Prague Old Town

The Old Town of Prague is one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in Europe, a UNESCO ensemble of Gothic, Renaissance and baroque facades around the Old Town Square, watched over by the Astronomical Clock whose hourly show of moving figures draws crowds. Beyond the square, a maze of cobbled lanes leads to hidden courtyards and the river.

History

The Old Town grew from about the 9th century out of settlements around a large marketplace on the Vltava, where records from 1100 show a market every Saturday, and when King Wenceslaus I granted its merchants the privileges of a township, the Town of Prague was formed, defended by a moat and some 13 gates. In 1338 King John of Luxembourg allowed the councillors to buy a patrician house and turn it into the Old Town Hall, whose tower was completed in 1364 as the tallest in the city; under Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor from 1355, Prague became the residence of the head of the empire, the university was founded in 1348 and the bridge to the Lesser Town begun in 1357, and from 1402 to 1413 Jan Hus preached in the Bethlehem Chapel. The French fire of 1689 damaged much of the Old Town, and in 1784 the four towns of Prague were united into one city (Wikipedia, Old Town (Prague)).

What's there

• The Astronomical Clock - the medieval clock with its hourly parade of the apostles.
• Old Town Square - the square ringed by the Tyn Church and colourful facades.
• The Old Town Hall Tower - the climb for a view over the red rooftops.
• The cobbled lanes - the maze of medieval streets and courtyards.

When to go

Spring and autumn for mild weather and thinner crowds; December for the Christmas market on the square. Early morning gives you the square before the crowds.

Practical notes

It is extremely popular and touristy, so the square and clock are packed, and the hourly clock show is brief and underwhelming for the crowd it draws. Prices near the square are high. Its beauty is real, but the quieter lanes reward wandering more than the main square.

Nearby

Charles Bridge, the Jewish Quarter and Wenceslas Square are all a short walk.

Key facts