Lesser Town Sights | Prague Sightseeing
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Called the Baroque Pearl of Prague, it is the most enchanting and romantic part of Prague. The history of Mala Strana, however, dates further back than the Baroque period and most of the Baroque architecture was constructed after a devastating fire in the 16th century, which destroyed the previous structures. Lesser Town or Mala Strana, as locals call it, boasts fairy tale charm that defies time and nourishes the spirit of centuries past. Lesser Town begins with Charles Bridge and clusters between the river, Prague Castle and the surrounding hills. Some of the main attractions include the Church of Our Lady Victorious and Wallenstein Palace with its impressive gardens.
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The Charles Bridge
In 1357 Charles IV commissioned the construction of a bridge that would connect the two Vltava riverbanks and would make Prague an important trading route between the East and the West. According to the royal astronomers, construction of the bridge commenced at the suitable, lucky time of 5:31am on July 9th 1357. In palindromic terms this time can be numerated as a sequence of ascending and descending odd numbers (135797531); these...
St. Nicolas Cathedral
The giant green dome looming over Lesser Town Square belongs to the wondrous St. Nicolas, one of the finest examples of High Baroque architecture in Central Europe, this massive imposing dome and the Catholic church have continued to look over and protect the Lesser Town for centuries. Built by Christoph Dientzenhofer and his son Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer from 1704 to 1755 the architectural style was considered to be radical, hence...
Lesser Town Square
This square has been the hub of Lesser Town for over 10 centuries. Its centerpiece is the grand church of St. Nicholas, which can be seen from both sides of the river. This Baroque masterpiece features an impressive 70m dome with a Holy Trinity fresco painted on it. Construction of the church began in the early 1700s and many distinguished artists of the Baroque period left their mark, particularly in terms of frescoes. Wolfgang Amadeus...
Wallenstein Garden
Located in Mala Strana, or the Lesser Quarter, Wallenstein Garden is a beautiful manicured garden with lush greenery, shaped hedges, a large pond with a islet featuring a marble fountain of Hercules, statues representing heroes from Greek mythology, an aviary, peacocks to feed and even an Italian grotto with artificial stalactites (look for the animals and fantastic creatures hidden in the stalactite wall). The garden is conveniently...
Malostranská Beseda
Situated in the beating heart of Lesser Town is the Malstranská Beseda. What is now a late Renaissance gem dates back to 1478 when it was built as a city hall for Lesser Town. The City Hall functioned as the headquarters for 11 Concilers and the Mayor, plus provided space for the imperial magistrate and clerk to administrate and to judge civil and criminal cases, to make decisions about oprhan placement and other things. Later in...
Vrtba Garden
The UNESCO listed Vrtbovska zahrada or Vrtba Garden, is located in the charming quarter of Mala Strana. Vrtba Garden, designed by Frantisek Maximilian Kanka in 1720, is considered one of the most beautiful Baroque gardens in Central Europe. Although small and intimate, the garden features everything a Baroque garden should; elegant staircases, statues and sculptures (by Matyas Bernard Braun), terraces, colorful flowerbeds incorporated...
The Church of our Lady Victorious
The Church of Our Lady Victorious is a famous pilgrimage site and one of the oldest Baroque buildings in Prague, built for Lutherans in 1613 by Giovanni Maria Filippi and originally named the Church of the Holy Trinity. The Carmelites than were awarded the church after the battle of the White Mountain in 1620, the church was then rebuilt and the result we still see today. In 1628 Polyxena of Lobkovic donated the miraculous Bambino...
Petrin Hill
Overlooking the glorious city of Prague is the equally beautiful Petrin Hill, one of the former vineyards of King Charles IV. This is the place to go and relax under a blooming cherry tree during a clear spring day or smell the fragrant beauties in the lovely rose garden on a lazy summer night, and it is also the perfect place to capture the wonder of Prague via your camera. It is a steep walk up Petrin, so if you wish, you can take...
Memorial to the Victims of Communism
Located at the base of Petrin Hill on Ujezd Street in Mala Strana is this disturbing series of statues dedicated to the victims of the Communist era between 1948-1989. A original total of seven (two were damaged due to a bomb in 2003) male statues appear to be disintegrating and decaying before our very eyes, the first man whole, the next man missing a limb, ripped open, to the last man who has become virtually nothing....
Petrin Tower
Next to the Mirror Maze is the intriguing miniature 60 meters high Eiffel Tower. Built for an exhibition in 1891, the Petrin Tower is the romantic symbol of Petrin Hill. After 229 steps you will reach the top, but it is worth it, for the tower boasts the best views in Prague. On a clear day you can see all the way to the Snezka mountain peak, the highest in the Czech Republic. Children will be wowed by the view!
The Mirror Maze
The location of the Mirror Maze is worth the visit alone, perched atop Petrin Hill, the maze will entertain children, small and big, even adults. The maze is not so big, but it has a hall of distorting mirrors and is located in a small fairy tale like building, it is a miniature remainder of the exhibition grounds from 1891. The miniature castle sits next to the miniature Eiffel Tower; two sights can be seen at once. There is a large...
Kampa Island
Separated from the mainland of Mala Strana by the Certovka (Devil's Canal), leafy Kampa Island is a lovely place to spend your leisure time. The manmade island was the result of the narrow Certovka stream, dug to power water mills (a few of these mills still exist today). The name of the stream is rumored to be named after a nasty spirited woman who resided in a nearby home titled the Seven Devils and who also washed her dirty laundry...
Kampa Museum
An eccentric contemporary collection located on the left riverbank of the Vltava, housed in the old Sova Mill, named after Vaclav Sova, the original owner in the 15th century. It should be noted that this museum is worth a visit especially for the building that has been magnificently renovated after centuries of fires, floods, and damage. On a clear day in Prague one should head to Kampa Museum on Kampa...
Lennon Wall
Hidden among parks, embassies, the canal of the Devil, and picturesque squares, is the Lennon Wall, a small colorful wall with a vivid history as well. The wall is old and already charming as most walls in Mala Strana go, but this one is special as it is full of layers of vibrant graffiti; layers of the past one could say. Most of the bright graffiti is dedicated to John Lennon and lyrics of the Beatles. The wall became a problem...
Czech Museum of Music
Located in Mala Strana and situated in the former Baroque church of St. Mary Magdalene is the Czech Museum of Music. The church was built in the 17th century but was rebuilt in its current style and was used also for a police barracks and archive. The result is a mixture of architecture styles that is pleasant and atmospheric. The grand assembly hall is especially impressive and is a great place to listen to live classical music concerts...
Museum Montanelli
Located in the gorgeous Lesser Town district of Prague and situated on charming Nerudova Street is the privately owned and operated Museum Montanelli. Run by The DrAK Foundation, the museum’s main goal in existing is to administer and present the collections of both the DrAK Foundation and private collections. Shows are composed of monographic exhibitions of artists and group exhibitions. It is interesting to note that viewings...
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