Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The square was given its present name in 1848. The pedestal of giant statue of
St. Wenceslas has become a popular platform for speakers. Actually, the square has
thrice been the site of riots and revolutions—in 1848, 1968, and 1989. At the height
of the Velvet Revolution, 250,000 to 300,000 Czechs filled the square during one
demonstration. Take metro line A or B to M
*
stek.
The rapid influx of visitors, the post-Communist wage growth, and a new consumer
economy fueled by the shopping habits of the Czech nouveau riche have resulted in
expensive boutiques and specialty shops popping up like mushrooms in Prague.
For those looking for a piece of Czech handwork, you can find some of the world's
best crystal and glass, often at shockingly low prices. Antiques shops and booksellers
abound, and the selection of classical, trendy, and offbeat art is immense at the numer-
ous private galleries. Throughout the city center you'll find quaint, obscure shops,
some without phones or advertising.
WALKING TOUR
STARÉ MÊ STO (OLD TOWN)
Although this tour is far from exhaustive, it takes you past some of Old Town's most
important buildings and monuments. Go to nám
ê
stí Republiky 5, at the metro sta-
tion. Begin at the:
3
House at the Black Mother of
God (D*m U Cerné Matky bozí)
At Celetná 34, this building is important
for its cubist architectural style. Cubism,
an angular artistic movement, was con-
fined to painting and sculpture in France
and most of Europe. As an architectural
style, cubism is exclusive to Bohemia.
With your back to the House of the Black
Mother of God, cross Celetná into Templová,
walk 2 short blocks, and turn left onto Jakubská.
At the corner, on your right, you'll see:
4
St. James's Church
(Kostel sv. Jakuba)
Prague's second-longest church contains
21 altars. When you enter, look up just
inside the church's front door. The object
dangling from above is the shriveled arm
of a 16th-century thief.
Return to Celetná and continue walking about
90m (295 ft.). On the right, below the towering
spires, is:
5
Church of Our Lady Before
T;n (Kostel paní Marie pred
T;nem-T;nsk; chrám)
This is one of the largest and prettiest of
Prague's many churches. Famous for its
1
Municipal House (Obecní d*m)
From the beginning, this ornate Art Nou-
veau building has been an important
Czech cultural symbol—the document
granting independence to Czechoslovakia
was signed here in 1918. The
Prague
Symphony
performs in Smetana Hall,
the building's most impressive room, with
a gorgeous stained-glass ceiling.
With your back to the Municipal House main
entrance, walk around to your right under the
arch of the:
2
Powder Tower (Prasná brána,
literally Powder Gate)
Once part of Staré M
ê
sto's system of for-
tifications, the Powder Tower was built in
1475 as one of the walled city's major
gateways. The tower marks the beginning
of the
Royal Route,
the traditional path
along which medieval Bohemian mon-
archs paraded on their way to being
crowned in Prague Castle's St. Vitus
Cathedral.
Continue through the arch down Celetná Street
(named after calt,a bread baked here in the
Middle Ages) to the corner of Ovocn; trh, where
you'll find the:
