Travel guide: Prague  

The Powder Tower was built in 1475 in classical gothic style as part of the former city wall between... the Old Town and the New Town at the end of the expensive Na Prikope shopping street. The Royal Court, the monarchy's former place of residence, stood next to it at the time it was constructed. When King Vladislav II moved to the castle, he lost interest in the previously built tower. The tower was then used for storing gunpowder, hence its present-day name. In the spirit of historicism, the master builder of the cathedral, Josef Mocker, transformed the tower back to its gothic glory in 1875. In place of the flat roof, he created today's gable roof following the model of the Old Town Bridge Tower. The stylistically faithful bridge to the Municipal House was not built until the completion of the latter in 1911. After you have climbed the first third of the 186 steps, you can visit an interesting exhibition on the subject of Prague towers. The ascent to the top is rewarded by sweepings views of the New Town and the Old Town. more

This place of pilgrimage behind Prague Castle and opposite the Foreign Ministry was created in two stages.... A replica of Santa Casa built in 1627 stands in the inner courtyard. It was built in imitation of the "Holy House" that once stood in Palestinian Nazareth and in which the Archangel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary about the Immaculate Conception. The walls of the original house were taken to the town of Loreto in Italy in the 13th century, the first of many building copies constructed as places of pilgrimage. Visible from the outside, the baroque complex containing a cloister and the Church of the Lord's Birth was created by the famous architect Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer in 1735. Of particular note is the treasury with its extensive collection of sacral works of art. The main point of attraction for visitors is the valuable Diamond Monstrance which is encrusted with 6,222 diamonds. The carillon consisting of 27 Loreto bells chimes the Marian song "We greet you a thousand times" every hour from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm. more

For decades a gap between the buildings where the bank of the river Vltava meets the Janácek bridge... was a constant reminder of one of the few bombing raids during the Second World War. The neighbouring building was inhabited by the family of ex-president Václav Havel for many decades. It was not until 1996 that a new building was constructed, which by no means blended inconspicuously with the late 19th-century buildings. The building's extremely modern design was the cause of lively and controversial debate. American architect Frank Gehry and his Croatia-born colleague Vlado Milunic built an ultra modern administration building for a Dutch insurance company. The two corner towers are particularly striking; one is wide and straight while the other is made from a swirl of glass and leans against the first one. The pair of towers represent the dancing duo Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, giving rise to the name of "Dancing House". At the top of the towers, an exclusive restaurant attracts visitors with its breathtaking views and exquisite cuisine. more

After the battle of the White Mountain was lost during the Thirty Years' War, the originally Protestant... Church of Our Lady Victorious in Karmelitska (Carmelite street) was transformed into a Catholic church in 1621. Of particular interest in this place of worship is the wax statue of the "Infant Jesus of Prague" located in the right-hand part of the church. The statue was brought from Spain as a wedding gift to Polyxena Lobkowicz. Miracles have been ascribed to this figure, which stands just 50 cm (20 inches) tall. To this day, many citizens of Prague still go to the Infant Jesus and ask for aid when facing difficult trials and tests. The figure wears regular changes of richly embroidered clothes made from fine materials that are sent by grateful donators around the world. Many pilgrims come in particular from Spain and South America and the Mediterranean and take part in the church services which are also held in Spanish, Italian, French and English. There is a lovely small souvenir shop at the back of the church. more

Generalissimo Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Waldstein, who Schiller referred to as Wallenstein, built... an enormous early baroque palace below Prague Castle in 1630. Today, it is considered to be the first monumental baroque secular building in the city. Wallenstein was accused of having high ambitions because of its vast scale. In the end, the Emperor ordered his commander to be assassinated in Eger (Cheb) in 1634. The Italian-style Wallenstein Garden, featuring an artificial cave, a pond, a summer stage, several fountains and an avenue of statues containing copies by Adrien de Vries, is an oasis of tranquillity in the Lesser Town. Many locals consider it to be the city's most beautiful garden. Today, the Senate, the upper chamber of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, has its official seat in the palace. It is possible to visit this at the weekend (free) and in the summer the garden can be visited daily. It can be reached from both the palace and from the Malostranská metro station. more