View to the west from the Powder Tower (Praﾚná Brána), including Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Matky Boﾞí před Týnem).

Prague, Czech Republic

by Eve Andersson

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Prague is a magnificent, walkable city. Spared the war damage that blighted so many other European capitals, many hundreds of years of history remain intact.

Old Town (Staré Město)

The original part of the city, Staré Město, was settled as long ago as the 9th century. With narrow, cobblestone streets and superb architecture at every turn, it's unsurprising that it teems with tourists day and night.

One end of the Charles Bridge (Karlův Most), viewed from the Vltava River. Building on Bartolomějská, Staré Město. Doorway, Celetná, Staré Město. Sculpture of a barefoot man sitting, in front of the Modrá Růﾞe (Blue Rose) hotel, Rytířská, Staré Město. Building with intricate white designs on a black background, corner of Skořepka and Na Perﾚtýně, Staré Město. Family home through which Vejvodova street runs, Staré Město. Týnská street (or nearby), Staré Město. Vejvodova, Staré Město. Sculpture commemorating Mozart's opera Don Giovanni, outside the Estates Theatre (Stavovske Divadlo). Drinking fountain, Havelská, Staré Město. Statue of King Wenceslas (Svatý Václav) and Church of St. Savior (Kostel svatého Salvátora) at night, Staré Město. Market on Havelská, Staré Město. Male Náměstí (Little Square), Staré Město. Women with torches, Cechuv Bridge (Čechův most). Bedrich Smetana Museum (Muzeum Bedřicha Smetany) on the Vltava River, viewed from Kampa. Male and female figures on a pink building, Na Perﾚtýně, Staré Město. St. Martin in the Wall Church (Sv. Martin ve zdi), Staré Město. Novotného lávka, Staré Město. ﾎelezná, Staré Město. Yellow and beige building, Celetná, Staré Město. Dvořákovo nábřeﾞí, on the Staré Město bank of the Vltava River, viewed from a boat on the river.


Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)
In the middle of Staré Město lies a large square, with restaurants, a gorgeous church (Church of Our Lady before Týn), and the famous Orloj, a 15th century astronomical clock featuring the 12 apostles. Great views of the square can be had from the Old Town Hall (Staroměstské radnice).

Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Matky Boﾞí před Týnem), viewed from Old Town Hall (Staroměstské radnice), Staré Město. Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Matky Boﾞí před Týnem) in Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), Staré Město. Kids at a fountain, Celetná, Staré Město. Prague Astronomical Clock (Praﾞský orloj), Old Town Hall (Staroměstské radnice), Staré Město. Apostles, Prague Astronomical Clock (Praﾞský orloj), Old Town Hall (Staroměstské radnice), Staré Město. Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square), Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Matky Boﾞí před Týnem) on the right, viewed from Old Town Hall (Staroměstské radnice), Staré Město. Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square) with people walking at night, Staré Město. National Gallery (Národní galerie), viewed from Old Town Hall (Staroměstské radnice), Staré Město. Paříﾞská, a tree-lined boulevard, and St. Nicholas Church (Kostel sv. Mikuláse), viewed from Old Town Hall (Staroměstské radnice), Staré Město.






Lesser Quarter (Malá Strana)

Across the Vltava River from Staré Město, situated beneath the towering Prague Castle, the Malá Strana is nearly as old as Staré Město and rivals it in beauty.

One of the towers of Charles Bridge (Karlův most), Malá Strana. Mostecká, facing one of the towers of Charles Bridge (Karlův most), Malá Strana Prokopská, Malá Strana. View of Prague from Prague Castle. Malostranské náměstí (Lesser Town Square), with tram, Malá Strana. Romanian Embassy, Nerudova, Malá Strana.


Vrtba Garden (Vrtbovská zahrada)
This Italianate, baroque, terraced garden has some of the nicest views of the city.

Pavilion, Vrtba Garden (Vrtbovská zahrada), Malá Strana. Sculpture of a woman and dog, Vrtba Garden (Vrtbovská zahrada), Malá Strana. Vrtba Palace (Vrtbovský palác), Vrtba Garden (Vrtbovská zahrada), Malá Strana. View over Malá Strana from Vrtba Garden (Vrtbovská zahrada). Vrtba Garden (Vrtbovská zahrada), Malá Strana.

