Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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STRAHOV MONESTARY
Strahovské nádvoří 1
MONASTERY
233 107 711 www.strahovskyklaster.cz
This 17th-century monastic compound confuses as much as it entertains; just enjoy the beauty and question the craziness later. The compound’s principal attraction, the monastic libraries, have some of the most beautiful interiors in Prague: gilded bookshelves flow endlessly under a fresco depicting the story of human progress, while the floor brims with relics like globes that lack Australia or models of an Earth-centered universe. The library’s “Hall of Wonders” has everything from a dried whale penis to an eighth century Bible to a set of 68 “tree box/books,” bound in a species’ bark and filled with its leaves, fruits or cones. Oh, yeah—and a narwal horn, a 12th century spear, and buckets of very ordinary sea shells. Additional non-essentials here include the cloister and attached gallery of 14th-19th century pieces, the church (open only during services), and the cloister’s microbrewery (233 353 155 www.klasterni-pivovar.cz).
From Petřín Hill, take the paved asphalt road that leads away from the funicular station. Follow it along the left side of the Hunger Wall for about 10min. A free guided tour can be arranged by calling ahead (233 107 749). Monastery admission free. Library 80Kč, students 50Kč. Cloister 30/15Kč. Gallery 30/15Kč. Monastery open 10am-9:30pm. Library open daily 9am-noon and 1-5pm. Cloister and gallery open daily 9am-noon and 12:30pm-5pm. Microbrewery open daily 10am-10pm.
OUR LADY VICTORIOUS
Karmelitská 382/14
CHURCH
257 537 345
This place might be small potatoes next to St. Nicholas down the street, but for the faithful, it’s a must-see. The church houses a wax Christ figurine that’s supposed to have protected the city during the 30 Years’ War and now posseses healing powers. A museum in the back shows off the more than 80 outfits of this figurine. The church also deserves some attention in its own right, as the oldest Baroque church in Prague, dating back to 1613.
Follow Letecká through Malostranské náměstí and continue onto Karmelitská. Free. Open daily 8:30am-7pm. Su Mass (in English) noon.
WALLENSTEIN CASTLE AND GARDENS
Valdštejnské náměstí 17/4
CASTLE
257 075 707 www.senat.cz
Originally built from 1623-1626 as a castle for nobleman Albrecht Wallenstein, this immaculate and detail-rich compound now serves as the seat of the Czech Senate. Keep your eyes peeled for live peacocks wandering between the hedge rows and reflecting pools. And don’t worry, that albino peacock isn’t possessed by Satan, he was just born that way. Some sad-looking owls fill out the aviary next to the “stalagtite wall” with a disorienting concrete array affecting the interior of a cavern. If the statues of Hercules killing all manner of mythical beasts don’t impress you, come back on the weekends, when tourists can snoop around the castle’s interior.
A: Malostranská. Free. Gardens open daily June-Sept 10am-6pm, Oct-May 10am-4:30pm. Interiors open Sa and Su 10am-4:30pm.
FRANZ KAFKA MUSEUM
Cihelná 2b
MUSEUM
257 535 507 www.kafkamuseum.cz
In an attempt to be as “disillusioning” as Kafka’s writing, this museum goes a bit overboard with the shadowy video projections and dramatic lighting effects. Walking through this exhibit feels like riding through Slugworth’s evil tunnel from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Histrionics aside, the facsimiles of Kafka’s letters and the images from Kafka’s life warrant at least the student admission price. Best thing: Kafka’s cartoon drawings of depression and madness, but you could technically also just see these in an anthology in the gift shop.
A: Malostranská. Go down Klárov toward the river, turn right on U. Luzické Semináré and left on Cilhená. 160Kč, students 80Kč. Open daily 10am-6pm.
JOHN LENNON WALL
Velkopřevorské náměstí
MURAL
After John Lennon got shot, someone painted his face here and then everyone went crazy on it. A lot of mumbo jumbo graffiti decorates it now. Don’t get your hopes up, it’s just a wall. But it’s in a garden, and worth a five-minute walk-by.
From Charles Bridge, take a left on Lázeňská soon after the bridge ends. Stay on it as it curves around into Velkopřevorské náměstí. Free. Open as long as walls are open.
