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Prague

Prague
'The City of One Hundred Towers and Spires,' 'Golden Prague' - names that evoke the many aspects of this fascinating city. Its rich architectural heritage largely results from centuries of escaping the worst ravages of war, if anything, it has been too successful. Maintenance, especially of the painted stucco exteriors, is a constant process, even in the last century, travellers complained about scaffolding erected at many locations.

                          Troja (Trojsky zamek)
Prague’s only chateau, Troja, was built by the Sternbeck family in the late 17th century, as a paean to the reigning Hapsburg dynasty. Located in the north of the city, much of the rich Baroque interior decoration celebrates the Hapsburgs, notably Leopold I’s victories over the Turks. The exquisite formal gardens lead down to the river, where rowing boats are available for hire (May to October). Visitors can reach Troja by bus 112 from metro Nadrazi Hole&unknown;ovice or a pleasant half-hour walk along the banks of the Vltava.

Kutna Hora
Now a World Heritage Site, located 65km (40 miles) east of Prague, Kutna Hora came to prominence in the late 13th century, as a centre for silver mining. With the founding of the Royal Mint in 1308, a boom town economy developed and, until the veins were exhausted, the town was second only to Prague in importance. The principal point of interest is the extraordinary Gothic Cathedral of St Barbara, with its tent-like roof supported by three needle spires. Like many of the monuments in Prague, the cathedral design came from the workshop of Peter Parler. The building was financed by the miners’ guilds to honour their patron saint. For a taste of what the miners endured, the Hradek in Barborska Czech Silver Museum offers tours into the mines (protective clothing is supplied).
Kutna Hora’s main station is located in the suburb of Sedlec – linked to Prague by trains from Hlavni nadrazi or fast trains from Masasykov nadrazi, on Wilsonova at the eastern end of Hybernska (journey time – approximately 1 hour). Visitors must change to the local train for the town itself. There is also a bus to Sedlec from Prague, which leaves from outside metro Zelivskeho.

                       Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad)
Founded in 1358, the Czech Republic’s largest spa town, situated along the river Tepla, has long been a place of decadent extravagance, celebrity visitors and clandestine liaisons. The numerous spas and hotels reflect the past glory of the town. The grandest of all is the Grand Hotel Pupp, said to be the most elegant in the country. The town can be exceptionally crowded with tourists, especially during high season. Transport to Karlovy Vary is by bus from Florenc station (journey time – 2 hours 30 minutes) or train from Hlavni nadrazi (journey time – 4 hours).

Karluv most (Charles Bridge)
The construction of Prague’s most famous and most photographed location was begun in 1357, as part of Charles IV’s monumental building programme that included the Castle, St Vitus Cathedral and the University. All were supervised by the Swabian architect, Peter Parler (although the bridge construction is now known to have been begun by Master Otto). The bridge replaced the earlier Judita (Judith) bridge, the only surviving remnant of which is the plainer of the two towers on the Mala Strana gate. The bridge itself is rather drab and it is the later statues (Jesuit additions during the Counter-Reformation), which flank the bridge, that have made it so visually stunning. The first of these – the Crucifixion – was erected in 1657, followed soon after by the only bronze statue, that of St John of Nepomuk (who was martyred after being thrown from the bridge). Most of the other statues of the saints – carved from local sandstone, by Josef Brokof and Matthias Braun – were added between 1706 and 1714 (the latest was not added until 1928). Due to pollution, most have been replaced and the originals are housed in the Lapidarium in Letna Park. Many tourists wonder about the wooden constructions at the base of the pilings on the upriver side – these protect against ice floes and logjams during the spring melt-off.

            Prazsky Hrad (Prague Castle)
From almost any part of Prague, the Castle, perched on the ridge in Hradeany, dominates the skyline. Entering under the Battling Titan statues, the sheer size of the complex – with three courtyards, fortifications and gardens, almost a small town in its own right – is most striking. Given the wealth of architecture, state apartments, churches, galleries and gardens, it is impossible for one to see everything in a single day.
Katedrala sv. Vita (St Vitus Cathedral), the country’s largest church, takes up most of the third courtyard. Inspired by the Gothic cathedral at Narbonne, work commenced in 1344, however, reflecting the changing fortunes of the Czechs, was not completed until 1929. The finest of the 22 side chapels is that built to hold the relics of St Wenceslas – the gilded walls are inlaid with hundreds of semi-precious stones that frame the luminous 14th-century paintings. The overly ornate Baroque tomb of St John of Nepomuk, was the work of the Jesuits intent on promoting this martyr as the Czech patron saint in opposition to Wenceslas. The Coronation Chamber displays the Bohemian crown jewels but is only infrequently open to the public. The Crypt is the resting place of most of the Kings and Queens of Bohemia.

