Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
What to see
Withapopulationofjustoneandaquartermillion,Prague(PrahatotheCzechs)isrelatively
small as capital cities go. It originally developed as four separate self-governing towns and a
Jewish ghetto, whose individual identities and medieval street plans have been preserved, to
a greater or lesser extent, to this day. Almost everything of any historical interest lies with-
in these compact central districts, the majority of which are easy to explore quickly on foot.
OnlyinthelasthundredyearshasPraguespreadbeyonditsancientperimeter,anditssuburbs
now stretch across the hills for miles on every side.
Prague is divided into two unequal halves by the
River Vltava
. The steeply inclined left
bank is dominated by the castle district of
Hradčany
, which contains the city's most obvi-
ous sight: Pražský hrad or
Prague Castle
(known simply as the Hrad in Czech), home to
the city's cathedral, and the old royal palace and gardens, as well as a host of museums and
galleries. Squeezed between the castle hill and the river are the picturesque Baroque palaces
and houses of
Malá Strana
- a neighbourhood of twisting cobbled lanes and secret walled
gardens - home to the Czech parliament and some of the city's embassies, and dominated by
the green dome and tower of the
church ofsvMikuláš
. At the southern end of Malá Strana,
a funicular railway carries you away from the cramped streets to the top of
Petřín
hill, the
city's most central leafy escape, with a wonderful view across the river and historical centre.
The city's labyrinth of twisting streets is at its most bamboozling in the original medieval
hub of the city,
Staré Město
- literally, the “Old Town” - on the right bank of the Vltava.
Karlůvmost,or
CharlesBridge
,itsmainlinkwiththeoppositebank,iseasilythemostpop-
ularhistoricalmonument,andthebestplacefromwhichtoviewPragueCastle.StaréMěsto's
other great showpiece is its main square,
Staroměstskénaměstí(OldTownSquare)
, where
you can view Prague's famous astronomical clock and its lively hourly show. Enclosed with-