Hradčany
Around Prague Castle
PRAŽSKÝ HRAD (PRAGUE CASTLE)
224 373 368 www.hrad.cz
One of the largest castles in the world, Prague Castle has been the seat of the Bohemian government since its construction over a millennium ago. After WWI, Czechoslovakia’s first president, Tomáš Masaryk, invited Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik to rebuild his new residence after centuries of Hapsburg neglect. Plečnik not only restored the castle to its former majesty, but also added his own fountains and columns. During WWII, Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi-appointed governor and notorious “Hangman of Prague,” used the castle as his headquarters. An inspiration for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Heydrich wore the crown jewels that only rightful Bohemian kings were meant to wear. Though Heydrich’s face didn’t melt off, he was assassinated less than a year later, as per the film’s legend. Arrive on the hour to catch the changing of the guard, complete with fanfare, and stay afterward to take a picture with one of them or try to get them to break their iron stares.
Tram #22 or 23: Pražský hrad. From the stop, go down U Prašného Mostu past the Royal Gardens and into the Second Courtyard. Alternatively, hike up Nerudova. Ticket office and info located opposite St. Vitus’s Cathedral, inside the castle walls. Long tour covers everything, short tour covers the main rooms. Tickets valid for 2 consecutive days. Long tour 350Kč, students 175Kč. Short Tour 250/125Kč. Open daily Apr-Oct 9am-5pm; Nov-Mar 9am-4pm. Castle grounds open daily Apr-Oct 5am-midnight; Nov-Mar daily 9am-midnight. Changing of the guard daily on the hr. 5am-midnight.
KATEDRÁLA SV. VÍTA (SAINT VITUS’S CATHEDRAL)
CHURCH
The centerpiece of the castle complex St. Vitus’s Cathedral is an architectural masterpiece, complete with three magnificent towers and more flying buttresses than it knows what to do with (no wonder it took 600 years to complete). The cathedral, not surprisingly, is also the most popular attraction at Prague Castle. During tourist season, expect waits of 20-30min. just to get inside. Once you make it in, though, there’s plenty to see. In the main church, precious stones and paintings telling the saint’s story line the walls of Saint Wenceslas Chapel (Svatováclavská kaple). Don’t miss the gorgeous Mucha Window, perhaps the cathedral’s most beautiful. For a great view and a healthy hike, climb the 287 steps of the Great South Tower. Many of Prague’s most important religious and political figures are buried here. To the right of the altar stands the silver tomb of Saint Jan Nepomuck, of Charles Bridge fame. The Bohemian crown jewels are kept in a room with seven locks, the keys to which are kept in the hands of seven different Czech leaders, both secular and religious.
STARÝ KRÁLOVSKÝ PALÁC (OLD ROYAL PALACE)
PALACE
The Old Royal Palace, to the right of the cathedral, is one of the few Czech castles where visitors can wander largely unattended—probably because its mostly empty. The lengthy Vladislav Hall is the largest Gothic hall in the Czech Republic; it once hosted coronations and indoor jousting competitions. Upstairs in the Chancellery of Bohemia, a Protestant assembly found two Catholic governors guilty of religious persecution and threw them out the window in the 1618 Second Defenestration of Prague, though without paying for an audio tour you would have no way of knowing this; what little information available is kindly written in Czech.
ROYAL SUMMER PALACE AND ROYAL GARDENS
PALACE, GARDENS
The Italian-designed Royal Summer Palace was built in the 16th century to provide entertainment for royals until it fell into the hands of Austrian army, whose stay necessitated extensive rebuilding. Near the entrance, the Singing Fountain uses a vibrating bronze pla
te to create its rhythmic, enchanting sound, though you have to squat down awkwardly to actually hear it. The surrounding Royal Gardens contain dozens of species of trees and shrubbery, and make for a relaxing stroll at any time of day. The garden is also home to an assortment of birds of prey that a falconer displays daily noon-5pm.
