Arriving in Zlata Prague, travelers will certainly wander along the well-worn tourist path. Be sure to walk along the royal Charles Bridge, decorated with a string of statues of saints and capture yourself against the backdrop of the Vltava embankment. You definitely need to wait until the famous astronomical clock of the old city hall on the Old Town Square starts its little performance. You can't miss the changing of the guard near the palace, where the president's residence is located. And, finally, get to one of the old breweries that Bohemia is famous for. High quality beer provided by a long tradition. Beginning in the 14th century, unscrupulous beer makers sat in the town square wearing a collar and chain and poured their low-quality drink on any passer-by who wanted to avenge the spoiled pleasure. After a day's walk around the city, do not rush back to the hotel or stay in one of the many l many restaurants, because Prague reveals all its mysteries and secrets at midnight.
As soon as twilight descends on the city, and darkness envelops the ancient medieval streets, everything around is transformed. It was this gloomy Prague that inspired Franz Kafka and Gustav Meyrink to create mystical works. Every house, every door, every garden in the old city has its own history. Many of them have become the property of all mankind, and not just lovers of Czech folklore. The story of Dr. Faust and the legend of Rabbi Loew, the creator of an artificial creature - the Golem, gained worldwide fame.
Mystical elements are organically woven into the history of Prague, bringing a special flavor. Even the very foundation of the city is covered with a very peculiar legend. The prince's daughter Libusha, who lived in the 9th century, had an extremely useful skill for rulers - clairvoyance. Once, standing on a hill above the Vlatva River, she felt another surge of “strength” and immediately prophesied that a city would soon be founded, the glory of which would reach heaven. The place of foundation was to be the threshold of the house, which at that moment was being made by some man.
The prince's servants set off in search of this place and soon found a simple plowman named Přemysl, who was just making a prag ("threshold" in Czech). Taking him as her husband, the princess founded not only the dynasty of the Přemyslid princes, but also the city of Prague. Who knows whether that prophecy was a revelation or just the desire of a noble lady to commit an eccentric act by marrying a man of low class, but thanks to this mystical and romantic story, the beautiful city of Prague appeared in the vastness of Bohemia.
But the city became the real capital of mysticism during the time of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. This very unusual monarch devoted his life not to wars, and not to the discovery of new lands, as was fashionable in his era, but to the search for a philosopher's stone that can turn any metal into gold. Since 1583, when Rudolf moved to the new capital, scientists, alchemists, astrologers, metaphysicians, healers and just charlatans began to flock to Prague Castle from all over Europe, hoping to ingratiate themselves with the emperor.
Rudolf personally invited some of them, sponsoring not only the move to the capital, but also accommodation. Under his patronage such scientists as Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler, famous astrologers Edward Kelly and John Dee worked. According to legend, Zlata street was just the place where scientists, astrologers and alchemists of all stripes performed miracles at night. No wonder that each house was a real alchemical workshop, shrouded in secrets.
However, not only Zlata street is famous creepy stories about alchemical experiments of medieval scientists. There is a house on one of the corners of Charles Square. The locals are sure that the infamous doctor and warlock Johann Faust lived in it for some time - the prototype of many literary and musical works. In general, many mysterious personalities lived in this house; it seemed to attract everything strange to itself. Until now, a terrible cold blows in the attic of the accursed house, and its gloomy garden is considered the last refuge of the soul of Faust, who never found peace. Studying magic formulas in old books, Faust found an opportunity to summon the devil. Having concluded an agreement with him, Faust sold his soul and received in exchange the fulfillment of any desires. When the time came to repay the debt, the warlock conjured the devil to wait, but he was inexorable. He grabbed Faust and flew out of the house with him right through the roof, knocking a hole in the tiles. No matter how the subsequent inhabitants of the house closed up this hole, the next day it opened up again. Today, the cursed house houses a hospital. But traces of Faust and the devil still remain in the upper part of the house: an indelible and irreducible stain marks the place from which the devil flew out with the unfortunate soul of the doctor.
