International Conductors

James Litton
U.S.A.

Diane Loomer
Canada

Robert Sund
Sweden

Jaroslav Krček
Czech Republic

 

2^nd International Boys and Men's Choral Festival
ABOUT PRAGUE
 

Prague is filled with beauty and can be enjoyed and explored for days, months, or a lifetime. The average visitor will only have a few days to discover its many faces, so let's not get carried away...

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

Records indicate that Prague Castle is the largest castle area in the world. Its three courtyards and a number of magnificent buildings cover over 7 hectares (18 acres), so be prepared to see a lot and do some walking. Depending on the time you have and your interests, you can decide which interiors to visit.

History

The Prague Castle (Pražský hrad) was founded around 880 by prince Bořivoj of the Premyslid dynasty. The first stone building in the castle area was the Church of the Virgin Mary of which only remnants can be seen today. In the 10th century, St. George's Basilica was founded and the first Czech convent was established there - St. George's Convent, which now houses a gallery. St. Vitus Rotunda, also from the 10th century, was replaced by St. Vitus Basilica in the 11th century, and it is where St. Vitus Cathedral stands today.

Starting in the 10th century, the Prague Castle served as the seat of Czech princes and later kings, and the seat of the Prague bishop.

The Prague Castle experienced one of its greatest periods during the reign of Charles IV (1346-1378) when it became the seat of the Holy Roman Emperor. The Royal Palace was rebuilt, the fortifications were strengthened, and the construction of St. Vitus Cathedral was initiated, following the style of Gothic French cathedrals of the time.

The expansion of the Castle continued during the reign of Charles' son Wenceslas IV, but the Hussite wars (1419 - 1437) and the subsequent decades during which the Castle was abandoned lead to its deterioration.

King Wladislaw Jagellon moved into the Castle after 1483 and the complex grew once again. New fortifications and guard towers (the Powder Tower, New White Tower, and Daliborka) were built. The Royal Palace was further remodeled and expanded by the grandiose Wladislaw Hall, one of the first demonstrations of the Renaissance style in the Czech lands.

By the time the Hapsburg dynasty took over the Czech throne in 1526, the Renaissance style was in full swing in Europe. The seat of power moved to Vienna and the Prague Castle served mainly for recreational purposes. The Royal Garden was built and entertainment sites such as the Belvedere and Ballgame Hall were added in the 16th century. The Cathedral and Royal Palace were modified. New residential buildings were built to the west of the Old Royal Palace.

The reconstruction of the Castle culminated during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II who became Czech king in 1575 and moved his court back to Prague. He wished to turn the Castle into an elegant center of power that would attract foreign artists, scientists and diplomats. The north wing of the Palace and the Spanish Hall were added to house the emperor's vast collections of art and science.

The Prague Defenestration of 1618 initiated a long period of wars during which the Prague Castle was damaged and looted, rarely serving as the seat of power.

The last large reconstruction of the Castle took place in the second half of the 18th century when it took on a style of a chateau. However, the seat of power was again in Vienna and the Castle continued to deteriorate.

In 1848, emperor Ferdinand V moved to the Prague Castle. The Chapel of the Holy Cross on the Second Courtyard was rebuilt and the Spanish Hall and Rudolf's Gallery were remodeled.

With the fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1918, the Prague Castle welcomed the first president of independent Czechoslovakia, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. Some needed remodeling was commissioned to the Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik. The construction of St. Vitus Cathedral was finished in 1929.

After 1989, many areas of the Castle were made accessible to the public for the first time in history, including the Royal Garden, Ballgame Hall, the south gardens, or the Imperial Stables. Today, the Prague Castle is the seat of the Czech president and the most important National Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic. A number of priceless art relics, historical documents, as well as the Czech Crown Jewels are stored there.

Getting There

To get to the Prague Castle, you can either walk or take the tram. If you would like to walk, you have several options:

Nerudova street - walk up the picturesque (and quite steep) Nerudova street from Malostranské náměstí and at the top take a sharp right onto Ke Hradu. You will end up in front of the main entrance to the Castle.

