The restored Maisel Synagogue is a 16th-century temple, part of the multi-site Jewish Museum - and it's also Prague's most popular museum. The exhibits were collected during World War II as the occupying Nazis pillaged each and every Czech Jewish community and stockpiled the booty in Prague, where a small Jewish Museum had existed since 1906. The synagogue now houses the first part of an exhibition called "History of the Jews in Bohemia and Moravia" covering the period from the 10th Century to the 18th Century. Displays include silver Torah shields, pointers, fine tapestry, Torah curtains, documents, books and items from the ordinary everyday life of the city's Jews. Many of the finest objects date back to the relatively prosperous 16th Century, when several of the richest synagogues in the Jewish quarter were built. For a more contemporary view of Jewish history, be sure to visit the Spanish Synagogue.
Las paredes del Castillo de Praga constituyen 70000 metros cuadrados, lo que lo convierten en el castillo antiguo más grande del mundo. Forjado a lo largo de 13 siglos, los orígenes del castillo se remontan al año 870 DC, cuando se construyó la Iglesia de la Virgen María. El edificio fue la antigua residencia de los reyes de Bohemia, emperadores romanos y presidentes de Checoslovaquia, por lo que esta residencia real se encuentra repleta de tesoros históricos, maravillas hechas a mano y reliquias artísticas. Cuenta con una variedad de estilos arquitectónicos que denotan su antigüedad, y es una escena digna de recordar, una crónica visual del paso del tiempo y las tendencias que aún prevalecen de cada era. La Catedral de San Vito, donde se pueden apreciar hermosas ventanas de vidrio y la tumba de San Juan Nepomuceno.
En el centro de los terrenos del Castillo, la catedral gótica destaca en el horizonte de Praga y es una de las imágenes más vistas de la ciudad y sus centros turísticos. La catedral alberga algunos valiosos monumentos, incluyendo la cripta real, donde descansan los restos de la realeza checa, la capilla de San Wenceslao, y las joyas de la corona en exhibición. La primera parte de la construcción fue levantada en 1344, por la iniciativa de Carlos IV (1316-1378) en el lugar donde había una antigua rotonda del siglo X, dedicada a San Vito, pero fue recién en 1929 cuando la catedral fue completamente terminada. Aunque la entrada a la catedral es gratuita, ingresar a la cripta y otras actividades tienen costo de admisión.
El castillo Vyšehrad está ubicado en la margen derecho del río Moldava, en Praga. Esta magnífica fortaleza fue levantada a mediados del siglo X, y fue la sede más antigua de la nobleza checa. Carlos IV construyó el sistema de muros que conectaban Vyšehrad con Nove Mesto, pero con los años, la mayor parte fue gradualmente destruida. Los visitantes pueden pasear alrededor de las murallas, disfrutando de la excelente vista del río Moldava. Dentro del lugar, se puede visitar la Basílica de San Pedro y San Pablo, de estilo neogótico, donde además se encuentra la legendaria columna del demonio. El cementerio de la basílica es donde yacen los restos del famoso genio de la música, Antonin Dvorak. También pertenece a estas premisas la rotonda más antigua de Praga, repleta de estatuas de granito. Este es un lugar muy famoso entre quienes quieren hacer turismo fotográfico, y también un impresionante monumento histórico.
El Puente de Carlos, originalmente llamado Kamenný most o simplemente Puente de Piedra, fue construido durante un periodo de varios años, entre 1357 y 1402. El Puente atraviesa el río Moldava y conecta el Castillo de Praga y Malá Strana, o el Pequeño Distrito de Praga con Staré Město o la Ciudad Vieja de Praga. Consta de tres torres y 16 arcos, y mide 520 metros de largo y tiene estatuas barrocas de santos y figuras sagradas del siglo XVII. Tanto al amanecer como al atardecer, el Puente tiene una calidez de luz excepcional, ideal para tomar la fotografía perfecta.
Es el más esplendoroso edificio barroco en Praga, su construcción se terminó en 1756 y presenta una cúpula predominante con campanario, también tiene una de las pinturas más grandes de Europa de San Nicolás en distintos disfraces. En una visita a Praga, Mozart tocó en el organo de la iglesia y actualmente se realizan frecuentes recitales con su música.
A famous landmark of the country, Dolní Počernice Château is a beautiful historic mansion that was constructed in the medieval era and now lies near a small park. There is a Romanesque chapel near the mansion as well. Originally constructed as a fortification in the 15th Century CE, the castle changed ownership many times. It was restored and rebuilt over the years by the subsequent occupants and has elements of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Today, the chateau consists of both the 16th Century structure and a newer 19th Century addition while the castle garden retains its Baroque features.
Kinskeho Zahrada, also known as the Kinsky garden, is a 22 hectare (29.6 acre) garden in Prague. Earlier the location was a forest, after which it was turned into a vineyard in the Middle Ages, post which it was transformed into an English style garden. Apart from the beautiful natural sights, the garden also has other attractions such as St. Michael, a Greek-Catholic church, a Statue of Hercules in the lower pond, along with a museum exhibition.
Established by František Müller in 1930, the Villa Müller is a historic mansion which was designed by Adolf Loos. It served as the Müller residence till 1948 when the communists usurped the building. In 1968, parts of the structure were sold to the Museum of Apllied Arts. In 1989 CE, after the end of communism, the house was returned to Eva Maternová, the daughter of the Müllers. Today, it functions as a museum and is of special interest to students of architecture as it is an iconic example of the early Modernist style.
The restored Maisel Synagogue is a 16th-century temple, part of the multi-site Jewish Museum - and it's also Prague's most popular museum. The exhibits were collected during World War II as the occupying Nazis pillaged each and every Czech Jewish community and stockpiled the booty in Prague, where a small Jewish Museum had existed since 1906. The synagogue now houses the first part of an exhibition called "History of the Jews in Bohemia and Moravia" covering the period from the 10th Century to the 18th Century. Displays include silver Torah shields, pointers, fine tapestry, Torah curtains, documents, books and items from the ordinary everyday life of the city's Jews. Many of the finest objects date back to the relatively prosperous 16th Century, when several of the richest synagogues in the Jewish quarter were built. For a more contemporary view of Jewish history, be sure to visit the Spanish Synagogue.
The oldest and most important square in Prague, Old Town Square was originally a marketplace where merchants from all over Europe gathered. The square has witnessed many events of historical importance including the installation of the new city council in 1784 after the five districts of Prague were united. It was also the epicenter of the Prague Uprising in May 1945. The Hus Monument (1915) stands in the square's center. The monument is surrounded by a baroque mantle of some of the city's finest buildings (all of great historic and architectural interest) colored in pastel hues. Nowadays, the square is closed to traffic and serves as the setting for many outdoor restaurants, bars and cafes as well as for stalls selling traditional Czech arts and crafts.
Founded in 993 by Saint Adalbert, this weathered monastery sits in a quiet, forested area on the edge of town, and is also the oldest in Bohemia. Today, it is still inhabited by monks and they brew beer here, just like they did hundreds of years ago. Just below the monastery are remnants of the original church, which during Communist times was a holding ground for suspicious-looking foreigners detained by the Ministry of Interior. A good way off the beaten tourist trail, the monastery is a beautiful historic gem.