Let's return to Emperor Rudolf. After the mass expulsion of all Jews from Spain and Portugal at the end of the 15th century, they found their shelter in the possessions of Rudolph, since he was more interested not in astrology or alchemy, not in Western European science, but in the ancient Jewish mystical teaching - Kabbalah. In the quarters of the Jewish ghetto of Prague in the 16th century lived an outstanding expert on Kabbalah - the scholar Rabbi Yehuda ben Bnzalel, known as Rabbi Loew. For thirty years he was head of the Jewish community and rabbi of the Old New Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Europe. Rumor attributed to him exceptional wisdom and the possession of a secret knowledge of the formula from the mystical book Zohar ("Radiance"). In this book, containing just over a thousand words, the secret of the name of God, creation and the meaning of life is hidden. Thanks to the knowledge of the formula, Lev was able to create a Golem from clay - a living creature that follows the orders of its creator. A kind of medieval robot wore the word "truth" on its forehead, reviving it. Every Friday, Rabbi Loew "deactivated" the Golem so that it would not accumulate excessive energy and cool down. One day he forgot to do it and the Golem, having rebelled, almost destroyed the synagogue and the entire ghetto. Lev had to erase the first letter on the Golem's forehead, turning it into the word "death". In an instant, the Golem turned into a pile of clay. The rabbi collected it and placed it in the attic of the Old New Synagogue. He blocked the entrance to the attic. Today, the Synagogue is open to the public, and it is said that at night you can still see the shadow of the Golem looming in the attic.
A mystical aura envelops Prague even today. If you dare to go to Vysehrad at midnight, you have a chance to see a lot of creepy and mysterious things. There are witnesses of meetings with the dead who appear during midnight masses. The sentries of one of the artillery depots located next to the old cemetery, more than once left their post, hiding from the black afterlife carriage driven by a headless coachman and drawn by headless black horses. A black ghostly dog with bloody eyes and fiery tongue. If you were lucky enough to survive after meeting with the dog, and you spotted the place where he was spinning, you have a chance to find the entrance to the cellars of the Visegrad Mountain, where countless treasures are stored.
In one of the city cemeteries there is a grave with the image of the girl Anichka. They say that during the birth of a child in the family of a poor musician, a mistake occurred, and the soul of a restless angel was infused into the newborn girl. So an angel appeared on earth, illuminating everything around with his beautiful soul. Anichka's life was not easy, she felt in her heart that she should help everyone - both honest people and criminals. Many often abused her kindness. Finally, God had mercy and took the angel back to heaven - Anichka was playing by the window and, reaching for a toy, fell out of it.
Text: Hanna Rolinska
The Kinsky Palace - Kinski Palace (Palac Kinskych) - is located on the eastern side of the Old Town Square. This is one of the most beautiful objects of the Prague Rococo.
The palace was built in 1755-1765 by Anshelm Lurag according to the plans of K.I. Dientzenhofer. Prior to this, there were three early medieval buildings on the site of the Palace. The South House, first mentioned in 1363, was built on the site of a 12th-century Romanesque building. The first floor of this house was built of hewn stone, you can still find this masonry in the basement of the Kinsky Palace.
After 1560, when the house belonged to Trčka s Lipy and later Přichovskýs from Godejov, renovation works were carried out in the Renaissance style. The northern part of the modern palace arose in the second half of the 13th century. Thanks to the medieval way of life, today's cellars retain the original ground floor, including early Gothic arches.
The houses were first united in 1508, when they were rented by Albrecht from Kolovrat. Around 1583, the northern part of the building was rebuilt, during which, in particular, the front balcony was installed. Later, in 1750, Jan Arnost, Count Goltz, received the northern part and also bought the southern one by combining them into one building. When the palace was sold to Franciszek Oldřich Kinsky in 1768, the palace was completed and decorated with sculptures by I.F. Platzer. In the 30s of the 19th century, the palace was further expanded by adding the northern house, which also retained the Gothic cellars, which was made in the neoclassical style.
