No matter why you came to Prague, neglecting to visit its most important sights would be a huge mistake. Prague is one of the oldest and most romantic European cities, and hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the city every year. So, let’s take a look at the sights you can’t afford to miss during your visit!
Prague Castle
Prague Castle towering over the city is a UNESCO site, and rightfully so. According to the Guinness Book of Records it is the largest castle complex in the world, extending over an impressive 70 000m2. In the 9th century it served as the main seat of Czech princes and kings, and since 1918 it has been the seat of the Czech president. Twice over the course of history it even became the main residence of the Holy Roman Emperor! What’s more, part of the castle is also the famous Golden Lane, where you will find picturesque little houses which are very popular among tourists for their fairy-tale like appearance.
The Prague Astronomical Clock
Were you even in Prague if you didn’t see the famous Astronomical Clock?! It is a medieval clock which is probably one of the best preserved in the world. In the past, Prague City Hall considered dismantling it and selling its parts, because it was very run-down, but luckily it ended up being repaired instead. So today you can go to see and admire it, along with other tourists from all over the world. And a bonus interesting fact: you can also find a copy of the clock in Seoul, South Korea!
Vrtba Garden
The Vrtba Garden was named after the Vrtba Palace which it belonged to. It is an Italian-style baroque garden. Its uniqueness lies in the place where it was created, as it rests on a piece of land on a slope in the shape of an arrow. It is also visited because it offers a beautiful view of the entire centre of Prague.
The National Gallery in Prague
At the National Gallery you will find the largest collection of artworks in the Czech Republic. Various art collections are housed here, partly located in depositories and partly in expositions open to the public. You will find here not only works from the Middle Ages to the present, but also various relics from ancient Greece and Rome.
Petřín Lookout Tower
When the members of the Club of Czech Tourists were in Paris at the Exposition Universelle of 1889, they saw the famous Eiffel Tower and decided to create a similar one in Prague. They collected the necessary money, obtained some land from the city, and today we can all take a lovely journey to the Petřín hill and admire the view of Prague the lookout tower offers. An interesting fact is that during World War II Adolf Hitler wanted to have it destroyed, but this fortunately never came to be. If you decide to visit the tower, you will need to climb 299 steps in order to access the 55-metre high lookout point, so be prepared for that! The total height of the lookout tower is 65.5 metres and it weighs an impressive 175 tons.
Wallenstein Palace
The Wallenstein Palace was built between 1623 and 1630 by Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein, one of the most powerful and rich nobles of his time. Today the palace is one of the most important national cultural monuments and serves as the seat of the Czech Senate. Interestingly, the statues in the Wallenstein Garden were stolen by Swedish troops in 1648 and it wasn’t until the years 1912-1918 that faithful copies of the statues were re-installed in the garden. Also worthy of note is the size of the complex, which is 340 metres long and 172 metres wide and consists of the Wallenstein Palace, the Wallenstein Garden and the Wallenstein Riding Hall.