Old Town Square
The 12th-century Old Town Square is the focal point for tourists. Stalls selling crafts line the perimeter and horse-drawn carriages await those wishing to take a tour of the historic centre. In summer, tables spill out from the restaurants, while in December, the square hosts the city’s largest Christmas Market. The centre is dominated by the monumental memorial to the 14th-century religious reformer, Jan Hus. The Prague Meridian is also found here, designating kilometre zero, from which all distances in the city are measured. All of the palaces, churches and houses around the square are of major historical interest. The Gothic Staromistska radnice (Old Town Hall) with its Astronomical Clock is a must for visitors. It strikes hourly (0900–2100), when the upper portion – dating to the early 15th century – reveals the Apostles at two windows. Just off the square, to the east, is the superb Gothic Chram Matky bozi poed Tynem (Tyn Church), where the tomb of the astronomer, Tycho Brahe, is found.

                      Josefov (Jewish Quarter)
Until the end of the 19th century, the area north of the Old Town Square constituted the Jewish Ghetto – much of the area was cleared to make way for Art Nouveau buildings but some of the flavour still remains. A single ticket, available from the Jewish Museum, allows admission to the Zidovnicka radnice (Jewish Town Hall), the Klausen, the Maisel, the Pinkas Synagogue and the Spanish Synagogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery (in use from the 15th century until 1787) and the Ceremonial Hall. A separate ticket is required for the 13th-century Starovona synagoga (Old-New Synagogue), the oldest synagogue in Europe.

Obecni dum (Municipal House)
The gem of Art Nouveau in Prague, Obecni dum, has been fully restored, after decades of neglect. Designed by A Balsanek and Osvald Polivka, all the major Czech artists made contributions during its construction (1905–10). However, even Karel Spillar’s striking mosaic and the sculptural group by Ladislav Saloun cannot prepare the visitor for the remarkable interiors. Most spectacular of the public areas, the Lord Mayor’s Room features murals by Alfons Mucha. The restaurant, cafe and the Amerikansky bar were also the work of Polivka. The centrepiece of the building is the Smetana Hall, home of the Prague Symphony Orchestra and one of the major venues for concerts during the Prague Spring Festival. Guided tours are essential for visitors to see the rooms that are not open to the public.

Vaclavske namisti (Wenceslas Square)
Despite its name, Wenceslas Square is really a long boulevard. It was here, in 1989, the passive resistance culminating in the Velvet Revolution began. Today, the square is a bustling thoroughfare presenting the best and worst of post-Communist Prague – from the fashionable and expensive stores to the prostitutes and taxis controlled by organised crime rings. Nothing remains of the square’s earliest buildings, however, examples of architectural styles from the last 150 years line its frontage. The lower portion is pedestrianised and contains many of Prague’s largest stores – often of more interest for their architecture than for their contents. News kiosks at the bottom end are the best place to purchase Czech and foreign-language newspapers. Numerous arcades with winding passages (developed in the 1920s) leading to or surrounding a cinema (in almost all instances). Many are now being renovated to their original Art Deco splendour, chiefly to house trendy shops. The Lucerna (see Live music in Nightlife) is undoubtedly the finest of these arcades, housing a jazz/rock concert hall, cinema, excellent cafe and numerous small shops.

Museum of Decorative Arts
Only a small fraction of the museum’s holding is on display but what is there makes a mockery of fine art’s supposed elevation above applied art. The fin-de-siecle building itself is stunning. Divided into two floors, the ground floor hosts temporary exhibitions, while the top floor presents a wide range of crafts. Of particular interest and beauty are the Czech ceramics and glassware.

