Top 10 Prague Attractions

Prague is often called the most beautiful city in Europe. Naturally, there are those who begin to argue that Paris (Rome, Venice, Munich, etc.) is in no way inferior to the Czech capital in beauty. In any case, this city is magnificent, and it leaves no one indifferent.

Here everyone can find exactly what he especially likes: numerous “pivnitsa” with the freshest foamy drink of several dozen varieties and an excellent selection of incredibly tasty and hearty snacks; beautiful examples of a wide variety of architectural styles (from Romanesque buildings and temples with early Gothic elements to chic Renaissance and Art Nouveau buildings); luxurious palaces and lush green gardens surrounding them, pleasantly indulging the sense of smell with the aroma of many flowers; narrow, almost unchanged since the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries, streets, embracing with cozy silence, and huge boulevard squares humming in different languages ​​…

And above all this, an almost physically tangible veil of some kind of magic hovers, making Prague not only beautiful and memorable, but also infinitely attractive.

Here, each old house has its own legend, and even a personal ghost (and for palaces and temples, this seems to go without saying).

Here you will often catch yourself thinking that you are as if out of time (or in several eras at the same time), and this is an indescribable, slightly tickling, but still very pleasant feeling. And therefore, once you get to the capital of the beautiful Czech Republic, you will definitely want to come back here again.

It is incredibly difficult to choose only 10 must-see attractions in Prague, but we will try to do it anyway. Go!

10 Žižkovskaya телебашня (Žižkov Transmitter)

It would seem that what is unusual in a television tower, especially built in the early 1990s?

Yes, perhaps, in itself (as an architectural object), the tower in the Prague district of Zizkov does not stand out in any way. But this is the tallest building in the Czech Republic (216 meters), and approximately in the middle of its height there is an excellent restaurant (one of the best in the city), as well as three (!) Observation platforms from which a magnificent view of Prague and its environs opens ( they say, in clear weather – up to 100 km).

And the Zizkovskaya Tower is also famous for the huge black “babies” of a downright alien appearance “crawling” along it – the creations of the outrageous Czech sculptor David Cerny.

If you don’t want to go to the tower in Zizkov on purpose, then there are two exactly the same “babies” on the island of Kampa, not far from the gallery of modern art (literally 300 meters from Charles Bridge).

9. Franz Kafky Museum (Muzeum Franze Kafky)

And on the other side of the Charles Bridge (about 200 meters) – in Prague’s Mala Strana – you will find one of the most unusual museums you can imagine.

Even from the entrance to the museum courtyard, you will notice a strange and even slightly shocking composition – two greenish “gentlemen” pissing on a map of the Czech Republic.

Want to be even more surprised? The uncles do not just relieve themselves, so to speak, they “write out” the words sent by SMS to a special number. And anyone can order their own word.

Here is such a fountain – strange and absurd, like the very work of Franz Kafka. (Try to guess who is the author of the idea? That’s right – David Cerny again!).

A gloomy two-part exhibition awaits you at the museum: “Existential Space” and “Imaginary Topography”. Of course, it is dedicated to the life, work and death of Kafka himself, as well as to Prague at the beginning of the XNUMXth century (in the special vision of this paradoxical writer).

Not only are his diaries, manuscripts, drawings, letters and photographs collected here – all this is additionally “emphasized” by oppressive light, frightening sounds, strange 3D models, etc.

By the way, if you suddenly wander into the old Jewish district of Josefov (which is located near the Old Town Square), you will find a very unusual monument to the writer – Kafka, sitting astride a huge empty suit.

8. Valdštejnská zahrada (Valdštejnská zahrada)

Walk a little further along Mala Strana (to the metro station Malostranska) and you will find yourself next to the riding school and the entrance to the Wallenstein Garden, beautiful and majestic.

Mala Strana itself is a fairly quiet and peaceful area, but in this garden, designed at the beginning of the XNUMXth century for Duke Albrecht Wallenstein (or Wallenstein), an outstanding commander of the Thirty Years’ War, you will feel real peace and relaxation.

In the picturesque pond, decorated with sculptures “headed” by Hercules, goldfish and bright Japanese carps swim (you can feed them, by the way). In the bush – thick and bright green – real peacocks scream.

In the center of the garden, the fountain of Venus quietly murmurs in thin streams. And at its far end there is an artificial wall with stalactites and grottoes. And what a thick fragrance of flowers stands above all this! And the best part is that entrance to the garden is completely free.

7. Prague Zoo

If you came to Prague with children, then do not be lazy – take them to the Prague Zoo. Yes, it is far from the city center, and you will most likely have to go there with a change (first by metro to the Nádraží Holešovice station – “Holešovice station”, and then by a free express bus with the inscription ZOO). But trust me, it’s worth it!

The Prague Zoo is one of the largest in Europe, and it is located on a huge area of ​​​​60 (!) hectares in a very picturesque place.

Here you can see about 650 species of animals, birds, reptiles, etc. Special spacious enclosures and pavilions have been built for them, in which conditions are created that are close to those familiar to these animals in their natural environment.

By the way, all the fences in the zoo are translucent, so its inhabitants can be seen in all details. And do not even plan to quickly run around the entire territory in two to three hours. This is just unreal!

Dedicate at least a full day to the Prague Zoo. Moreover, there is where to eat and relax. Oh yes! Very close to the zoo is the Baroque Troja Castle with a garden.

6. Вацлавская площадь (Wenceslas Square)

Want to see one of the largest and most famous city squares in the world? Then welcome to St. Wenceslas Square – the patron saint of the Czech Republic (or, simply, Vaclavak).

