ROMANCE ARCHITECTURE Important Information from the Net Prague is home to buildings that carry man across time. Czech Tourist Authority The symbol of the Czech www.czechtourism.com state, Prague Castle, reaches back deep into the country- Prague Information Service ’s history. The castle com- www.prague-info.cz plex features a mixture of a Public Transport in Prague Romanesque basilica, a Got- www.dp-praha.cz hic cathedral, and a Baro- in the Czech Republic que palace, in addition to www.idos.cz modern representative Czech Airlines interiors from the 20th cen- www.czech-airlines.com tury. The medieval Charles Brid- ge joins the king’s Castle Prague Castle Gardens with the residential area, Old Town. Floods, wars, even fires have taken not- The Vltava River is a place for Official tourist information centres hing from these sites. The are marked with a small letter „i“. romantic relaxation. You cobblestones that pave the don’t believe it? Then go visit roads on which Prague citi- the islands in the Vltava and zens walk have lasted ages. rent a small paddle boat and In the Malá Strana area, Old Town Square let the river carry you away. just below the Castle, lies a Tourist boats will pass you as Baroque town with dozens of awe-inspiring palaces, impressive Prague’s historic bridges file churches, and picturesque, little streets. On the other side of the by. From the water you can river sits the well-preserved Gothic Old Town with the sharp lines look in amazement at the of its town hall and church spires and its silent little squares. medieval quarters on both banks of the river. In the middle of the pulsing Areal view of St. Vitus Cathedral city, on Kampa Island, you Prague Underground can sit down in the grass or at a garden restaurant betwe- Funicular to Petfiín en renaissance palaces. Ledeburg Gardens Historic Streetcar / Tram Published by SENS, s.r.o. on behalf of the Czech Tourist Authority Text: Jakub Turek Graphic Design: Radek Bake‰ Photography: Bake‰, DrahoÀovsk˘, Dvofiák, Hasman, Hurin, Pohribn˘, ·techa Translation: Brady Clough © 2003 METROPOLIS MUSIC MYSTERY Wenceslas Square – National Museum Prague Baroque Municipal House People travel to Prague to explore, âertovka Stream for the culture, for tourism … and – Kampa Island to shop. It’s pleasant to learn that Castle Steps brand name goods are somewhat Prague is above all else a city of secrets cheaper here than in many other Every minute of every hour of every day: and mysteries. Each street in the Old West European cities. Dozens of Town has its ghosts. Around midnight a a city to explore large shopping centres are open headless knight allegedly rides on his The hundred-spired mother of all cities, Prague. A city that never 24 hours; others close as late as a People tend to describe musical inter- horse in one street. Somewhere else a ceases to amaze. The regular guest, the summer tourist or even couple of hours after midnight. ests in the Czech Republic by exclaim- fiery man moves about and a woman in the local native – they all find something new and pleasing here Prague’s historic centre includes ing a phrase known all over Europe: Bertramka Villa white walks along the walls of the castle every day. Medieval palaces, a bustling commercial area, or a occasional and daily open-air mar- „If he’s Czech, he’s a musician.“ fortifications in the light of a full moon. quiet pub. Prague is a city of European culture. You won’t find as kets with artwork, wooden toys The most prized music in Prague is classical music, which is play- Author, genius of secrets of the many architectural monuments, galleries, concerts, nature pre- and souvenirs. Cut glass, painted ed in concert halls adapted to project the sound of symphony modern world, and analyst of its rela- serves, or as much entertainment and relaxation in one small porcelain, and precious stones inc- orchestras. The historic Rudolfinum, the Art-Nouveau gem, Obec- tions and mechanisms, Franz Kafka, space anywhere else on earth. luding Czech garnets remain quali- ní dÛm (Municipal House), and the modern Prague Congress Cent- lived in this environment. The hard- ty, time-tested, typical Czech re host the best artists each year. Music fans from all over the working office employee absorbed the Many-spired Prague goods. world flock to the Prague Spring Festival. Czech, German, and Jewish soul of the Old Town Flora Shopping Centre Artists such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonín Dvofiák and city. His home was built literally on the Wenceslas Square Bedfiich Smetana lived, composed and directed their most border between two Prague quarters Prague in Winter famous works in Prague. called the Jewish Town and Old Town. National Theatre Today a small square named after the famous author and the Franz Kafka Centre occupy this site. The Centre houses Kafka’s written works and the story of his life. Old Town Astrological Clock.