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| Prague, Czech RepublicSeptember and babí léto Enjoy a beautiful babí léto, which is similar to Indian Summer but comes earlier - in the second half of September and sometimes stretching into October. Babí léto is our last chance in the year to enjoy warm, sunny, "summery" days with clear blue skies. Transportation Old Tram - Trams (tramvaje) cover a large area of the city (with 500 km of tracks) and are used by some 300 million people a year. Daytime trams run from 4:30 a.m. till midnight in 8 - 10 minute intervals (8 - 15 minutes on weekends). Night trams (numbers 51 - 58) run from 00:30 a.m. till 4:30 a.m. in 40 minute intervals. Metro (Subway) - The Prague metro carries around 400 million passengers a year. It is fast, efficient, clean and easy to use. Its three lines consist of about 50 km of tracks running mostly underground, and some 50 stations. New stations continue to be added. The lines currently are:
City Buses - Buses (autobusy) mostly cover the outskirts of Prague. Daytime buses run from 4:30 a.m. till midnight in 6-8 min. intervals in peak hours, 10-20 min. intervals in the off hours, and 15-30 min. intervals on weekends. Night buses (numbers 501-513) run from around midnight. till 4:30 a.m. at 30-60 min. intervals. Cycling – there are about 330km of cycle routes and about 120km of cycle paths zigzag through Prague. For more information, click here (http://www.myczechrepublic.com/index.html) Prague Monuments Lesser Town Charles Bridge - Charles Bridge is a stone Gothic bridge that connects the Old Town and Malá Strana. Its construction was commissioned by Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. 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. St. Nicholas Cathedral - The Cathedral is a must see for most people coming to Prague. The baroque architecture provides a break from the heat of the summer while enjoying the beauty of painted ceilings and columns. Inside the cathedral you will be able to see many gold painted statues as well as a large alter that really gives one the feeling of the medieval times and the beliefs of the people. The balconies inside offers a great view of the paintings and the structure of the building itself. The Prague Bambino- The Infant Jesus of Prague is located in the Church of Our Lady Victorious. The statue itself is dressed in a blue gown at with a statue is a mixture of gold, silver and red, adding to the contrast and making the statue the focal point. The history of the Infant Jesus of Prague dates back to the Baroque period when a cult of Infant Jesus' spread through out Europe, originating in Spain. The art-work of the statue is unknown but believed that it comes from a convent. It has been said that this particular statue came to Prague as we wedding gift from Isabela Manrique de Lara a Mendoza to her daughter Maria Manrique de Lara when she married a Czech nobleman. It then was again gifted from Maria to her daughter Polyxena when she married Vilem of Lobkowice. After his death, Polyxena donated the statue to a monastery near the church where it is located now. Old Town Old Town Square - Step into the Old Town Square in Prague and journey back in time, 600 or 700 years. As you stand in awe, the dramatic history of Prague permeates the air. Located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge, The Old Town Square (Staromestske Namesti) is often bursting at the seams with tourists in the summer. Featuring various architectural styles including the gothic Týn Cathedral and baroque St. Nicholas Church, the square is an oasis for travelers wearied by Prague's narrow streets. With its ancient buildings and magnificent churches, this is one of the most beautiful historical sights in Europe Old Town Hall and Astronomical clock - The Old Town Hall Tower, built in 1338, is one of the most striking buildings in Prague. Inside is a staircase and an elevator. For a fee, visitors can climb or ride to the top to experience terrific views over the Old Town Square and the rest of the Old Town. Along with the Old Town Hall comes the Astronomical Clock, which dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. The clocks wooden statues were also destroyed in May of 1945 but replacements were made soon after. The calendar board that is located on the Astronomical Clock now is and exact replica of the original that can be found in the Museum of the City of Prague. Celetna Street - Named after the plaited bread rolls first baked here in The Middle Ages. Today Celetna Street is a pedestrian’s lane from the Old Town square to the Powder Tower. It is one of the oldest street in the city where you can see quite a few architecturally and historically important houses, such as at the Three Kings, at the White Lion, at the Black Sun and at the Vulture. New Town The Wenceslas Square, originally called the Horse Market, is the most famous Prague cultural and business centre. The 750m long and 60m wide boulevard that makes up Wenceslas Square was laid out over 600 years ago during the reign of Charles IV. It was originally used as the Prague horse market. National Museum – founded in 1818, the national museum is set in a commanding position at the top of Wenceslas Square, beyond the statue of St. Wenceslas on his horse. The museum is the largest and oldest museum in the Czech Republic. This monumental, neo-renaissance building was designed by Josef Schultz as an architectural symbol of the Czech National Revival. National theatre - The National Theatre in Prague belongs to the most important Czech cultural institutions with a rich artistic tradition which was created and maintained by the most distinguished personalities in Czech society. Today the National Theatre consists of three artistic ensembles – opera, ballet and drama – which alternate in their performances in the historic building of the National Theatre, in the Theatre of the Estates and in the Theatre Kolowrat. All three artistic ensembles select their repertoire not only from the rich classical heritage, but in addition to local authors they focus their attention on modern world output. For more information, please visit http://www.prague-information.eu/ |