DESTINATION:
Prague
Perhaps the most beautiful city of Central Europe, the capital of Bohemia boasts an astonishingly rich cultural history and a wealth of magnificent art and architecture. The city nestles on the banks of the River Vltava, its high hills topped by castles and with numerous church spires reaching skywards. During its long history, Prague has experienced two golden ages of art and architecture; a Gothic period under Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, and a baroque period during the Habsburg Counter Reformation.
Due to its geographical position Prague can be combined with Dresden (separate entry), Vienna (separate entry), Brno in Moravia or Bratislava in Slovakia.
KEY VISITS (Recommended)
- OLD TOWN SQUARE – the most significant square of historic Prague dating from the 12th century. A walking tour will include the Gothic Old Town Hall with its famous 15th century astronomical clock, the Rococo Goltz-Kinsky Palace, the 14th century palace known as Stone Bell House, and the Baroque St Nicholas Church.
- TYN CHURCH – the majestic 14th century church of Our Lady before Tyn is characterised by its soaring twin towers and dominates one side of the Old Town Square.
- CONVENT OF ST AGNES – dating from the 13th century, it is the oldest surviving Gothic building in Prague. Home to part of the National Gallery collection, the Convent displays some magnificent medieval and early Renaissance artwork from Bohemia and Central Europe.
- WENCESLAS SQUARE – is the largest square in Prague and one of the main squares in the New Town, which is the modern part of the city and was created at the turn of the century when whole streets were demolished and rebuilt.
- MUNICIPAL HOUSE – built in 1912 on the site of the former Royal Court Palace, it is Prague’s most prominent Art Nouveau building. The interior, which has recently been restored, is decorated with works by leading Czech artists of the first decade of the century, including Alphonse Mucha who painted allegories of civic virtues.
- CHARLES BRIDGE – connecting the Old Town with the Little Quarter, it is arguably the finest medieval bridge in Europe.
- ST NICOLAS CHURCH – one of central Europe’s finest Baroque buildings. The ceiling fresco was painted in 1770 by Johann Kracker to portray the life of St Nicholas, and is the largest fresco in Europe.
- PRAGUE CASTLE – a vast complex of defensive, religious and residential buildings, their architectural variety reflecting more than 1100 years of occupation and development.
- ST VITUS CATHEDRAL – dates from the 14th century and is the spiritual symbol of the Czech Republic. A glorious building that is mainly Gothic in appearance, it has among its many treasures the Chapel of St Wenceslas, decorated with fine frescoes and hundreds of semi-precious stones.
- OLD ROYAL PALACE – built in 1135 it served as the principal king’s palace from the 13th to the 16th centuries. Of particular interest is the Vladislav Hall (1487-1500), one of the best examples of late-Gothic architecture in Prague. The hall was used for banquets, councils and coronations, and even for jousting during bad weather,
- BASILICA OF ST GEORGE – the oldest of the Castle’s churches, it was founded in 920 and rebuilt in the 12th century. The Basilica’s Romanesque architecture is the finest surviving example in Bohemia, and the Baroque façade was added in the 17th century.
- GOLDEN LANE – a charming stretch of small houses built within the Gothic fortifications. From the 16th century it was home to the Castle’s riflemen and craftsmen.
- LOBKOWICZ PALACE – is the only remaining privately owned building which sits within the Prague Castle complex. The Baroque Palace houses a significant art collection amassed by the Lobkowicz family over seven centuries including works by Breugel, Canaletto, Cranach, Rubens and Veronese.
- STERNBERG PALACE – houses the National Gallery’s collection of European art from ancient Greece and Rome up to the 18th century and includes works by Goya and Rembrandt.
- PRIVATE RIVER CRUISE – a leisurely cruise along the river with lunch (approximately 2 hours).
ALTERNATIVE VISITS
- STRAHOV MONASTERY – founded in the 12th century, it has been rebuilt and renovated several times since. A private visit will include the magnificent library, which comprises one of the oldest monastic collections in the country, the Baroque Theological Hall, which contains 18,000 religious texts, and the Philosophical Hall, which is decorated with frescoes and holds over 42,000 ancient philosophical texts.
- TROJA PALACE – one of the most striking summer palaces of the city, Troja was built in the late 17th century for Count Sternberg, a member of a leading Bohemian aristocratic family. The exterior of the palace was modelled on a Classical Italian Villa, while the gardens were laid out in a formal French style. The Palace has been restored in recent years and houses a small collection of 19th century art.
- KUTNÁ HORA – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town’s affluence is inextricably linked to the mining of silver ore and from the 14th century the silver mines assured a protracted period of prosperity elevating the town to the second most important in all of Bohemia after Prague. Visits here will include the Church of St Barbara and the Italian Court.
- SEDLEC OSSUARY – also known as the ‘Bone Chapel’, as it artistically displays more than 40,000 bleached human bones, created in the 1870s by the wood carver, Frantisek Rint, to include an immense chandelier comprising at least one of every bone in the human body.
FURTHER AFIELD
- KUTNÁ HORA – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town’s affluence is inextricably linked to the mining of silver ore and from the 14th century the silver mines assured a protracted period of prosperity elevating the town to the second most important in all of Bohemia after Prague. Visits here will include the Church of St Barbara and the Italian Court.
- SEDLEC OSSUARY – also known as the ‘Bone Chapel’, as it artistically displays more than 40,000 bleached human bones, created in the 1870s by the wood carver, Frantisek Rint, to include an immense chandelier comprising at least one of every bone in the human body.