Walking in Prague, Czech Republic

In this second trip report of the press tour organized by the Czech National Tourist Organization, we introduce some of the most popular tourist spots in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. Since we toured a little bit on the spur of the moment, many of the places we visited were only exteriors, not interiors. If I have a chance to visit again, I would like to take a guided tour or listen to a concert in a beautiful hall. Let’s start walking around Prague.

We came to the Old Town Square in the middle of the Old Town. The buildings of various architectural styles around the square are so impressive that it is tempting to grab your smartphone and take a 360-degree video while walking around the square. The most popular attraction in the Old Town Square is the clock tower of the Old Town Hall, where many people gather to watch the clock ticking at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, and so on every hour of the day. I also watched the clock in a very crowded state, but perhaps I was expecting too much, or maybe it was just a bit too much. (laugh). (Laughs) Is this a common sightseeing spot?

The House of the Black Madonna is one of the world’s most precious cubist buildings. Cubism is an innovative art movement in the early 20th century founded by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. Cubist architecture is said to be unique in the Czech Republic. Inside the building, there are cafes, stores, and a museum, and it is all about Cubism.

The black tower to the left of the civic center is called the “Gunpowder Tower,” which is still called this because it was used as a gun powder store in the 17th century. This was the starting point for the coronation parade of Czech kings. From here, the procession entered the Old Town and headed for Prague Castle, the residence of the kings. Feeling like an ancient king, we passed through the tower and entered the Old Town!

This “Civic Center” is a very important building in the history of the Czech Republic, which declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 with the words “The country of Czechoslovakia is born! This is a very important building in the history of the Czech Republic, which declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. Inside, there are restaurants, cafes, and a concert hall, and guided tours (reservations required) are popular, including a visit to the “Mayor’s Room” decorated by Mucha (Mucha in French), a representative Art Nouveau painter.

Prague is a city that developed on both banks of the Vltava River, which flows through the middle of the city. On the east bank of the river is the Old Town, and on the west bank is the so-called “Malá Strana,” or castle town, with Prague Castle perched on a small hill. The most popular tourist course is to walk through the winding alleys of the Old Town, cross the Charles Bridge, and head for the Prague Castle. I took that route this time. I started from the Civic Hall, which is a 3-4 minute walk from THE JULIUS, the hotel where I stayed.

Cross the Charles Bridge to Malá Strana at the foot of Prague Castle

The amazing thing about the city of Prague is that the foundation of its golden age, when it became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire in the 14th century, is still alive and well to this day. At that time, Japan was in the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. This was the era before the emergence of warring feudal lords such as Nobunaga Oda and Masamune Date. Emperor Charles IV, who is also famous in world history, undertook a major renovation of the city of Prague at that time and started the construction of Charles Bridge.

The Old Town Bridge Tower, said to be one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the world, was built in the 14th century along with Charles Bridge. The top of the tower is an observation deck, and I had heard that the view from here is one of the best in Prague, so I was eager to visit it first thing in the morning on the second day. I was worried that it might be crowded when it opened and there might be a line. I was worried that there might be a line at the time of opening, but I was surprised to find no one standing in line. I was the first one to get in at 10:00 a.m., and I was the first one to get out of line.

When I told him I was from Japan, he said, “I’m a musician and my trumpet is made by Yamaha ……! I listened to my chatty brother as we walked up the dark spiral staircase to the ticket booth on the way to the top. I paid 75 Czech koruna for the entrance fee and headed for the observation area further up.

The observation deck has a narrow passageway and is like Rapunzel on the tower, but I really recommend this view spot when you are in Prague. I wondered why I was the only one who didn’t come up to the top of the observation deck. I wondered why no one else came up. Thanks to this, I was able to take my time and enjoy the view in all directions.

Now it is time to cross the Charles Bridge. The 516-meter-long, 10-meter-wide, pedestrian-only Charles Bridge was completed 620 years ago, and I wondered if the kings of the past had passed over its cobblestone pavement. By the way, the Vltava River that flows under the bridge is called “Moldau River” in German. Yes, it is the “Moldau,” the melody of which is familiar to Japanese people.

After crossing the Charles Bridge, we took the streetcar to higher ground and were impressed by the spectacular view of Malá Strana from the Strahov Monastery, finally arriving at the highlight of Prague, Prague Castle. After going through luggage inspection at the Mathias Gate, which is to the left of the main gate, we pass through the second courtyard, and then through a pathway that cuts through more buildings, and suddenly the front of the huge cathedral is right in front of us. This is so powerful that you can’t help but shout.

Prague Castle, which is now also used as the presidential palace, is a long, east-west castle complex consisting of museums, churches, and the former royal palace. The Gothic-style St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest structure and the main attraction. The tombs of successive kings are housed in the basement. Although we only saw the exterior due to time constraints, you can see the stained glass windows and the majestic chapel created by Mucha (Mucha) on the Prague Castle tour.

The distance from the Civic Center to Prague Castle is about 2.6 km. The Prague Castle is on top of a small hill, so it is a bit of a climb, but it is still an easy enough distance to walk. There are many museums, art galleries, gardens, etc. other than the ones I have introduced, so if there are places you really want to visit or facilities you want to see in detail, I recommend that you plan according to your time allocation. Yes, if you take pictures only with your smartphone camera, the battery will run out in no time because of all the scenery that you will see. Don’t forget your mobile battery!

© Source travel watch

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