      Muchovo Muzeum (Mucha Museum)
Celebrating the life of Czechoslovakia’s best-known artist, Alfons Mucha (1860–1934), this collection in the Kaunitz Palace includes many of his Paris posters, including those for performances by Sarah Bernhardt. Paintings, sketchbooks and a recreation of his Paris studio are also on display. There is a pleasant terrace cafe as well.

Wax Museum Prague
The Wax Museum Prague has proved to be a popular attraction and has now moved from its original home to two different locations. The Melantrichova museum features the ‘Hall of Celebrities of the 20th Century’, the ‘Gallery of Totalitarian Rulers’ and the multimedia program ‘Magical Prague’. The musem at Mostecka focuses on Czech history, including a medieval alchemical laboratory and a 19th-century street scene.

          Small and temporary museums
Prague is constantly acquiring new museums, some for the summer season only. These are often strange and extremely interesting. Visitors should look for posters or leaflets in the tourist offices. Among the best to pop up at the moment are the Muzeum Komunismu (Museum of Communism), covering the 1948–1989 reign of Communism in the city and the Sex Machine Museum, an exposition of mechanical erotic appliances.

Sport
The Czechs’ greatest sporting success has come from tennis, with Ivan Lendl, Martina Navratilova and Jana Novotna being regarded as national sporting heroes. Success was also enjoyed in 1998, when the Czech ice hockey team was the Olympic champion. The Czech national football team can be something of a dark horse, occasionally displaying significant prowess in international events. In the domestic league, the First Division rivalry between Sparta Praha and Slavia Praha is very strong. Prague’s other First Division team, FK Victoria Zizkov , is based at the Viktoria Zizkov Stadium, Seifertova toida, Prague 3. Sparta Praha play at their own Letna Stadium, Milady Horakove 98, Prague 7, while Slavia Praha play at the new Eden Stadium, Vladivostoeka 1460/2, Prague 10. In the 2002/2003 season, Sparta Praha were second in the league and Victoria Zizkov were third. Although Slavia Praha finished outside the top three, it managed to defeat Sparta Praha in the final of the Czech cup.

                                        Ice skating
Skating is an extremely popular sport, however, rinks are only open for one or two-hour periods, usually at weekends. Good rinks include Sportovni hala (HC Sparta), Za elektrarnou 419, Prague 7, and Vokovice, Za lany 1, Prague 6. From December, outdoor skating is popular at the reservoirs at Divoka Sarka and Hostivao. The picturesque scenery and the many grog sellers make this an attractive activity, although hire of skates is problematic.

Squash
As this sport is growing in popularity, new squash courts appear regularly in Prague, however, demand still outstrips supply and courts are often booked months in advance. Squashove centrum, 15 Vaclavske namisti, offers an unbeatable central location. The three courts are open daily until 2300 and equipment is available for hire.

                                                Theatre
Misery Loves Company, Celetna 17, Prague 1, presents consistently high-quality productions of international plays and Czech works in English translations. They are active in the summer at the reconstructed Globe Theatre, Vystavi&unknown;ti, Holo&unknown;ovice, Prague 7. There are currently seven companies presenting shows combining music, dance and 3D effects with black (ultraviolet) light features, known as Black Light Theatre. Performances run from classical to rock and all the companies are excellent. They include All Colours Theatre, Rytioska 31, Prague 1, The Black Light Theatre, Jioi Grossmann Theatre, Vaclavske namisti 43, The Black Theatre Prague, Na poikopi 10, Image, Image Theatre, Paoizska 4, Prague 1, Black Light Theatre of Frantisek Kratochvil, Narodni 25, Prague 1, Ta Fantastika, Palac Unitaria, Karlova 8, Prague 1, and The Black Light Theatre of Prague of Jioi Srnec, Divadlo Reduta, Narodni toida 20, Prague 1.

Dance
Classical ballet is prevalent at the major theatres but modern dance companies, with their experimental and multimedia techniques, offer a far more exciting evening. Ponec, Husitska 24A, Prague 3, a new performance space owned by the dance company, Tanec Praha , presents a constantly varied and challenging programme of Czech and international companies. Folklore shows combining energetic dancing and music with colourful costumes have not lost their exuberance or high standards under the demands of tourists. Restaurace U Marcanu, Veleslaninska 14, Prague 6, offers a year-round show with a traditional Czech dinner for a reasonable fixed price. Excellent summer shows are presented at the theatres Divadlo na Klarove, Nabrezi Edvarda Bene&unknown;e 3, Prague 1, and Divadlo u hasicu, Oimska 45.