Kampa and Čertovka
Čertovka is a canal that separates the island of Kampa from the Malá Strana mainland. Near the overly-crowded Charles Bridge, Kampa is a welcome respite, with large swaths of parkland containing interesting artwork.

Sculpture of a bishop making a peace-sign (or similar hand gesture), Charles Bridge (Karlův most), viewed from Kampa. Bridge over Čertovka (Devil's Stream), Malá Strana. Čertovka (Devil's Stream), Malá Strana, viewed from Charles Bridge (Karlův most). Mill wheel, Čertovka (Devil's Stream), Malá Strana, viewed from Charles Bridge (Karlův most). Kampa, viewed from Charles Bridge (Karlův most). Sculpture of a woman with a wheel and an axe, on the side of a building, Kampa, Malá Strana. Large baby sculptures near Museum Kampa, Kampa, Malá Strana. Abstract sculpture/planter outside Museum Kampa, Kampa, Malá Strana. Yellow penguins near Museum Kampa, Kampa, Malá Strana.

St. Nicholas' Church (Kostel sv. Mikuláše)
This grand church, completed in 1755, has a wonderfully painted ceiling by Austrian artist Johann Lukas Kracker.

Beautiful painted ceiling, St. Nicholas' Church (Kostel sv. Mikuláše), Malá Strana. Sculpture of St. John Chrysostom pointing upward, St. Nicholas' Church (Kostel sv. Mikuláše), Malá Strana.


Josefov

Prague's Jewish quarter, Josefov, is a small area surrounded by Staré Město. Although a few old synagogues remain, most of the quarter is fairly modern by Prague standards.

Jewish Town Hall (Židovská Radnice), Josefov. Kafka sculpture by Jaroslav Róna, corner of Duﾚní and Vězeňská streets, Josefov. Sculpture on the corner of a building, Břehová and U Starého hřbitova, Josefov. Galerie Břehová, Josefov. Windows with Star of David and other images, Josefov. Casa Andina, a Peruvian restaurant, Josefov. Ceremonial Hall, Josefov. Old New Synagogue (Staronová synagoga), Josefov. Spanish Synagogue, Josefov. Široká, Josefov.

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

This large castle — one of the biggest in the world — sits on a hill above central Prague and the Vltava River. Enclosed within the castle walls are churches, towers, palaces, gardens, and even a street with shops.

Changing of the guards, 1st Courtyard, Prague Castle. Gate of Titans, Prague Castle. St. Vitus' Cathedral, Prague Castle. Building detail, with helmet and flags, 1st Courtyard, Prague Castle. Prague Castle across the Vltava River at night.


Basilica of St. George (Bazilika Sv. Jiří)
One of the oldest parts of the castle, the Basilica of St. George originally dates from 920 but the baroque facade seen below is considerably newer.

Skeleton in a sepulchre, St. George's Basilica (Bazilika Sv. Jiří), Prague Castle. Carving called Kristus Z Kmene Stromu by Otto Herbert Hajek. St. George's Basilica (Bazilika Sv. Jiří), Prague Castle. Vault, St. George's Basilica (Bazilika Sv. Jiří), Prague Castle. Apse and stairs, St. George's Basilica (Bazilika Sv. Jiří), Prague Castle. St. George's Basilica (Bazilika Sv. Jiří), Prague Castle.

National Gallery
One of the National Galleries in Prague, housed in St. George's convent, has a vast collection of Czech artwork. A few examples are below.

Goose Girl, a sculpture by Antonín Pavel Wagner (1834-1895). National Gallery, Prague Castle. Music, 1st draft, alternative A, an 1892 sculpture by Josef Václav Myslbek. National Gallery, Prague Castle. Lady and a Greyhound, 1895-7, by Václav Brožík. National Gallery, Prague Castle. Two vases with portraits. Nový Svět in the Giant Mountains, ca 1860. Flashed uranium alabaster glass, painted enamels. On loan from the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. National Gallery, Prague Castle. Late Afternoon at Hradcany, a 1909-13 painting by Jakub Schikaneder. National Gallery, Prague Castle. Krivoklat, an 1842 oil painting by Antonin Manes. National Gallery, Prague Castle.

Daliborka Tower
Built in 1496, this tower was originally part of the castle's fortification but, two years after it was built, it became a prison — a function it served until 1781.