Castle Stairs (Zámecké schody) - start up Nerudova from Malostranské náměstí and take a quick right onto Zámecká street. Then turn left to climb the romantic Castle Stairs, which will take you to the Garden on the Ramparts (Zahrada na Valech).

Old Castle Stairs (Staré zámecké schody) - the stairs start near the Malostranská metro station and will put you at the beginning of Jiřská street. You will be rewarded with one of the most beautiful views of Prague.

Taking the tram will save you a walk uphill or up the stairs, and the ride is quite scenic. Take tram 22 or 23 (e.g. from Národní třída or the Malostranská metro station) and get off at one of these stops:

Královský letohrádek - if you get off here, you can start with the Royal Garden, Belveder and Ballgame Hall, then cross the Deer Moat bridge to get to the Second Courtyard
Note: The Royal Garden and Deer Moat are closed from November through March

Pražský hrad - get off here if you would like to start at the Second Courtyard

Pohořelec - getting off here will enable you to walk to the Castle through Hradčany and arrive at the main entrance. Probably the nicest route.

A good way to go is to take the tram up to the Castle and walk back down when you're done.

Opening Hours (Summer season)

Exteriors: Daily 5 a.m. - midnight
Interiors: Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Powder Tower, Golden Lane, Daliborka Tower)
Prague Castle gardens and Deer Moat: Daily 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Admission

Tickets can be purchased at the ticket counters or at the Prague Castle Information Center on the Third Courtyard (open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m./4 p.m. in winter). Each ticket is valid for one day and does not include the entrance to permanent expositions (Prague Castle Picture Gallery, St. George's Convent, Lobkowitz Palace, Toy Museum) and exhibitions.

Note: The prices below are valid as of January 2005 and are subject to change. Reduced admission refers to children aged 6-16, students, members of the army, handicapped persons, Czech senior citizens, gallery and museum employees.

Route A: St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Powder Tower, Golden Lane & Daliborka Tower
Full: 350 Kč
Reduced: 175 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 520 Kč
Free: children under 6

Route B: St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane & Daliborka Tower
Full: 220 Kč
Reduced: 110 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 330 Kč
Free: children under 6

Route C: Golden Lane & Daliborka Tower
Full: 50 Kč
Reduced: ---
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 100 Kč
Free: children under 6

Route D: St. George's Basilica
Full: 50 Kč
Reduced: 25 Kč
Family (2 adults and at least 1 child): 100 Kč
Free: children under 6

Charles Bridge (Karlův most)

Charles Bridge is a stone Gothic bridge that connects the Old Town and Malá Strana. It was actually called the Stone Bridge (Kamenný most) during the first several centuries. Its construction was commissioned by Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and began in 1357. In charge of the construction was architect Petr Parléř whose other works include the St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle. It is said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to strengthen the construction of the bridge.

Charles Bridge is one of the many monuments that were built during Charles' reign but it is not the first bridge that ever connected the Prague banks of the Vltava. Another bridge used to stand in its place - the Judith Bridge, which was the first stone bridge over the river. It was built in 1172 and collapsed in a flood in 1342.

Unlike its predecessor, Charles Bridge has survived many floods, most recently in August 2002 when the country experienced the worst flood in the past 500 years - so the egg yolks must not have been such a bad idea...

There are towers standing on each end of the bridge. Both the Staroměstská věž on the Old Town end and the Malostranská věž on the Malá Strana end can be climbed for a view of Prague and the bridge from above.

Baroque statues (a total of 30) began to be placed on either side of Charles Bridge in the 17th century. Now many of them are copies and the originals can be seen in the Lapidarium. The most popular statue is probably the one of St. John of Nepomuk, a Czech martyr saint who was executed during the reign of Wenceslas IV by being thrown into the Vltava from the bridge. The plaque on the statue has been polished to a shine by countless people having touched it over the centuries. Touching the statue is supposed to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague.

