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Prague
Prague castle This complex of historical buildings is located in Hradcany. It used to be the head office of all the Bohemia kings and the symbol of their power.
Nowadays, the castle is the head office of the president of the republic. The first castle's building dates back to the 9th century, the other structures followed later and founded by the various kings.
The SAINT GUY Cathedral, of which it's building starts in 1344 by the famous Matyas d`Arras, proudly dominates the whole complex. We find various architectural masterpieces as Vladislav salon in the old royal palace; the Saint Georges basilica with its beautiful Roman inside, is among the most beautiful pieces of this famous castle.
A short pace from these central Europe architectural and historical pearls, there is the pictorial golden lane which used to be the castle's protection barrier.
The castle includes several other salons and buildings of a high historical and cultural value.
Charles Bridge
This famous bridge was built in 1357 as a replacement of a Roman ancient bridge, which was destroyed by flooding in 1342. The Charles Bridge was rebuilt several times in its turn because it had known powerful water waves that Vltava River amasses from the South of Bohemia. The Charles Bridge is one of the first stones bridges in Europe.
From the second half of the 17th century, many statues decorate the bridge and nowadays, it is a museum of about 30 beautiful statues. The most ancient one dated back to 1683, representing Jan Nepomocky, and the newest one dated back to before the second world war and representing the Saints Cyril and Metodej. Because of the high value and interest of the originals, duplicates replace some of the statues.
Jewish town Prague shelters a rich cultural Jewish patrimony. We can find various synagogues; the oldest one goes back to the 13th century. The Jewish historical area of Prague is just a few steeps from the old town square. Just behind the Spanish synagogue, which is the most famous one, we can find the ancient Jewish churchyard of which the first grave goes back to 1439. As the number of the graves grew greater, more than 12000 graves, and the surface of the cemetery is small, another one was created in Vinohrady by the end of the 18th century. Among the graves that this graveyard includes we can list the Franz Kafka`s one. The old Prague Jewish quarter includes various museums and various houses of great historical and cultural value.
Old town square The old town "square" is the most famous place of the whole Prague. It had witnessed the important events that the Bohemia and its kings once had known. It was there that the Bohemian Royal Family wedding ceremonies and other celebrations used to take place. In 1621, this place knew a tragic event; it was there that the execution of 27 regime opponents took place, after their fall in the Habsburgs turnover attempt.
In the centre of the place "square", we find the statue of Jan Hus, an important Czech historical and revolutionary figure. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus, who was burnt at the stake in 1415 by the royal soldiers, L Salauna built this statue that dominates the place.
City hall and the horologe This building was carried out in 1338 and developed throughout the centuries and the events that it underwent. The symbol of this building is the horologe of which the first part goes back to 1410.@Nowadays, in every hour of the daytime, thousands of visitors come to see the figures of the apostles who are shown through the two small windows above the clock
Saint Nicholas's church The church is a sample of the baroque style of Prague. The Dienzenhofers and Lurago built it between 1704 and 1755.
Nowadays during the tourist season, it opens its doors to the visitors and holds concerts.
Powder tower The building of this tower goes back to 1475. The king Vladislav Jagellonsky founded it. The tower served as a main access portal to the royal area of Prague, today's old town. For a long time the tower was the store of ammunition. It is why it is so called.
New town and the Winceslas square The SAINT WINCESLAS square is nowadays the commercial and economic centre of Prague city. The square is dominated by the statue of Saint Winceslas, This statue is made by Joseph V. Myselbek and dated back to the 20th century. Just a few meters away from the statue, we find the national museum building of Prague, which is one of the beautiful architectural pearls of the 19th century.
National theatre The national theatre of Prague was the symbol of the Czech emancipation against the German bourgeoisie of the end of the 19th century. The building of this establishment started in 1868 by the architect Josef Zitek. This giant project was financed by the contributions on which the whole Czech population took part. A few months before its inauguration, the theatre was a victim of a great fire, which devastated the whole structure. Josef Schults did the reconstruction that lasted only two years. The inside and the outer decorations of the theatre were made by the Czech artists of that time. The theatre opened its doors for the Prague's public in 1883 and the first play-acted was Libuse of Beldrich Smetana. In the 80's of the 20th century, new halls were added in the yard of the theatre.
Estate Theatre This theatre is one of the most beautiful theatres of Europe. Its works started in 1881 and two years later it was opened for the public. It was in this beautiful building that the famous play DON GIOVANI had seen its first setting on October 29th 1887, directed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
National Opera Prague Opera is one among the various works of the Viennese architects Fellner and Hellmer. With its large auditorium and its superb neo rococo decoration, the opera of Prague is one among the best ones of all Europe. It was the place of exhibition of the famous artists of the latest 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. Its first director Angello Neumann succeeded in making of Prague Opera a worldwide known cult place. Among the famous artists that played in the opera of Prague we can mention: Carl Muck, Franz Schalk, Leo Blech, V.Nigrini, etc.
Municipal house A. Balsanek and O. Polivka built this nice achievement between 1906 and 1911. The Municipal House includes various halls; the most attractive one is the Smetana hall with its balconies and nice interior. The Municipal House decoration works were made by the late 19 century and the beginning of 20th century famous Czech artists, among whom M. Ales, A. Mucha.
Classical music concerts and art expositions are held in the Municipal House all along the year.
Rudolfinum Its building goes back to the late 19th century. It was built by the architects J. Zitek and J. Schulz. The Rudolfinum was the head office of the first Czechoslovak parliament. Nowadays these vast halls shelter concerts and artistic exhibitions
Bertramka During his frequent visits to Prague, W.A. Mozart used to spend his stays in this beautiful small villa that is located in Smichov (close to Andel metro station). It is in this villa that his famous play Don Giovani was achieved and later on acted in Estate Theatre of Prague on October 29th 1787 and directed by Mozart himself.
Nowadays this residence is a museum of Mozart's works and life.
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