Founded by prince boΩivoj in the 9th century, Prague Castle and its attendant cathedral tower above the city from the long hill known as Hradčany. The surrounding town was founded in 1320, becoming home to servants’ hovels and, after the cataclysmic fire of 1541, grand palaces. Baroque and Renaissance reconstructions in the area created much of what visitors see today. The Loreto shrine to the Virgin Mary demonstrated the growing importance of Prague to the Church. At the castle, primitive defences were removed, making room for gardens, parade grounds and other needs of a modern empire. When the Habsburgs removed the imperial seat to Vienna, Hradčany seemed to become preserved in time, saving it from the ravages of war and modernization. The area abounds with interesting sights for art and history lovers, as well as romantic hidden lanes and parks – in short, a total expression of the Czech nation’s shifting epochs and politics.
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This was the best museum in Prague! I stumbled into it one day when I was freezing cold and spent a whole afternoon marveling at the fabulous artifacts and the interesting stories told by members of the Lobkowicz family via the earphone device that is provided free of charge with museum admission. This is a must see for any visitor to Prague and you must include it in your next edition of the Eyewitness Travel Guide.
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In 1981, after five years of construction, the Czechoslovak government officially inaugurated Hotel Praha, but not everyone would be able to stay at this luxury hotel, incorporating the most modern technologies of its day and forming a broad cantilevered S-curve on a hilltop in the city's finest residential neighborhood. Hotel Praha was purpose-built for the exclusive use of high-level political delegations from Eastern Block countries and their allies. Today, the hotel is privately owned and got through major reconstruction and modernization. New owners kept original design and décor of the building. Like the lair of a James Bond villain, Hotel Praha included an acre of marble in the lobby, a heliport, bulletproof glass, and a garden villa for Leonid Brezhnev’s romantic assignations. It is cool place to stay!
www.oldoakdesign.com/hotel_praha_info.html
Their official website: www.htlpraha.cz
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New Year's CelebrationsNew Year's, known as St Sylvester's Day in the Czech Republic, is always an exciting time to be in Prague. Celebrations start simmering several days in advance and entail fireworks, classical... Read more
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Bohemian CarnivalHeld at venues in the heart of the city centre, Prague's Bohemian Carnival offers a lot more than costumes and street parades. A great programme of events, divided into four sections, entertains... Read more
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Khamoro - World Roma FestivalFirst held in 1999, Prague's Khamoro festival brings the most vibrant gypsy sounds, rhythms and culture from around Europe to the Czech capital. Read more
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