On the banks of the Vltava, at the crossroads of Austria and Hungary, Prague is an important political and cultural centre in Central Europe. As you stroll through this city of a hundred towers, you'll discover vestiges of both the medieval era and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. From the Astronomical Clock to its magnificent castle, Prague boasts an exceptional wealth of architecture.
‘Prague, that rich, gigantic epic poem of architecture’, in the words of Rainer Maria Rilke, is a city that's great to walk around... and run around in!
On the one hand, you can admire Gothic masterpieces such as Charles Bridge and St Vitus Cathedral in Prague. On the other, the city is bursting at the seams with Baroque palaces and churches, contrasting with the many Art Nouveau, Cubist, Modernist and contemporary buildings. This richness has earned the city's historic centre a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
And, at the end of your run or during your visit to Prague, enticed by the smell of pastry in the narrow streets, you might try a Trdelník, the traditional local cake. Made from dough wrapped around a wooden skewer, then grilled over an open fire and covered with sugar and crushed hazelnuts, it has a characteristic cylindrical shape and a strong cinnamon smell.
Staré Město, the old town by the river
Prague's historic city centre stretches along both banks of the Vltava. The Old Town, Staré Město, as opposed to the ‘New Town’, Nové Město, is located on the right bank in a loop of the river. It is now surrounded by boulevards built along the lines of the old fortifications.
Known for its maze of streets and squares and the diversity of its architectural styles, baroque buildings stand side by side with a myriad of churches of ancient origin. Historically, this was the bourgeois and commercial district where the city's historic university was founded in 1348.
During your visit, you won't want to miss its famous astronomical clock, which has stood on the south wall of the town hall since the 15th century. It is said that the clockmaker Hanus, who built it, had his eyes gouged out so that he could never reproduce his masterpiece. It marks the time with a ballet of automatons representing the twelve Apostles.
In the heart of the old town, you will also discover the old Jewish quarter of Josefov, with Staronová, the oldest active synagogue in Europe, and its famous cemetery with its lopsided tombs. Before the Second World War, Prague was home to one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe.
Nové Město, ‘new town’ since 1348
Legend has it that Charles IV, then King of Bohemia and future Emperor of the Romans, was contemplating Prague one day with his court, rejoicing in its beauty. Suddenly, an astrologer told him that Mala Strana, the aristocratic quarter, would be burnt down and that Staré Město would suffer massive flooding. To ensure the town's survival in such an eventuality, the monarch decided to build Nové Město on the land of neighbouring villages.
Today, the ‘new town’ has become a testimony to a rich past. The district was originally built around three central markets: the cattle market, the horse market and the hay market. From the outset, Nové Město was the result of a well-thought-out medieval town-planning concept, with the main thoroughfares that you will follow on your walk or bike ride through Prague. Today, the markets have become Charles Square, Wenceslas Square and Senovazne Square.
The immense Place Charles is lined with a number of must-see buildings. Take a stroll and you'll be able to admire St Ignatius church, Faust's house, the Charitas palace, etc. Wenceslas Square, where the two parts of the city meet, was the scene of many historic events.
Finally, towards Senovážné, you will be dazzled by the flamboyant façade of the Moorish-style Jubilee synagogue.
Malá Strana, city of aristocrats and Baroque pearl
Malá Strana, which means ‘the small side’, is also a district steeped in history. Situated between the Vltava and the Castle and Petřín hills, the area takes its name from the comparison with the neighbouring, larger Old Town, from which it is separated by Charles Bridge.
In the Middle Ages, due to its proximity to the Castle, then the seat of imperial power, it was home to many representatives of the nobility of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as German communities. It was founded for this purpose by King Ottokar II of Bohemia in 1257, when the original inhabitants were expelled.
Now dubbed the ‘pearl of the Baroque’, it offers visitors a real urban spectacle, with a notable Italian influence. Between Renaissance palaces and Rococo buildings, there are also imposing examples of Counter-Reformation architecture, particularly the Church of St Nicholas in Prague.
During your visit, don't forget to stop in front of the ‘House of Two Suns’, the birthplace of Jan Neruda. This Czech realist writer, critic and poet was one of the best-known members of the School of May. And if his name reminds you of a more recent artist, that's normal! The surname Neruda, meaning ‘not of the family’ in Czech, became the pen name of the Chilean poet and writer Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto... better known by his nickname Pablo Neruda.
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