Auto Kopriva
Old Town
The
heart of the city is the Old Town and its central square. In the
11th
century the settlements around the Castle spread
to the right bank of the Vltava. A market-place in what is now Old
Town Square (Staromestske mentioned for the first time in 1091. Houses
and churches quickly sprang up around the square, determining the
random
network of streets, many of which survive to this day. The area
gained the privileges of a town in the 13th century, and, in 1338,
a Town Hall.
This and other great buildings, such as Clam-Gallas Palace and the
importance of the Old Town.
Half
day tour of Prague last for about 3 or 4 hours according to the client´s
wishes.
During this time it is possible to visit either Hradcany and
Prague castle or the Old Town including the Old Town Square and the Charles
Bridge. For groups that are interested in Jewish history it is possible
to make the excursion into the Jewish museum, Old Jewish Cemetary,
the old surviving synagogues including the oldest Synagogues in Europe
and other objects.
One of the most striking buildings in Prague is the Old Town Hall, established in 1338 after King John of Luxemburg agreed to set up a town council. Over the centuries a number of old houses were knocked together as the Old Town Hall expanded, and it now consists of a row of colourful Gothic and Renaissance buildings, most of which have been carefully restored after heavy damage inflicted by the Nazis in the 1945 Prague Uprising. The tower is 69.5 m (228 ft) high and offers a spectacular view of the city.
Town Hall clock
The town hall acquired its first clock at the beginning of the 15th century. In 1490, when it was rebuilt by a master clockmaker called Hanuš, the councillors are said to have been so anxious to prevent him from recreating his masterpiece elsewhere, that they blinded the poor man. Though it has been repaired many times since, the mechanism of the clock we see today was perfected by Jan Táborský between 1552 and 1572
Municipal House
Prague´s
most prominent Art Nouveau building stands on the site of the former
Royal Court palace, the King´s residence between
1383 and 1485. Abandoned for centuries, what remained was used
as a seminary and later as a military college. It was finally demolished
in the early 1900s to be replaced by the present cultural centre
(1905 11) with its exhibition halls and large auditorium, designed
by Antonín Balšanek assisted by Osvald Polívka.
The exterior is embellished with stucco and allegorical statuary
Estates Theatre
Built by Count Nostitz in 1783, the theatre is one of the finest examples of Neo-Classical elegance in Prague. It is a mecca for Mozart fans. On 29 October 1787, Mozart´s opera, Don Giovanni had its debut here with Mozart at the piano conducting the orchestra. In 1834 a musical comedy called Fidlovačka had its premiere here. One of the songs, Kde domov můj? (Where is my Home?), became the Czech national anthem.
Carolinum
At the core of the university founded by Charles IV in 1348 is the Carolinum. Little of the original building survives, except a fine oriel window, but in 1945 the courtyard was reconstructed in Gothic style. In the 15th and 16th centuries the university played a leading role in the movement to reform the church. After the Battle of the White Mountain, the university was taken over by the Jesuits
Do you have any questions? Do you need our help
or advice? Would you like to arrange a transfer?
for different tours we would make you
an individual calculation
Contact us on phone +420 602 204 123 or via e-mail miroslav.kopriva@post.cz
© Copyright JM 1996 - 2005