Garden at a little after 8.
It’s a delightful Baroque garden, first laid out in the early 1600s, full of statuary, and surrounded by notable buildings: the Waldstein palace, built by a powerful nobleman and general; the Czech Senate; the equestrian riding school.
Explanatory plaque
Notice anything unusual about the above picture?
No, it’s not Hercules beating the stuffing out of a dragon.
It’s these guys:
The garden is infested with peacocks! Why do I say “infested”? Because they kept making these awful cries:
There were other fountains and statues aplenty in the garden:
Hercules fighting with the Centaur Nessus, who kidnapped Deianeira, Hercules’ wife.
Nessus abducting Deianeira
Triumph of virtue over vice (oh if it were only that easy, or permanent!)
Onto the castle! Naturally, as castes usually are, this one is up on a hill, which means… multiple staircases stretching into the distance:
At least they came in small increments!
The entrance to the castle area (at least from this side) was pretty unimpressive:
The castle complex is fairly extensive, with 10 main sites:
, and also a little confusing:
There are separate entrance fees for different sites and site combinations. I had a ticket to four major sites, but right after the entrance, I was enticed to visit the Lobkowicz Palace, which had been restored by the family (which is one of the oldest Czech noble houses) after the ravages of the Fascist and Communist eras.
The interior, though, was only mildly interesting, and the paintings were of the family members. Only one room caught my attention:
Unless one is deeply interested in the Czech nobility’s genealogy, I’d rate it as a solid miss.
It did have a nice terrace with terrific views of Prague:
Looking from bottom to top: Malá Strana (Lesser Town) roofs, Mánesův most (Mánes Bridge) over the Vltava river, Staré Město (Old Town) with the twin spires of the Týn Church, and in the distance, the Žižkov Television Tower, the tallest structure in Czechia.
Looking south along the river, the tall spire in the middle is St. Thomas Church, while the shorter tower to its left is the New Town Hall tower, both located in Malá Strana (Lesser Town). Petrin Hill is on the right, not fully visible.
The next building in the Prague Castle complex was Bazilika sv. Jiří (St. George’s Basilica):
The outside looked promising, but inside it was a bit of a let-down:
The next church, though, didn’t disappoint. The St. Vitus Cathedral was massive. Approaching it from the back:
It is festooned with gargoyles:
, and covered in intricate stonework:
It was being renovated, so I could only get to parts of it.
Beautiful windows:
A huge, ornate organ:
, beautiful altar:
, and many fine chapels:
There was a line to see this huge installation:
Turns out, it’s a silver tomb of St. John Nepomuk, Czechia’s patron saint, protector against floods, and patron of confessors. It contains two tons of silver!!!
Here’s another view of it:
It is quintessential Baroque!
Near St. Vitus Cathedral is Hradčany Square, which offers another beautiful Prague panorama:
The two guards you see on the left are stationed by the Mathias Gate, which protects access to the residence and workplace of the President of the Czech Republic:
Here’s one of the guards in close-up:
Stepping away from the castle complex, I saw the Prague National Gallery on the left:
I couldn’t pass it up! It featured many Czech painters, but also had canvases by Anthony van Dyck:
Abraham and Isaac, 1620
, Peter Paul Rubens:
The Martyrdom of St. Thomas, 1636
, and even Rembrandt:
A Scholar in his Study, 1634
I also liked this wonderful self-portrait by Peter Brandl
The Lobkowicz Portrait, 1697
, and this Roman scene by Johann Rudolf Bys:
Vestal Claudia Quinta, 1692
Not a bad collection at all!
And in a very interesting building called the Schwarzenberg Palace:
My next stop involved climbing a pretty high hill, like I did in Budapest; but this time, there was something to do on top – climb the Eiffel Tower look-alike!
Yes, the Petrin Tower is called La Petite Eiffel:
It did offer an elevator, but who needs that! I resolved to climb the 299 steps to the top.
From the first platform, I could clearly see St. Vitus:
and Church of St. Laurence:
It was the top platform, though, that really showcased Prague:
St. Laurence looks like a toy from here!
I even took a selfie so nobody would doubt I actually made it up there:
The wind was fierce on top, and everyone on the platform felt the whole tower sway with it. I had to calm a clearly frightened fellow climber that no, the tower was not about to collapse (even though I had the same instinctual fear).
But I made it!
Old Town and New Town Sites
The next day, it was time to cross the bridge and explore Prague’s Old Town, its medieval soul, and New Town, its more commercial, vibrant body.