Vaclavak (which is located in the Prague district of Nove Mesto) is the real shopping and business center of Prague. Prestigious hotels, expensive shops, good restaurants and cafes, famous galleries and nightclubs stretch along the rather considerable length of this square-boulevard (750 meters!)

At the upper (southeastern) end of Wenceslas, Saint Wenceslas is seated on a horse with a flag in his hand (surrounded by other Czech saints: Ludmila, Anezhka, Prokop and Vojtech). This sculptural group appeared here in 1912. And behind Vaclav’s back rises a huge neo-Renaissance building of the National Museum (end of the 4th century), where you can get acquainted with the rich history of the Czech Republic, examine the collection of busts of the great Czechs, and also visit the department of natural history. Other departments of the museum are located in XNUMX branches in different parts of the city.

5. Powder Tower

In fact, initially the Powder Tower was not intended to store gunpowder at all. It was built (at the end of the 13th century) as one of the XNUMX gates in Stare Mesto (Old Town) instead of the dilapidated Mountain Gate.

At that time, Czech kings lived in this part of Prague. And, by the way, it was from the Mountain Gate that the so-called Royal Road began, along which each new king of Bohemia (Czech Republic) had to solemnly walk for the coronation: along the current Celetnaya Street, through the whole of Stare Mesto, along the Charles Bridge, then along Mala Strana and up to Prague Castle. But in 1488, the next king, Matthias I, due to serious fears for his life, transferred the royal court “for permanent residence” to a safer place – Prague Castle. The gates remained partially unfinished, and at the beginning of the XNUMXth century they really became the Powder Tower – ammunition and gunpowder were stored here.

Now in the Powder Tower there is a small museum, which presents a brief history of the Czech kings. And at a height of 44 meters (by the way, the total height of the tower is 65 meters) there is an observation deck that offers an excellent view of the very center of Prague. An old spiral staircase of 186 steps leads there.

4. Old Town Square

Take a short walk from the Powder Tower down Celetna Street and you will soon find yourself in one of the most beautiful (and most crowded) squares in Prague – the Old Town Square.

There are several magnificent sights of the city here at once: firstly, the Old Town Hall, on the south side of which Orloi is located – the famous astronomical clock, playing a real performance every hour (the town hall itself was founded in the 27th century, and the clock was built at the beginning of the XNUMXth century); secondly, the temple of the Virgin Mary in front of Tyn (Tyn Cathedral) of the beginning of the XNUMXth century; thirdly, the beautiful white and pink palace of the Kinsky princes in the rococo style; as well as the Church of St. Mikulas (Nicholas) – the main temple of modern Czech Hussites (yeah, there are some); sculptural composition dedicated to Jan Hus and his associates; the place of execution of XNUMX Czech nobles who lost the battle of the White Mountain during the uprising of Czech Protestants against Ferdinand II of Habsburg (of course, a Catholic); the sgraffito-painted house “At the Minute” (XVII century), etc.

3. Strahov Monastery (Strahovský klášter)

And now let’s mentally transport ourselves to the other side of the Vltava, to the mountain and beyond the Prague Castle. There, surrounded by beautiful peach orchards and vineyards, the Strahov Monastery settled in the middle of the XNUMXth century.

Its name does not mean “terrible” at all – it comes from the word “guard”, because once there was an outpost at this place, guarding the approaches to the city.

At first, the monastery of the Premonstratensian order had a Romanesque appearance, then it was rebuilt in the Gothic style. But over its long history, it burned to the ground many times and was rebuilt again (being close to the Prague Castle, the monastery constantly turned out to be a participant in all major historical events in the Czech Republic).

Now it has a baroque look. And the most magnificent room in the entire monastery ensemble is the library, assembled and decorated by monks in the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries.

And another nice bonus from visiting the Strahov Monastery is the opportunity to try the excellent beer “Svaty Norbert” (“Saint Norbert”), which is still brewed by monks according to an old recipe in a local brewery.

2. Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

Directly from the walls of the Strahov Monastery there is a magnificent view of Prague, and first of all, of the majestic Prague Castle.

And if you set out to see all its sights, then you will need a whole day, because there are several museum expositions here (in the monastery of St. fortress wall of the Castle, on Zlata Lane, etc.).

In addition, you cannot help but look into the beautiful St. Vitus Cathedral – a vivid example of European Gothic, whose sculptures and stained-glass windows you can admire for hours.

And if you also like medieval stone gargoyles, you won’t rest until you walk around the entire cathedral around (and there are a great many of them, of various “breeds” and varieties).

By the way, here in the Castle is the residence of the President of the Czech Republic. And, imagine, crowds of tourists walk quite calmly right under its windows and “take a selfie” against the background of the “Presidential Office” sign.

1. Karlův most

And, finally, another (perhaps the most “postcard”) attraction of Zlata Prague is the magnificent and one of a kind Charles Bridge.

It was built on the orders of the most beloved Czech king Charles IV (who made Prague the unique city that we know today) instead of the Judith Bridge, which was destroyed by the flood.

The first stone of the future Charles Bridge was laid in 1357, on the 9th day of the 7th month, exactly at 5:31 am. Now line up these numbers: 1 3 5 7 9 7 5 3 1. See? This number is a palindrome! This is what astrologers recommend. And in the Middle Ages, even kings listened to them.

The Charles Bridge (which is 520 meters long) connects Stare Mesto and Mala Strana across the Vltava. It is decorated with 30 sculptures of saints (mostly Czech), the most popular of which is the statue of St. John of Nepomuk. Near it, tourists like to make wishes (and, they say, they do come true).

And on the bridge towers – both Malostranska and Staromestska – there are beautiful observation platforms from which you can perfectly see not only the Charles Bridge itself, but also all the surroundings.