Malá Strana - The Rough Guide to Prague - page 92

JAN NERUDA AND MALÁ STRANA
Nerudova is named after the Czech journalist and writer JanNeruda (1834-91), who was
born at U dvou slunců (The Two Suns), at no. 47, an inn sporting twin Dutch gables at
the top of the street; Neruda later lived for ten years at no. 44, now the classy Hotel Neru-
da . His Tales from Malá Strana ( Povídky malostranské ) immortalized Bohemian life on
Prague's left bank, though he's perhaps best known outside the Czech Republic via the
Chilean Nobel Prize-winner, Pablo Neruda, who took his pen name from the lesser-known
Czech.
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Tržiště
Running (very) roughly parallel to Nerudova - and linked to it by several picturesque side
streets and steps - is Tržiště , which sets off from just south of Malostranské náměstí.
Halfway up on the left is the Schönbornský palác , now the US embassy. The entrance, and
the renowned gardens, are watched over by CCTV and twitchy Czech policemen - a far cry
fromthedilapidatedpalaceinwhichKafkarentedanapartmentinMarch1917,andwherehe
suffered his first bout of the tuberculosis that was to kill him. Don't even think about getting
your camera out here.
Lobkovický palác
Vlašská 19 • Tram #12, #20 or #22 to Malostranské náměstí
Since its construction in 1702 by Count Přehořovský z Kvasejovic, the refined Lobkovický
palác (not to be confused with the palace of the same name in Hradčany) has served many
purposes including Czech Education Ministry, Masaryk Academy and Chinese embassy - its
latest tenant is the German embassy. The best views are from the rear - you'll have to ap-
proach it from Petřín . The gardens are not open to the public, but you should be able to see
David Černý's 1991 sculpture Quo Vadis? , a gold Trabant on legs, erected in memory of the
fleeing East Germans .