Prague, the city of a hundred spires: the back story

About Prague, the city of a hundred spires: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Prague Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

The Historic Centre of Prague has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1992: the Old Town, the Lesser Town and the New Town, built between the 11th and 18th centuries, with the Castle above them. UNESCO counts the city’s Gothic of the 14th and 15th centuries, its High Baroque and its modernism after 1900 among the influences on the architecture of Central Europe.

The Castle and the cathedral

Prague Castle crowns Hradčany, with St Vitus Cathedral at its heart. The Castle has a summer visitor season from 1 April to 31 October and a winter season from 1 November to 31 March; hrad.cz publishes the hours and tickets.

The bridge and the Old Town

Charles Bridge, begun in 1357 and finished in 1402, replaced the Judith Bridge that floods had wrecked in 1342; it has been called Charles Bridge since 1870, and its 30 statues of saints were carved between 1683 and 1928, as Prague City Tourism records. On Old Town Square, the Old Town Hall, founded in 1338, keeps its medieval astronomical clock, where the twelve apostles appear every hour from 8am to 11pm; a new lift climbs the tower.

Cross Charles Bridge early in the morning or late in the evening, and climb to the Castle from Malá Strana.

Josefov

The Jewish Museum in Prague cares for the synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery of Josefov; the Old-New Synagogue is still a working synagogue.

Malá Strana and Strahov

Below the Castle, St Nicholas Church fills Malá Strana with its dome; above it, Strahov Monastery, founded in 1140, keeps the Baroque Theological Hall and the Philosophical Hall of its library.

Vyšehrad and the New Town

Vyšehrad, on its rock above the Vltava, has the Rotunda of St Martin, the Church of Sts Peter and Paul and the Slavín cemetery. The New Town, founded by Charles IV in 1348, has Wenceslas Square, 750 metres long, with the National Museum at its top.

Our advice: buy the Prague Visitor Pass from Prague City Tourism if you plan several museums and towers.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Prague, the city of a hundred spires: the back story before you go.