Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Hedonists' Quarter
Malá Strana became something
of a party town for the Viennese
nobility during the 18th century.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
strayed from the straight and
narrow here, as did Casanova - in
his sunset years, the ageing
playboy penned his memoirs at
the palace that is now the British
Embassy. The trend continues
today, with Prague's youth
gathering in the little squares to
play music, smoke and drink.
Malostranské nám∂stí
The hectic traffic that now
detracts from the beauty of Malá
Strana's main square seems
historically fitting - in the past it
has been witness to innumerable
destructive fires, revolutions,
including the 1618 defenestration
(see p11)
, and executions during
the days when a gallows stood
here. St Nicholas's Church and
the adjoining Jesuit college
dominate the centre of the
square, while lovely Neo-
Classical palace arcades and
restaurants line the perimeter.
One of the most important
buildings is the Sm∂movna
palace, once the headquarters of
the National Assembly, and now
home to the Chamber of
Deputies.
d
Map C2
St Nicholas's Church
St Nicholas's Church
Jesuits constructed this
stunning example of Baroque
architecture in the early 18th
century, on the site of a former
Gothic church. It was designed
by the acclaimed Baroque archi-
tects, father and son Christoph
and Kilian Dientzenhofer, while
other prominent artists adorned
the interior with exquisite
carvings, statues and frescoes.
Visitors can see examples of the
interior's painstaking reconstruc-
tion which took place in the
1950s, and enjoy spectacular
views from the clock tower
(see
p39)
.
d
Malostranské nám∂stí • Map
C2 • Open 10am-6pm daily • Adm
Kampa Island
The tiny ≥ertovka
(Devil's Canal) that
separates Kampa
from Malá Strana was
once the town's
“laundry , milling area
and, in the 17th
century, home to a
thriving pottery
industry. A popular
park now covers the
island's southern end
(see p40)
while the
Malostranské nám∂sti
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