GOLDEN LANE AND DALIBOR TOWER
TOWER
The small dwellings that line crowded Golden Lane once housed the castle’s alchemists. At other times it’s been home to the castle’s artillerymen and artisans. Franz Kafka worked for a time at a workspace at #22, a small blue house marked with a plaque. At the end of the street you’ll come to the base of Dalibor Tower, a cannon tower converted into a prison after a fire. Its most famous resident was the knight Dalibor, the subject of the old Czech adage “Necessity taught Dalibor how to play the fiddle” even though the actual fiddle was a torture—not musical—instrument designed to make the knight change his tune. The tower exhibits a variety of torture and execution implements, including cages, racks, stocks, “Spanish boots,” and a headsman’s axe.
To the right of the Basilica, follow Jiřská halfway down and take a right on Zlatá ulička, or “Golden Lane.”
Other Sights
STRAHOVSKÝ KLÁŠTER (STRAHOV MONASTERY)
Strahovské nádvoří 1
MONASTERY
233 107 711 www.strahovskyklaster.cz
Part pilgrimage site, part library, and part gallery, the Strahov Monastery has had a rough history; it was built in 1120, burned down in 1258, rebuilt, and then plundered in turn by the Hussites, Swedes, and French. Since the fall of communism, things have quieted down. The renowned library contains thousands of volumes of philosophical, astronomical, mathematical, and historical knowledge, though your admission only entitles you to look from behind a barrier. In the anterior chamber, an 18th-century cabinet of curiosities contains the remains of dozens of crustacean species and other sea fauna, including a crocodile, octopus, and hammerhead shark, as well as various shells, ceramics, and Hussite weaponry. Its most-prized artifact, however, is what is left of a dodo bird. If you want a great view that you don’t have to pay for, walk down the dirt path at the foot of the monastery to a sign that reads “Grand Panorama.” The view from the top of the hill gives you a postcard panorama of Prague.
Tram #22: Pohořelec. From the tram, walk south and make a right on Dlabačov, then take a sharp left onto Strahovské nádvoří. Library 80Kč, students 50Kč. Gallery 60/30Kč. Audio tour 90/75Kč. Open Tu-Su 9am-noon and 1-5pm. Last entry 15min. before closing.
LORETA
Loretánské námesti 7
CHAPEL
220 516 740 www.loreta.cz
Loreta knows the magic of twos. The Loreta complex consists of two chapels and a two-story, arcaded courtyard. The central Santa Casa contains a statue of the Lady of Loreta, holding what is purported to be a piece of Mary’s house at Bethlehem. The site is considered the holiest place in the Czech Republic and is the traditional starting point of pilgrimages from the area. On the second floor, a small treasury contains several jewel-encrusted religious texts and an impressive collection of chalices.
Tram #22: Pohořelec Tram #stop. From the Tram #stop, walk south, turn left on Pohořelec, then left on Loretánské námesti. 110Kč, students 90Kč. Open Tu-Su 9am-12:15pm and 1-4:30pm.
Žižkov
CHURCH OF SAINT PROCOPIUS
Čajkovského 36
CHURCH
775 609 952
In 1881, Žižkov became a city independent of Prague. Amidst jubilations over their newfound autonomy, the residents of Žižkov realized that they did not have a Catholic place of worship big enough to accommodate the population within the new city’s limits. Eight years after Žižkov’s independence, Archbishop Cardinal Frantisek Schonborn ceremonially laid the foundation stone, and the neo-Gothic style church was completed five years later. Of note inside is the side altar adorned by a statue of Madonna with Jesus, an artifact protected during the 30 Years’ War in a house in Nové Město.
Trams #5, 9, or 26: Lipanská. Head west 2 blocks on Seifertova. Confession M-W 8:30-11:30am, Th 8:30-11:30am and 1:30-4:30pm.
ŽIŽKOV TELEVISION TOWER
Mahlerovy sady 1
TOWER
242 418 778 www.tower.cz
From a distance, the Žižkov TV Tower looks like a Soviet launch missile that never left Earth. Like the Dancing House and other strikingly modern structures in Prague, the tower was initially met with great hostility during its construction in the mid-1980s, in part because some feared that the tower would hurt infants living around the area with its radio transmissions. After more than 20 years, however, people have grown to at least accept, if not totally embrace, its unusual architecture. In 2000, controversial Czech artist David Černý cast nine figures of babies—perhaps in reference to that earlier paranoia—and attached them to the tower, where they have been suspended ever since. The tower hosts an overpriced restaurant and three observation decks, allowing for impressive views of the city minus the hassle of walking up hundreds of stairs.