The Kinskys owned the palace until 1945, after which it was confiscated according to the decrees of President Benes and passed into the possession of the state.
This palace stands out from its surroundings not only for its beauty, but also for the fact that its facade with rich stucco cartouches protrudes forward so much that four windows fit on each side. There is a whole legend associated with the implementation of this architectural solution.
Count Franz Oldrich Kinsky wished that his palace at first sight would attract the attention of everyone who came to the Old Town Square and looked in the direction of the Tyn Church. The builder suggested a solution - it was enough to push the facade of the building onto the square. The count liked the idea, and he immediately agreed. The main difficulty was in the permission from the Old Town councilors. They did not like this idea, and they refused the count. He, in turn, bribed three advisers and began construction.
The consuls in the town hall saw that the count was building in his own way, regardless of their prohibition, and summoned him to the town hall. The Count presented three permits and spoke of bribing three councillors. Soon they were tried and, by decision of the burgomaster, executed.
However, the permission was valid, no one could remove three signatures, and the palace was built according to the builder's drawings and the desire of the count.
The Kinsky Palace is one of the two houses in Prague where he lived famous writer Franz Kavka. There was also a haberdashery shop owned by his father.
Currently, the Kinsky Palace belongs to the National Prague gallery. It houses exhibitions of art from Asia and the medieval Mediterranean. Here is a collection of graphics and the family library of Kinsky.
Of course, palaces are one of the most important components of the historical and cultural heritage of the Czech Republic, and the most famous and luxurious of them are located in Prague. We have tried to collect interesting information about the ten palaces of Prague (except for the palaces located on Hradcany Square), known for their splendor and rich history. A visit to these can be considered an "optional" for a tourist historian or art critic.
The Goltz-Kinsky Palace (Palác Kinských) is located in the northeastern part. This luxurious baroque building with rococo elements was built in the middle of the 18th century by order of Count Goltz, and later acquired by Count Kinsky. Since 1945, the Goltz-Kinsky Palace has belonged to the state. Now it houses the Prague National Gallery, which is one of the largest in the world and contains a collection ancient art Far East, Asia, North America and Europe.
Destinies are connected with the Goltz-Kinsky Palace famous people. Beethoven played here, invited by Count Kinsky, Bertha von Suttner was born, the first woman awarded Nobel Prize world, and at the end of the 19th century, when a gymnasium was located on one of the floors of the palace, he visited it.
Address: Staroměstské náměsti, 606/12
How to get there:
Address: Pražský hrad, 1
How to get there:
The easiest way to get to Prague Castle is to take tram no. 12, 20, 22 or to the stop/station "Malostranské náměstí" and walk up Nerudova street to the main entrance. Another option: take tram number 22 to the Pražský hrad stop, without having to overcome a long hike on foot.
GPS coordinates: 50.090606N, 14.401592E
The Žofín Palace (Palác Žofín), built in the 19th century in the Neo-Renaissance style, is located on the Slavic Island opposite National Theater in the very center of Prague. The palace was named after Sophia of Bavaria: Sophia in Czech - Zofie, that is, "Zhofi". From the very beginning of its existence, Žofin has become the cultural and business center of Prague. Such famous historical figures as Wagner, Dvorak, Liszt, Berlioz, Smetana, Schubert, Tchaikovsky performed in its halls. Now the Zofin Palace regularly hosts events such as fashion festivals, concerts classical music and world stars, exhibitions and ballroom seasons. Here passes international festival"Golden Prague".
The palace consists of four halls - Big, Small, Knights and Primatorsky. The first is used for high-level meetings, the second - for gala dinners and concerts. The Knights' Hall is designed for dancing to medieval music, and the Primator Hall is for business negotiations.
The interior of the palace amazes visitors with ceiling moldings, beautiful pictures and a unique view of Mala Strana. At the same time, the palace actively uses and modern technologies. For newlyweds, the palace has become a favorite place for weddings.