On the way to Charles Bridge, I walked through this lovely garden full of peonies and roses:
Prague is full of such little nature nooks.
The bridge is famous for its statues; it is adorned with 30 individual and group statues of various saints significant to the city and the country. Few people realize that almost all are replicas, with the originals removed over the last 60 years to preserve them. (An excellent practice that should be replicated all over the world, IMO.)
This is one of the oldest and most famous statues, of St. John of Nepomuk (we saw his silver tomb in St. Vitus Cathedral, above), the original erected in 1683 to mark the spot where the saint was martyred, thrown into the Vltava River in 1393.
This one, from 1710, depicts St. Francis Borgia, a 16th-century Spanish Jesuit, who was canonized in 1671. The angel on the left is holding a depiction of the Virgin Mary, and the one on the right an inflamed heart, symbolizing Borgia’s devotion to the Immaculate Conception and his fervent faith.
This one is from much later, 1928; it’s one of the rare originals still remaining on the bridge. It depicts two brothers, Cyril and Methodius, known as the “Apostles to the Slavs” for spreading Christianity among the Slavic peoples in the 9th century. They were canonized over 1,000 years later! (And also declared co-patron saints of Europe, alongside four others.)
The bridge is always full of people, vendors, and mendicants. As a side note, it was hard to witness the folks, mostly older men, begging: in Prague, they get on their knees, with their heads almost touching the pavement, and their arms extended to hold a cap for coins. They stay in that very affecting position for hours, as far as I could tell; I never saw one move.
A few minutes’ walk from the bridge brought me to one of Prague’s most iconic landmarks, located in the Old Town Square:
It’s called the Astronomical Clock, and it was installed in the Old Town Hall in 1410!
Here’s a closeup:
I saw its image on most types of Prague souvenirs; it is a symbol of Prague’s prestige as a cultural and intellectual center.
Every hour, it performs an “Apostles’ Show,” with various figures appearing and disappearing in the two small windows above the dial. Unfortunately, I missed it.
This “calendar dial” is directly below the clock. It displays the months of the year, accompanied by scenes that represent seasonal activities for each month. Surprisingly, the face we see is also a replica, with the 1870 original preserved in the Prague City Museum.
The Old Town Square is bounded by interesting buildings from the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque periods:
The Stone Bell house, one of the oldest preserved buildings in Prague, dating back to the early 14th century.
The Old Town Hall building (the one with the astronomical clock), from another side.
St. Nicholas Church, a Baroque church built in the early 18th century. I’ll be going there for a concert!
A reconstructed Marian Column in the middle of the square; in the background, the twin Gothic spires of the Týn Church. This column was initially built in 1640 to commemorate the Catholic citizens of Prague miraculously repelling the Protestant Swedish army during the Thirty Years’ War. In 1918, it was destroyed by a mob during the establishment of Czechoslovakia, because it was seen as a symbol of the Habsburg dynasty and Catholic dominance. It was recreated and reinstalled only five years ago!
The former Kinský Palace, which now houses the National Gallery Prague.
This building is from 1899 and is now a government ministry building, but isn’t it a beauty?
Just a few minutes’ walk from the Old Town Square is the Republic Square with this tower/gate that was built in 1475!
It was one of 13 gates in Prague’s medieval city walls, used as a ceremonial entrance for coronations; the monarchs would pass through it on the way to the Charles Bridge and eventually the Prague Castle.
It’s called Powder Gate because in the 17th and 18th centuries it was used to store gunpowder. It is “only” 65 meters (213 feet) tall, and it has an observation deck 186 steps up a spiral staircase. Naturally, I couldn’t pass that up!
On the way up:
On the first platform:
Views from the top:
Toward the Old Town Square (see the Týn Church spires?)
The dome of the Municipal House of Prague, an Art Nouveau building.
The rest of the tower, above the platform.
It may only be a couple of hundred feet high, but imagine hefting giant stone blocks up here to build it!
Next, I moved on from the Old Town (Staré Město) to the New Town (Nové Město), another historic district in Prague. While the Old Town was established in the 9th-10th centuries and protected by 13th-century walls (partially preserved at the Powder Tower), the New Town was built from the 14th century onwards, featuring a mix of Gothic, Baroque, Art Nouveau, and even Modernist styles.
An example of the former is the Jindrisska Tower, the tallest freestanding bell tower in Prague:
Here’s a beautiful office building that reflects the mix of styles that can be found in New Town:
My next stop in New Town was the Jerusalem Synagogue, one of the few remaining synagogues in Prague, built to commemorate the 50th jubilee of Emperor Franz Joseph I’s reign, completed in 1905, when almost 30,000 Jews lived in Prague (the Jewish Community of Prague estimates the current core community comprising only 1,500-2,000 members).