Charles Bridge is on the top of every Prague visitor's must-see list. It is also popular with Czech artists, musicians and souvenir vendors whose stands line both sides of the bridge year-round. A great time of day to come to the bridge is at sunset when one can enjoy a breathtaking view of the fully lit Prague Castle against the evening sky. The bridge is now a pedestrian zone (although both tram and car traffic were allowed there in the past) and is almost constantly filled with people. If you want to have it all to yourself, get there very late at night or very early in the morning.

National Museum (Národní muzeum)

The National Museum dominates the top of Wenceslas Square. It was opened in 1890, at the peak of the Czech National Revival movement, as a grand representation of Czech history and nationalism. Severe damage was caused to the front facade, pillars and statues when the building came under fire from the occupying Soviets in 1968. The museum houses exhibits on the prehistory of Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia, collections of rocks and minerals, and vast paleontology, zoology, and anthropology displays. To get there, take metro A or C or tram 11 to Muzeum. For hours and admission, go to Prague Museums.

State Opera (Státní opera)

Just a block from the National Museum, the beautiful building of the State Opera finds itself lost and somehow invisible at its unfortunate location on the ever-busy Wilsonova thoroughfare and in the shadow of the Communist-built eyesore of the former Parliament building. The Opera was built by German architects and opened in 1888 as the Neues Deutsches Theater.

Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí)

Wenceslas Square was established as the Horse Market (Koňský trh) by Charles IV in 1348 and received its present name during the Czech National Revival in 1848. The square holds great historical significance as the center of gatherings, demonstrations and important events of Czech history since the Middle Ages. Some of the events that took place there were the declaration of the First Czechoslovak Republic in 1918, protests against the Soviet invasion in 1968, and the fall of Communism in 1989.

Václavské náměstí (abbreviated as "Václavák" by the locals) is not your typical town square. The wide, sloping boulevard is some 700 meters (0.4 mile) long and 60 meters wide - a size almost unheard of at the time it was built. It is now a busy array of stores, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and casinos. During the day, the square is bustling with locals, tourists and traffic (watch out for pickpockets!). At night, it becomes the center of entertainment as people stream into the many nightclubs, discos, and movie theatres that line both sides of the square.

The equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas at the top of the square was created by Josef Václav Myslbek and placed there in 1912. It is the locals' most popular meeting spot - "at the horse" (u koně) or "under the tail" (pod ocasem). The statue is a historically important monument. A plaque nearby is dedicated to the victims of Communism.

The buildings around the upper part of the square are interconnected with a system of passages, the most famous of them being the Lucerna (Lantern) Passage. It was built in 1907-1921 and one of the architects was the grandfather of former president Václav Havel. The large passage connects Vodičkova and Štěpánská streets and houses numerous stores and restaurants, a movie theatre, music bar, and a prestigious concert hall - the Grand Lucerna Hall.

Jindřišská Tower (Jindřišská věž)

The Jindřišská Tower (Jindřišská věž) near Wenceslas Square in Prague looks like any other tower. Its location on the busy Jindřišská Street makes it somehow inconspicuous, so you probably wouldn't even think of including it in your list of sights.

The Jindřišská Tower is unique because a new tower was built inside the shell of the old one a few years ago. So you find yourself in a tower within a tower. You can see the inside of the old shell in some places along the staircase - if you walk, that is, since you also have an option of taking the elevator to go up. The tower's interior has been restored very nicely and contains a café, museum, a teddy bear shop and a restaurant.

The bell tower on the 10th floor offers a great experience. It feels like a spacious attic of an old farmhouse, with a number of large windows all around its perimeter and impressive bells hanging right above your head. Every hour the 10-bell chimes play one of 1152 preset melodies that can only be heard inside the bell tower, which is a great pity, but at the same time, it makes your visit to the tower all the more special. Visitors are allowed to open each window, so you can not only enjoy a great view of Prague from different angels, but can take pictures that are not obstructed by glass.