Daliborka Tower, built in 1496, was used as a prison. Prague Castle. Body cage. Daliborka Tower, Prague Castle. Leading fork for prisoners. Daliborka Tower, Prague Castle. Prisoner cage. Daliborka Tower, Prague Castle. Spanish boot. Daliborka Tower, Prague Castle.

Golden Lane
This 15th century street used to house families; now it houses tourist shops.

Golden Lane (No. 22), Prague Castle. Golden Lane (No. 27), Prague Castle.

Old Royal Palace
This palace grew slowly over the centuries and therefore contains a variety of architectural styles. The most impressive part, perhaps, is Vladislav's Hall, a grand ballroom. Replicas of the crown jewels can also be found here.

Church of All Saints, Old Royal Palace, Prague Castle. Ceiling of room containing land rolls, Old Royal Palace, Prague Castle. Replica of St. Wenceslas royal crown, Old Royal Palace, Prague Castle. Vladislav's Hall, Old Royal Palace, Prague Castle.


New Town (Nové Město)

New by Prague standards, this part of town was founded in the 14th century.

Woman with a fruit tree, building detail, 28. října, Nové Město. Covered walkways across Nekázanka at Na Příkopě, Nové Město. Palác Adria, a commercial center built in the 1920s, corner of Národní and Jungmannova, Nové Město. Palác Adria, a commercial center built in the 1920s, corner of Národní and Jungmannova, Nové Město. Building on 28. října, Nové Město. Jubilee Synagogue, Nové Město. Nine laborers, with the caption "EXPORT IMPORT" carved into a building on Panská, Nové Město. National Theatre (Národní Divadlo), building detail. View of Nové Město, including the National Theatre (Národní Divadlo), from Kampa. A change in the water level of Vltava River can be seen. Wall painted with a giant Möbius strip, with alternating tanks and tractors driving on it. Národní, Nové Město. Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky), with tram, Nové Město. Czech National Bank (Česká Národní Banka, ČNB) building, Na Příkopě, Nové Město. Na můstku, Nové Město.


Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí)
The center of activity in Nové Město, this "square" is more of a boulevard, surrounded by large department stores and other businesses.

Fair place taxi. Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí), Nové Město. New and old buildings, Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí) at 28. října, Nové Město. Grand Hotel Europa, Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí), Nové Město. Wenceslas Monument in front of the National museum (Národní muzeum), Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí), Nové Město. Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí), looking toward the National museum (Národní muzeum), Nové Město.

Lucerna Passage (Pasáž Lucerna)
This Art Nouveau shopping complex is near Wenceslas Square and contains a famous sculpture of St. Wenceslas and an upside-down horse by David Cerny.

Entrance to Lucerna Passage (Pasáﾞ Lucerna), an Art Nouveau shopping center, on ﾊtěpánská, Nové Město. Sculpture of St. Wenceslas and an upside-down horse by David Cerny, Lucerna Passage (Pasáﾞ Lucerna), Nové Město. Cinema, Lucerna Passage (Pasáﾞ Lucerna), an Art Nouveau shopping center, Nové Město. Lucerna Passage (Pasáﾞ Lucerna), an Art Nouveau shopping center, Nové Město.

Powder Tower (Prašná Brána)
On the boundary of Nové Město and Staré Město, this gothic tower, built in 1475, affords wonderful views of both areas. It was used to store gunpowder in the 17th century; hence the name.

Powder Tower (Prašná Brána). Powder Tower (Prašná Brána) at night. View to the west from the Powder Tower (Prašná Brána). View to the west from the Powder Tower (Praﾚná Brána), with Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Matky Boﾞí před Týnem) visible on the right. Interior of the Powder Tower (Praﾚná Brána), Nové Město. View to the west from the Powder Tower (Prašná Brána). View to the west from the Powder Tower (Praﾚná Brána), including Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Matky Boﾞí před Týnem).


Other Prague Photos



Žižkov Television Tower, built 1985-1992, viewed from the Powder Tower (Prašná Brána). Cross Club. Staroměstská station, Prague Metro. The 75 foot tall Metronome created by Vratislav Novak in 1991 occupies the space where a Joseph Stalin monument stood (until 1962).

More photos: View all photos in the directory /photos/czech-republic/.
Eve Andersson (eve@eveandersson.com)

Comments

Wow! what a perfect pictures, splendorous work. If the photos are so beautiful, then I can't imagine how amazing it must have been in person. Prague places to visit
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-- Ketty Robinson

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