It was designed as a blend of Art Nouveau and Moorish Revival styles.
Women’s galleries:
Skylights in the roof:
Organ:
From there, I walked to a renowned shopping arcade inside the Lucerna Palace, called The Lucerna Passage, built in 1921. It became Prague’s largest cultural venue between the wars. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, it hosted events celebrating post-communist freedom and tolerance, and was restituted to the Havel family (Václav Havel was a Czech playwright, poet, dissident, and statesman who became the first President of the liberated Czech Republic).
It is indeed a stunning architectural gem, inside and out:
, featuring this famous “Upside-Down Statue of King Wenceslas,” suspended from the ceiling in 1998:
I really wanted to go to Kino Lucerna, one of Prague’s oldest cinemas, but there was much more of Prague to see; plus, I already had an advance ticket to a concert that evening.
Instead, I headed for the so-called Prague Metronome, also known as the Time Machine, a kinetic sculpture situated on the same side of the river as my apartment.
On the way, I passed many interesting buildings:
St. Gavl Church:
Look at this charming street!
I had to cross the Art Nouveau Čechův Bridge with its beautiful columns:
Here’s a better view of one of them:
(You can see the Metronome in the far background on the bottom right!)
The bridge allows beautiful views of Prague’s Castle (Hradčany) and Lesser Town (Malá Strana, where my apartment was) districts:
(You can see the Petrin Tower on the left and the St. Vitus spires on the right.)
It also allows a nice view of the Vltava downriver:
The Metronome is on top of Letná Park hill; naturally, it is over 400 steps up from the bridge:
The final challenge of the day!
Here’s the Metronome (which was not functioning when I finally got to it) from close by:
The views from the top made it all worthwhile, though. Panning from left to right (East to West):
Zoom photo of the Charles Bridge (the second one in the pic above):
Vyšehrad, Vinohrady, and more of New Town
Vyšehrad is a historic fort and cultural landmark in Prague, with deep mythological and historical significance for the Czech people. I had to see it. When I looked at the map, I realized that (a) it was a 40-minute walk from my apartment and (b) I would be coming back to see other areas I was interested in largely along the same route. This meant that it would be better to get there quickly by public transport and then do the walking from there.
Luckily, my landlady was eager to explain how to use the Prague Metro to get there. It is not quite as easy to use as the London Underground, but close: you get a ticket for a certain amount of time, and you’re done.
The metro took me to a station on an elevated platform on top of the hill: more views of Prague! From a different vantage point, of course:
You can see St. Vitus Cathedral in the distance, top center.
As I was walking toward the gate of Vyšehrad, following Rick Steves’ excellent directions, I saw this inscription:
I try to live my life along these lines!
Soon, I saw a sign for Vyšehrad:
Here’s a great example of where Russian really comes in handy when reading Czech: the word “Narodni” – pronounced almost as it is written – means “People’s”; the word “Kulturni” should be understood by anyone speaking any Indo-European language and means “Cultural”; the word “Pamatka” is a bit different, but in context, can be worked out to be like “Pamyatnik,” which means “Monument.” The correct translation is “National Cultural Monument” – close enough.
Next, I saw the entrance – Tabor Gate:
Once through the gate, it looked more like I walked into a garden, not a fortress:
A word about the origins of Vyšehrad – it’s a lovely story. According to Czech folklore, Vyšehrad was founded by Princess Libuše, a mythical figure who prophesied Prague’s greatness, and her husband, Přemysl, the first of the Přemyslid dynasty (circa 8th century). This legend ties Vyšehrad to the origins of the Czech nation, predating the establishment of Prague Castle in the 9th century. It served as a royal residence until the 12th century, when the court moved to Prague Castle.
Next, I saw the Leopold Gate, named after Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. Originally built in the 11th century, it was rebuilt by the Habsburgs in the 17th century to strengthen Vyšehrad’s defenses against Swedish invasions during the Thirty Years’ War (remember the column in the Old Town Square? Those Swedes were a menace!)
The double-headed eagle in the coat of arms on top represents imperial dominion, looking east and west to signify the Habsburgs’ vast European domain.
Once beyond the gate, I saw this adorable rotunda.