Address: Slovanský ostrov, 226/8
How to get there:
Inside the palace, visiting the Richelieu Guest Room, Dining Room and numerous rooms, you can see the sculptures of 18th century artists, frescoes, painted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, marble statues and tapestries. Each room is decorated in a certain style and survived historical events that left a mark on the history of Europe. Now the French embassy is located in the Bukvoi Palace, so you can, unfortunately, see the interior decoration with your own eyes only on open days.
Address: Velkopřevorské náměsti, 486/2
How to get there:
In the middle of the 17th century, the Wallenstein Palace (Valdštejnský palác) and the garden were plundered by the Swedish invaders, so almost everything that you can now see in the palace complex is a copy, the result of painstaking restoration. After 1945, the palace belonged to the state, and now the Czech Senate operates here.
Address: Valdstejnské náměsti, 17/4
How to get there:
The nearest station is Malostranská (green line). Tram stop (No. 5, 12, 18, 20, 22) - with the same name Malostranská.
GPS coordinates: 50.090027N, 14.405348E
This beautiful palace located in is one of the first examples of Renaissance architecture in the Czech Republic. It was built in the 16th century and was intended as a gift to Queen Anne from her husband King Ferdinand I. The palace was supposed to serve as royal entertainment, and the first floor was reserved for a large dance hall, and erected in front of the entrance, the effect of "singing" in which occurs due to the sounds of water hitting a bronze pan. For a number of reasons, the construction of the palace dragged on for almost a quarter of a century, and the beloved wife of King Ferdinand died without seeing the palace in all its splendor.
Now in the Summer Palace of Queen Anne (Letohrádek královny Anny) there are exhibition halls open to the public and sometimes solemn events are held.
Address: Mariánské hradby, 52/1
How to get there:
The nearest stations are Malostranská and Hradčanská (green line). From the Malostranská station, take tram number 22 one stop. From the Hradčanská station, walk south for about 700 m.
GPS coordinates: 50.093847N, 14.403048E
Czernin Palace (Černínský palác) is one of the attractions. The construction of the family residence of the Chernin family began in the second half of the 17th century and, due to lack of funds, dragged on for more than half a century. By the end of the 18th century, the Czernins, having spent all their fortune on the maintenance of the palace, moved to Vienna, and the grand palace in the late Baroque style stood in ruins for several decades. In the 19th century, the Chernin Palace became the property of the state: the building housed an orphanage, a hospital and even barracks, the interiors of the family residence of the Chernin family with magnificent frescoes and stucco were destroyed.
During the reconstruction at the beginning of the last century, the Chernin Palace was restored to its former appearance and preserved original pieces of furniture and interior. During the Second World War, the Czernin Palace was the residence of the Nazi rulers of the Czech Republic, now it houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was here that the Warsaw Pact was terminated at the end of the last century. The palace is closed to the public, but you can walk along the beautiful park adjacent to it during public holidays and on Sundays.
Address: Loretánské náměsti, 101/5
How to get there:
Take tram number 22 to the Pohořelec stop from the Malostranská station (green line). Then walk to the side for about 300 meters.
GPS coordinates: 50.088767N, 14.390705E
Liechtenstein Palace on the Kamp
The Baroque palace, located on the very shore, was built in the middle of the 17th century. However, the Liechtensteins, who bought the palace at the beginning of the 19th century, made a number of changes in the appearance of the palace in the classical style, and their modern look in the Renaissance style, the Liechtenstein Palace (Lichtenštejnský palác) acquired at the end of the century.
During the occupation in the Second world war The leadership of the NSDAP was located in the building of the Liechtenstein Palace. At the end of the last century, a complete reconstruction of the Liechtenstein Palace was carried out: facades and wall paintings were restored, the interior was reconstructed, and work was carried out to strengthen the masonry of the underwater walls of the palace. Now the palace houses government offices.
