Trojická 1449/4
The deep moulding of this art nouveau doorway in Prague’s New Town is particularly striking in slanting evening light. In the allegory above the lintel, assorted putti fight and play around a linden tree, the...
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Czernin Palace / Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Humprecht Jan Černín (Czernin, in the usual German spelling) came from one of Bohemia’s wealthiest families, their fortunes enriched still further by the Catholic victory in the Thirty Years’ War. His great-uncle had served at...
Pilgrimage Church of Our Lady Victorious, Bílá Hora
The high ground to the west of Prague called Bílá Hora was the scene of one of the earliest engagements of the Thirty Years’ War. The short but significant ‘Battle of the White Mountain’ of...
Národní 1987/22: Café Louvre
In 1902 – the year which saw a hugely influential exhibition of French art held in Prague – the elegant Café Louvre opened its doors on the first floor of an impressive townhouse by architects...
Václavské náměstí: Statue of Saint Wenceslas
Prince Václav I – known to the English-speaking world as ‘Good King Wenceslas’ – was one of Bohemia’s first Christian rulers. On 28 September in the year 929 (some say 935) he was murdered by...
Statue of Libuše and Přemysl, Vyšehrad
Přemysl and Libuše, Josef Myslbek, 1897 (copy) In the peaceful grounds of the ancient fort of Vyšehrad stand four monumental statues by Josef Myslbek depicting characters from early Czech mythology. One shows an allegorical couple,...
U obecního dvora 798/5: House of the Censors
The short mediaeval street near the Convent of Saint Agnes has a fascinating history. In the Middle Ages, Prague’s Municipal Court (Obecní dvůr) had its seat here. Two doors away sat the Censors, whose job...
Bubenečská 365/41
The area of Prague due north of the castle is known for its splendid historicist apartment buildings such as this one on Bubenečská. Alois Zima — who also created residences in Vinohrady, designed three buildings...
Church of the Name of the Virgin, Křtiny
Legend has it that the ninth-century saints Cyril and Methodius baptized their first Moravian disciples in this wooded valley a few miles northeast of Brno (about 150 miles southeast of Prague). The village of Křtiny...
Nerudova 212/16: The Golden Chalice
This renaissance house with its baroque exterior is typical of the residences in this part of the city’s Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter). Many of them carry baroque era cartouches with symbols of animals, birds or...