Getting there:
The tower stands on Jindřišská at Senovážné náměstí and is close to the main post office. You can walk from the city center or take line A of the metro to Můstek and exit at Vodičkova or take tram 3, 9, 14 or 24 to Jindřišská.

Hours:
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Mon-Fri), 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Sat-Sun)
The chimes in the bell tower play every hour.

Entrance fees:
Adults: 60 Kč
Seniors: 30 Kč
Children 6 - 15: 20 Kč
Children under 6: free

Charles Square (Karlovo náměstí)

Karlovo náměstí is Prague's largest square, with Ječná street running through the middle of it. The square was originally built as the Cattle Market. Its two most notable buildings are the New Town Hall (Novoměstská radnice) where Prague's first defenestration took place in 1419, and the Baroque Jesuit Church of Saint Ignatius from 1671. The 16th century Faust's House stands near the southwest corner of the square. To get to Karlovo náměstí, you can either walk - follow Vodičkova from Wenceslas Square or Spálená from Národní třída - or take line B of the metro or tram 4, 6, 10, 14, 22, or 23 to Karlovo náměstí.

Dancing House (Tančící dům)

The Dancing House (Tančící dům, also called "Ginger and Fred" after the couple that inspired it) on the Rašínovo nábřeží embankment is one of Prague's rarities, admired and disliked at the same time. This eccentric building was designed by the American architect Frank Gehry and was finished in 1996. It strikes an odd pose in the orderly row of century-old architecture. To get there, walk down Resslova from Karlovo náměstí or take tram 17 or 21 to Jiráskovo náměstí.

National Theatre (Národní divadlo)

Like National Museum, the National Theatre was built during the Czech National Revival as a symbol of Czech national identity. The construction was financed from public funds that were collected throughout the country. The original theatre designed by Josef Zítek took 15 years to build and was opened in 1881. Two months later a fire destroyed a part of the building and the nation came together again to produce another amount of money needed for the reconstruction, which was lead by architect Josef Schulz. The theatre was reopened in 1883 with the opera Libuše that was specially composed by Bedřich Smetana.

The National Theatre stages performances in opera, drama and ballet. It is located within an easy walk down Národní from Wenceslas Square or down the embankment from the Charles Bridge. If you are taking public transportation, take tram 6, 9, 10, 17, 18, 21, 22, or 23 and get off at Národní divadlo, or take line B of the metro to Národní třída.

Café Slavia

The famous Café Slavia, located across from the National Theatre, opened in 1881 (the same year as the theatre) and became a meeting place of artists and intellectuals, including former president Václav Havel who was a frequent customer during his dissident years. The café was closed in 1991 due to ownership issues, and reopened six years later, having been restored to its 1930s Art Deco look. A nice place to go for coffee and dessert at the end of the day or after a night at the theatre. Beautiful views of the Prague Castle from the café's riverside windows.

Na Příkopě Street

The wide boulevard Na příkopě (On the Moat) runs eastward from the bottom of Wenceslas Square. It contains some of the most expensive commercial real estate in Prague. The avenue is lined with shops and shopping "galleries" (the Černá Růže, Myslbek, and Slovanský dům passages can all be found there), cafés, and a few major banks, including the imposing building of the Czech National Bank.

Main Train Station (Hlavní nádraží)

The Art Nouveau complex of Prague's main train station was designed by Josef Fanta, as visitors are reminded by the posh Fanta's café (Fantova kavárna) upstairs. The station opened in 1909 as the Franz Josef Station, was later renamed to Wilson Station, and today is generally referred to as the Main Station. The easiest way to get there is to take line C of the metro to Hlavní nádraží.

The building with its cupola-shaped, richly decorated lobby, statues, wrought-iron elements, and steel and glass construction above the tracks is a valuable work of Czech architecture. The train station is set to enter its second century with a major facelift. In 2002, the complex was leased to the Italian company Grandi Stazioni who is to invest over 650 million Czech Crowns ($25 million) into a major renovation of the premises. Prague's hlavní nádraží should be turned into a "train station of the future" by 2008.