A: Jiřího z Poděbrad. From the Metro, cross diagonally through the park and then take Milešovská toward the enormous tower (duh). Relative level of physical fitness required to reach observation deck. 150Kč, students 120Kč. Observation deck open daily 10am-11:30pm.
JAN ŽIŽKA STATUE AND VITKOV HILL
STATUE, HILL
In June 1420, Hussite general Jan Žižka repulsed an attack from King Sigismund of Germany and Hungary on Vítkov Hill, breaking the siege of Prague. The grateful citizens named the area after their savior, and in 1950, an enormous statue by Bohumil Kafka was erected on the hill to commemorate his great leadership. At more than 30 ft. high, the statue remains the largest equestrian statue in the world. Though you can’t get very close, the statue is still impressive and worth making the trip uphill. Once there, you can join dogwalkers and picnickers in the surrounding park.
Tram #5, 9, or 26: Husinecká. From the Tram #stop, follow Husinecká, then turn left on Jeronýmova and walk up the hill.
Vinohrady
Vinohrady may not contain the most amazing assortment of historical treasures, but its collection of small parks and beautiful grassy squares is unrivaled. Riegrovy sady on the northside of Vinohrady is a set of amazing grassy hills with views of the river—the perfect place for an impromptu picnic. And remember, no open-container laws means your picnic can get as fun as it wants to. For a more romantic setting, try the vine-covered Havlíčkovy sady on Prague 2’s southern end and enjoy a glass from over 100 varieties of wine (33-550Kč) at Vinični Altán, the wine bar at the top of the park (Open dawn to dusk.).
VYŠEHRAD NATIONAL CULTURAL MONUMENT
V Pevnosti 5B
MONUMENT
241 41 03 48 www.praha-vysehrad.cz
Overlooking the beautiful Vltava River, the Vyšehrad monument plays host to scores of Czech couples getting busy on park benches, though Princess Libuše spent her time foreseeing the future glory of Prague. See, back then when you claimed to see crazy things, it made you famous instead of, well, crazy. An English guidebook can be purchased from any of the exhibitions (35Kč), a worthy investment to understand the signifcance of an afternoon spent here. Historical highlights include the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul built by Charles IV in the 14th century and the adjoining graveyard featuring some of the wildest and most provocative headstones you’ll ever come across, as well as the remains of Antonin Dvořak and Alfons Mucha. Check out the Gothic Cellar for an archaeological look at the prehistoric inhabitants of the garrison.
C: Vyšehrad. Park admission free. Vyšehrad Gallery 20Kč. The Brick Gate 20Kč. Casemate including guide 50Kč. Church of St. Peter and St. Paul 30Kč, students 10Kč. Exhibitions open daily Nov-Mar 9:30am-5pm; Apr-Oct 9:30am-6pm. St Peter and St. Paul open Tu-Th 9am-noon and 1-5pm, F 9am-noon.
Holešovice
LEVETSKÉ SADY
PARK
A stroll thro
ugh this enormous, luscious park with unconquerable views of the Vltava river can brighten your entire day. Meander along its densely forested trails, spectate at its organically-constructed Tony Hawk Skater Pro-style impromptu skate park (unless you’re wicked cool and actually join in on the ollies and kick-flips), question the validity of art as you czech out the strange pieces of its sculpture garden, or just get kind of wasted at one of several beer gardens (shots 30Kč). In 1955 the Communists built the largest statue of Stalin ever constructed at the top of the park, but it was torn down in 1962. Now a giant Metronome stands in its place because what says reform like a maintained rhythm? The park also has an array of tennis courts and children’s playgrounds, as well as a sometimes-functioning carousel, the oldest in Europe. For a snack you’ll never forget, stop at the pricey-but-worth-it Restaurant Hanavský Pavilon (Letensky Sady 173, 170 00 Praha 7 23 332 3641 www.anavskypavilon.cz). Over 100 years ago, this Art Nouveau Jubile Exposition pavilion was moved to its current perfect location overlooking the city below. It boasts the best dining atmosphere of the city.