                                              Nightlife
Venues shift in and out of popularity with great rapidity in Prague. With soaring rents in the centre of town, almost all of the clubs around Wenceslas Square have either closed or spread out throughout the city. Establishments tend to be divided to meet the demands of three groups – expensive (for the newly wealthy Czechs and tourists), cheap and trashy (for the young tourists, backpackers and ex-pats) and cheap and innovative (for young Czechs and visitors in the know). Many bars are open late (until 0200 or 0400) and clubs even later (until 0500, 0600 or even later). In the Czech Republic, however classy, ‘nightclubs’ means a table dancing club, usually with a proper strip show and often even with a sauna and Jacuzzi. Clubs that feature live music are generally known as ‘music clubs’ or ‘jazz clubs’, while establishments that offer dancing are known as ‘discos’ or ‘dance clubs’.

Casinos
Gambling plays an important part in the lives of many Czechs and is big business in Prague, with new casinos opening all the time. Most casinos present a sophisticated but relaxed atmosphere, with bets ranging from a minimum Ke20–25 to a maximum of Ke5000 (in a few cases like the Jalta, Ke10,000). The minimum age for gaming is 18 years and a passport or ID is required. Entrance fees are as high as Ke500 in some establishments. Casinos can be found in many of the luxury hotels, where evening dress is essential for admission.
Most of the best casinos are found on Na poikopi and Vaclavske namisti. Recommended venues include Casino Admiral Praha, Palace of Culture, 5 Kvetna 65, Prague 4, the 24-hour Casino Jalta Happy Days, Vaclavske namisti 35, Prague 1, the VIP Club Casino, Hotel Ambassador, Vaclavske namisti 7, Prague 1, and Casino Palais Savarin, Na poikopi 10.

                                                   Clubs
Prague has more than its fair share of trashy discos but a welcome alternative is the world music that continues to attract great attention in both clubs and live venues in the city. Best for world music is Akropolis, Kubelikova 27, Prague 3 , a complex of concert spaces, bars and a cafe. Latino clubs include La Habana, Mi&unknown;eoska 12, Prague 1, and Manes, Masarykovo naboezi 250, Prague 1, a 1930s functionalist gallery, which is only open on Friday and Saturday. Roxy, Dlouha 33, Prague 1, caters to the dance crowd and features a hidden tea house. Radost/FX, Bilehradska 120, Prague 2 , is one of the few clubs to survive the early post-Revolution period and offers up a glamorous mix of house and techno music. It also includes a vegetarian restaurant and art gallery. Industry 55, Vinohradska 40, Prague 2, stays open very late for a youngish crowd, playing techno, house, trance and other dance music. Klub Lavka, Novotneho Lavka (by the Charles Bridge), is a popular top-40 club with good food and a wonderful riverside terrace. Karlove Lazne, also located at Novotneho Lavka, claims to be the largest club in central Europe. The four floors all feature different music styles, with synth techno on the fourth floor, retro on the third, radio pop occupying the second and hip hop and funk blasting out on the first floor, complete with MCM cafe.

Shopping
Shopping in Prague can be frustrating or rewarding, depending on the approach taken. Western chains and large stores around Vaclavske namisti do not offer bargains and shoppers should seek out the smaller shops to browse and patronise the cafes when it all becomes too much. Czech crystal and glassware are superb and often extremely good value. There are enough shops for one to spend an entire day on this alone. Cheap Czech crystal jewellery is found throughout the city. Czech garnets are considered the world’s best. Granat, Dlouha 28, Prague 1, are the specialists. Amber (jantar) can also be found at a bargain price, however, shoppers should stick to the Baltic variety – Russian shops sell a far more brittle and over-priced variety. Even in the markets it is possible to find beautiful and unique wood and ceramic pieces.
Shop opening hours vary widely but are generally Monday to Friday 0800–1000 and 1700–2000 and Saturday 1000–1400. Many tourist shops and larger stores remain open all day including Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Most areas of the city have at least one 24-hour food shop. Almost everything closes on public holidays.

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