Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights Above the Castle, near the
Královský Letohrádek Tram Stop
These sights, above Prague Castle, are only worth visiting if you
get off tram #22 at Královský Letohrádek (the Royal Summer
Palace is across the street from this stop, WC at gate).
Royal Summer Palace (Královský Letohrádek)
—his gift of
love is like a Czech Taj Mahal, presented by Emperor Ferdinand
I to his beloved Queen Anne. It's the purest Renaissance building
in town. You can't go inside, but the building's detailed reliefs are
worth a close look. In good Renaissance style, they're based on
classical, rather than Christian, stories. The one depicted here is
Virgil's
Aeneid.
The fountain in front of the palace features the
most elaborate bronze-work in the country. (For a trip to Tibet,
stick your head under the bottom of the fountain. The audio
rainbow you hear is the reason it's called the Singing Fountain.)
• From here, set your sights on the cathedral's lacy, black spires—marking
the castle's entrance—and stroll through the...
Royal Gardens (Královská Zahrada)
—Once the private
grounds and residence (you'll see the building) of the communist
presidents, these were opened to the public with the coming of
freedom under Václav Havel (free, April-Oct daily 10:00-18:00,
closed Nov-March). Walk through these gardens (with fine views
of St. Vitus Cathedral) to the gate, which leads you over the moat
and into Castle Square, the entrance to the vast castle complex.
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Strahov Monastery and Library, near the
Pohořelec Tram Stop
Twin Baroque domes high above the castle mark the Strahov
Monastery. This complex is best reached from the Pohořelec stop
on tram #22 (from the stop, go up the red-railed ramp and through
the gate into the monastery grounds). If you're coming on foot from
the Little Quarter, allow 15 minutes for the uphill hike. After see-
ing the monastery, hike down to the castle (a 5-min walk).
Monastery:
The monastery (Strahovský Klášter Premonstrátů)
had a booming economy of its own in its heyday, with vine-
yards, brewery, and a sizeable beer hall—all still open. Its main
church, dedicated to the Assumption of St. Mary, is an origi-
nally Romanesque structure decorated by the monks in textbook
Baroque (usually closed, but look through the window inside the
front door to see its interior).
Library:
The adjacent library (Strahovská Knihovna) offers a
peek at how enlightened thinkers in the 18th century influenced
learning (80 Kč, daily 9:00-12:00 & 13:00-17:00). Cases in the
library gift shop show off illuminated manuscripts (described in
English). Some are in old Czech, but these are rare. Because the
Enlightenment believed in the universality of knowledge, there