Address: U Sovových mlýnů, 506/4
How to get there:
The easiest way to get to the Liechtenstein Palace is to cross the Charles Bridge and turn onto Kampa Island, after which you walk about 150 meters.
GPS coordinates: 50.085514N, 14.40888E
Smirzhnitsky Palace (Palác Smiřických (U Montágů)), the family residence of one of the richest families in the Czech Republic, was built in the Renaissance style at the end of the 16th century. In the following decades, the owners expanded the palace by adding a nearby house to it, completed the tower, and the Smirzhnitsky Palace became the way we see it now. Thanks to the reconstruction carried out at the end of the last century, on the third floor of the palace you can see the preserved painted ceilings in the Renaissance style.
The Kinsky Palace is a prime example of the Rococo style in Prague. It is included in the List of National Cultural Monuments Czech Republic. Today the building is used as showroom National Gallery.
In 1755-1765. According to the project of Kilian Dientzenhofer under the direction of the architect Anselmo Lurago, on the site of 3 houses, a palace was built for Count Jan Goltz with a pink and white facade.
A distinctive feature of the palace is the fact that it does not stand in line with other buildings, but protrudes several meters ahead. It is believed that during his lifetime, the count managed to bribe the then officials in order to obtain an unusual location. Subsequently, they were hung in the square in front of the palace. Some deny the veracity of this fact, and say that the architect only followed the order of the previous houses.
The palace is an example of the Prague Rococo. Two exits are framed by columns and connected by a narrow balcony on the 2nd floor. The facade is decorated with stucco decorations by S. Bossi, statues of ancient gods by I. Platzer are installed at the top.
After the count's death in 1768, the palace was bought by Stepan Kinsky. The Kinsky family owned it until 1945. In 1836, reconstruction began, another house was added to the Goltz-Kinsky Palace (palác Golz-Kinských), and the interiors were decorated in the style of late classicism.
In the 19th century, a German gymnasium was located on the 3rd floor, where he studied. The bottom floor was occupied by his father's haberdashery. In 1905, the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize was Baroness Bertha von Sutner, who was born in this palace in 1843. From 1922 to 1934, the Polish embassy was located here. In 1948, Klement Gottwald spoke from the balcony of the Goltz-Kinsky Palace, after which the communists came to power. In 1995-2000, the Kinsky library, Romanesque and Gothic cellars were restored.
Currently, the premises of the palace house the Kafka bookstore, the Information Center of the National Gallery and premises for temporary exhibitions, offices and cafes.
How to get there?
Take metro line A to Staroměstská station.
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The magnificent building of the Goltz-Kinskikh Palace overlooks the elegant Old Town Square with its facade. This is the heart of the Stare Mesto district, it is simply impossible to miss this square during a walk.
In a neat cream-colored building, located next to the Church of the Virgin Mary of Tyn, on this moment there are various exhibitions of graphic works. Here you can see copies of the works outstanding masters: Durer, Dali, Picasso and many others.
When the construction of the Old Town Square took place, all the houses had to stand in one row so as not to violate the integrity architectural ensemble. But the owner of the future palace, Count Jan Goltz, decided to cheat and bribe the officials who controlled the construction. And so it happened that the Goltz-Kinsky Palace stands out from the general row and occupies an extra two meters of space. By the way, dishonest officials were hanged right in front of the palace as a warning to the remaining employees, but it was too late to change anything.
After the death of Count Goltz, the palace was bought by the Kinsky family, who owned the building until the end of World War II. Then the palace became the property of the state.
The palace was built in the Rococo style, decorated with rich stucco and immediately attracts the attention of all tourists who find themselves on the square. Tour guides say that this beautiful building in the 19th century, a gymnasium was opened, where Franz Kafka studied. His father owned a haberdashery shop, which was opened on the first floors of this palace. Therefore, if you are going to walk around the places of Kafka in Prague, be sure to go to the Goltz-Kinsky Palace.