Highlights

Charles Bridge
This magnificent bridge is placed over the Vltava river. Emperor Charles IV ordered its construction in 1357; but it was finished in the 15th C. Resting on 16 arches, the bridge is 516 m long and nearly 10 m wide. Three towers protect the bridge; two of them are located on the New Town side and the third one on the Old Town side. 30 statues in baroque style, erected nearly 1700 on the balustrade, decorate the bridge.

Although this bridge underwent several tragic events –like floods and battles-, it maintains its wonderful splendor. And, undoubtedly, the most astonishing view of Prague is the Charles Bridge lightened at night.

Old Town and New Town
Old Town (Czech: Staré Město) is a quarter in the city of Prague. It constitutes the original place of settlement in Prague. Emperor Charles IV expanded the city by founding the New Town (Nové město) in the 14th C. The Na Příkopě street separated these two parts of the city.

The most remarkable places in the Old Town include the Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), the Astronomical Clock, and the Lesser Quarter (Malá Strana).

The most famous landmark in the New Town is the Wenceslas Square; originally, it was a horse-market but nowadays it serves as trade and tourism center. In the 15th C, first of the three defenestrations of Prague took place in the Nové Město Radnice, or New Town City Hall.

Prague Castle
Prague Castle is one of the biggest castles in the world, being about 570 m long and nearly 130 m wide on average. Throughout its history, this castle has served as the head office of Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of the Czech Republic. Its origin dates back to the 9th C, when the church of Our Lady was built.

From that moment on, this castle has housed churches and convents (St George's Basilica and convent), palaces (Old Royal Palace; Belvedere; Rosenberg Palace), gardens (Riding School Terrace Garden; South gardens), and other remarkable buildings (like defensive towers and residences). These buildings represent almost all the architectural styles. Tourists can visit most areas of the castle. Nowadays, the castle holds several museums and many festivals regularly take place in the courtyard of the Burgrave Palace.

Saint Vitus Cathedral
The full name of this cathedral is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral. It is the cathedral of Prague and serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. It is located in the premises belonging to the Prague Castle and contains the tombs of many Bohemian kings. The current Gothic Cathedral was founded in 1344, when the Prague bishopric became an archbishopric. Along its history, this cathedral was influenced by different architectonic styles, including Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-Gothic features.

Astronomical Clock
The Prague Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj is a medieval astronomical clock placed on the southern wall of Old Town City Hall. It consists of three main components: the “astronomical dial”, which represents the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and features various astronomical details; "The Walk of the Apostles", a clockwork that displays figures of the Apostles and other moving sculptures every hour; and a “calendar dial” with medallions representing the months. It is the most popular tourist attraction.

Malá Strana
This is one of the oldest boroughs in Prague, which is also known as "Lesser Town", "Lesser Quarter", or "Lesser Side". Such name derives from its position on the west bank of the Vltava river, in opposition to the larger towns on the right coastline. Both sides of the river are connected by the Charles Bridge. Like the rest of Prague, this area also houses several magnificent palaces and buildings, where the Temple of Saint Nikolas in Baroque styles highlights. The worldwide famous novelist Jan Neruda was born, lived in and wrote about Malá Strana, an amazing place.

Jewish Town [Josefov]
The Jewish Town [Josefov] is an area of central Prague where the Jewish ghetto was formerly settled. The most remarkable sites of this zone include the Franz Kafka's birthplace; many Synagogues in Baroque style dating from the 16th – 18th C, the Old Jewish Cemetery dating from the 15th-18th C (the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe) and the Old New Synagogue in Gothic style dating from the 13th C. The 16th C Pinkas Synagogue commemorates Holocaust martyrs. Nowadays, Josefov merges into the modern buildings and it is difficult to appreciate its original appearance.