Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
artists and artisans line the
steps, selling everything from
watercolour prints to polished
stones. Below the steps are
terraced gardens.
d
Map D2
A Day in Hrad
≤
any
Morning
Start your day with a brisk
climb up the
New Castle
Steps
, and time your
ascent to hear the 10am
Castle Guard brass quartet.
Leaving the castle behind
you, walk west through
Hrad≤anské nám∂stí
. As
you pass the Schwarzen-
berg Palace, check to see
if the reinstallation of the
Military History Museum
is complete - if so, take a
look at the exhibitions of
weapons and uniforms
(Hrad≤anské nám∂stí 2
• Map B2 • 220 202020
• Open daily • Adm)
.
Hrad≤anské nám∂stí
Many visitors enter this
square backwards, trying to fit
St Vitus's spires in their view-
finders. Tear your eyes away
from the castle's western face
and you'll see, among other
Renaissance buildings, the
colourful Archbishop's Palace and
the grim Schwarzenberg Palace
across the way. In the green
centre is a plague column from
1726; opposite the castle is the
Toskánsk† Palace, now the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
d
Map B2
Now walk up Loretánská
to Loretánské nám∂stí,
where you'll find the vast
≥ernín Palace staring
down at the lovely
Loreto
(see pp20-21)
. Explore the
latter and its odd gallery of
saints before lunch next
door at
Restaurant U
Lorety
(see p97)
.
Radnické schody
The Courthouse Steps lead
from Hrad≤any's former mayoral
residence, now the hotel Zlatá
Hv∂zda, to the old courthouse at
Loretánská 1. At the bottom are
two statues, St John of
Nepomuk on the left and what
appears to be St Joseph in
Renaissance garb on the right.
There are more steps than is
immediately apparent, making
the pub halfway up a convenient
stop-off point.
d
Map B2
Afternoon
Exit Loretánské nám∂stí
past the Capuchin
monastery and follow
≥ernínská downhill,
pausing on
Nov† Sv∂t
.
Coo over the street's
piebald houses and follow
Kanovnická back to
Hrad≤anské nám∂stí.
The rest of the afternoon
will be taken up with a
tour of the unmissable
Prague Castle
(see
pp8-11),
St Vitus's
Cathedral
(see pp12-13)
,
and the myriad of other
attractions in the castle
complex.
To end the day, find your
way back to Loretánské
nám∂stí 1 and the famed
pub
U ≥erného vola
(see
p96)
for a pickled sausage
and a glass of beer.
Hrad≤anské nám∂stí
Following pages:
View of Prague and the Vltava from Hrad≤any
93