At first, I thought it may have been a defensive structure; Rick Steves told me differently:
This 11th-century Romanesque rotunda, constructed out of Prague’s native limestone, is named for St. Martin, patron saint of soldiers, horses, riders, geese, and vintners. St. Martin’s feast day falls on November 11 and is celebrated with roast goose and the year’s first wine. On this day, St. Martin arrives on a white horse, signifying snow and the coming of winter.
Isn’t that a charming tradition? Especially since it coincides with my birthday😉 Maybe I’ll make some roast goose next November!
I saw more flowers walking up toward the walls of the fortress:
Once on top, I could see the southern outskirts of Prague and some of Bohemia (one of three regions that make up the Czech Republic):
Vyšehrad is built right on the point where Vltava takes a right angle from Eastern to Southern direction (or, strictly speaking, the other way around, since it flows from South to North, joining the Elbe, which eventually empties into the North Sea).
From the corner of the wall, I could see both ways:
Looking south:
Looking East:
You can see how Prague got the nickname “The City of a Hundred Bridges” ("Město sto mostů")!
Walking towards my next destination, the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, I came upon a clearing with four large sculptures at its corners:
The one on the left depicts Prague’s founding legend, with Princess Libuše prophesying the great future of the city. The next one shows Lumir, a legendary Czech bard, and his muse, Song. The third harkens back to “The Maiden’s War,” which followed the death of Princess Libuše, when the women tried to establish their own kingdom. Šárka (“the twilight girl”) was positioned to enchant the men’s champion, Ctirad, and was successful in tilting the initial battle in women’s favor; but eventually, the men won the war, bringing an end to matriarchy and ushering in patriarchy, and Šárka went mad pining for Ctirad and jumped off a cliff. (A great example of history as written by the victors.)
The last one depicts Záboj and Slavoj, heroic brothers who started a rebellion against the German troops of Charlemagne and led the Czechs to victory in a battle in 805.
The clearing has multiple benches that encourage reflection and remembrance.
The Basilica greeted me with these colorful doors:
Another set of doors featured intricate stonework:
Inside, the basilica was quite impressive:
, beautifully decorated:
, and with gorgeous stained glass windows:
Look at the woodwork on the pulpit!
The entire interior is painted:
The carved pews are exquisite:
Some interesting items were exhibited in the Treasury:
This crozier reminded me of the one I saw in the Siena exhibition in Vienna. I believe it is from the same time period.
Here’s the entire front of the Basilica:
It is interesting to note that until the 18th century, Vyšehrad was so important that this church and its priest answered directly to the pope (not to the bishops and archbishops of Prague). Its status is felt to this day: the National Cemetery is attached to it, where the Czechs bury their most illustrious cultural figures.
This massive monument serves as a prestigious marker for some of the most notable figures in Czech history:
Julius Zeyer, a leading Czech poet; Alfons Mucha, a world-renowned artist; Antonín Dvořák, a globally recognized composer; Karel Čapek, a science fiction writer who coined the word “robot” in his play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), and many others.
The tomb of Bedřich Smetana, a foundational Czech composer, is nearby:
The two obelisks on either side of his monument feature samples of his most famous works: the symphonic poem Vltava, and his opera The Bartered Bride.
Walking out of the Vyšehrad complex, I had a chance to appreciate the enormous effort it took to erect its walls:
All those bricks, individually laid by hand! It always boggles my mind to imagine how many people had to labor for how long in what conditions to create things that we glance at, often without a thought.
My next stop was Charles Square, the largest square in Prague, which features a quiet park with numerous benches. On the way there, I passed this peculiar building:
Turns out, it is the Emmaus Monastery, established in 1347. The original steeples were destroyed in 1945 during a bombing raid; the twin spires you see were built in the 1960s.
Facing the square, there’s the Church of St. Ignatius de Loyola, built between 1655 and 1677:
From Charles Square, I walked to Peace Square (Náměstí Míru), another square with a park in front of a beautiful church, Bazilika sv. Ludmily (Basilica of St. Ludmila):
Inside, I found a beautiful nave:
, with painted columns and ceiling:
, colorful windows:
, and an ornate pulpit:
My last stop that day was Riegrovy Sady (Rieger Gardens) in the Vinohrady (Vineyards) neighborhood, an upscale residential area. The tall hill on which the park is now situated once hosted vineyards for local winemaking. Now, it serves as a place for families and folks of all types to enjoy a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city:
The many open areas in the upper parts of the park offer distant views of the city:
This was the last picture I took in Prague 🥹. I hope to be back someday!
The next post, the final Travel Reflection from Prague, will cover the concerts I attended while there, as well as a day trip to the charming Baroque town of Český Krumlov.