The creation of New Town dates back to King Charles IV in 1348 as a spacious new area between Vyšehrad and Old Town. The new district was to increase the size and population of Prague. The New Town of Prague serves as Prague's main commercial district. Numerous businesses, hotels and banks are located there, as well as department stores, boutiques and a few small shopping malls. The New Town is also rich in culture, offering many theatres, cinemas, museums, and the State Opera House. The bustling heart of New Town is Wenceslas Square, which starts at the National Museum and ends at the edge of Old Town.
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The largest and oldest Czech Museum has its seat in the neo-Renaissance UNESCO protected building that dominates Wenceslas Square. Apart from housing the Pantheon of the Czech nation, located there are primeval, historic-archaeological, theater, mineralogical, geological-paleontological and zoological collections. The museum organizes numerous cultural events and exhibitions. It is an impressive structure in the New Town and one of the most recognizable landmarks in Prague.![National Museum | New Town]( "National Museum | New Town")
National Museum
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The National Theater was built in 1868-1881 in the neo Renaissance style (architect J. Zitek). Shortly after the ceremonial opening a destructive fire occurred, damaging almost the whole building. A new building was built in 1883. The architect J. Schulz realized the reconstruction, while the decoration of the interior and exterior was the vision of the artists of the National Theater Generation- Mikolas Ales, Frantisek Zenisek, Vojtech Hynais, Josef Vaclav Myslbek. Bedrich Smetana composed the opera Libuse for this gala...![National Theater | New Town]( "National Theater | New Town")
The National Theater
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As you look towards the upper end of Wenceslas Square, you will notice the Statue of St. Wenceslas, an equestrian statue by J.V. Myslbek and probably the most famous statue in Prague. The most significant Czech sculptor of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and a representative of monumental realism, Josef Václav Myslbek, worked on the sculpture for almost 35 years. The Good King Wenceslas, as he is known from the famous Christmas carol, is depicted as a...![Statue of St. Wenceslas | New Town]( "Statue of St. Wenceslas | New Town")
The Statue of St. Wenceslas
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The Prague State Opera House was built in 1888 and was originally called the German Theater; the German artists of Prague had been performing in the Estates Theater, alternating with the Czech company, and wished for their own theater. The theater, designed by the Vienna duo Fellner and Hellmer with Karl Hasenauer and the Czech, Alfons Wertmuller, premiered on January 5th with the performance The Mastersingers of Nurnberg by Wagner and the theater was hailed as one of the most...![Interior of the State Opera House | Prague | Rococo]( "Interior of the State Opera House | Prague | Rococo")
Interior of the State Opera House
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The Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Snows, founded in 1397, is one of the grandest sights to behold in New Town. Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV planned for the Church to be the grandest and tallest in Prague, taller than St. Vitus even. You may notice when you enter that the proportions of the structure seem a bit off, it is higher than it is longer, as the plans of Charles IV were not exactly realized, if they...![Church of Our Lady of the Snows | New Town]( "Church of Our Lady of the Snows | New Town")
Church of Our Lady of the Snows
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Nestled secretly in a hidden courtyard between Jungmannovo and Wenceslas Square, the Franciscan Garden, a true oasis, is the perfect place to escape the overwhelming crowds in Prague. You can get to the garden through an entrance from Jungmannovo náměstí, through the Alfa passage leading from Wenceslas Square or the Světozor passage leading from Vodičkova street (both passages join in front of the gate to the garden). The garden dates back to the 14th century and was restored in the...![Franciscan Garden | Prague Garden]( "Franciscan Garden | Prague Garden")
Franciscan Garden
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Located on Narodni Street, a famous Prague Street that separates Old Town from New Town is the unique ice-cube shaped Laterna magika. Part of the National Theater, Laterna magika dates back to 1958 and features productions under the title Nová Scéna (New Scene) that include elements of modern and contemporary dance. The first period of the theater was under director Alfred Radok and stage designer Josef Svoboda who together premiered the troupe at the EXPO 58 in Brussels, Belgium at...![Laterna magika | Prague]( "Laterna magika | Prague")
Laterna magika
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An intricate system of passages runs under the Art Nouveau Lucerna Palace from 1920 and connects Vodickova and Stepanska streets; this is the lantern passage. New Town is full of passages leading you to winding streets, small shops and interesting secret cafes. The Lantern passage or Lucerna passage seems to be one of the largest and the most interesting. It is connected in a maze of passages to the Novak Arcade as well. Underneath the Palace you will find the...![Lucerna Palace | Exterior View]( "Lucerna Palace | Exterior View")
Lucerna Palace
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The main railway station, the largest, busiest and probably the dirtiest in the Czech Republic, used to be a thing of beauty. The Art Nouveau building with its station and ticket hall was designed by the Czech architect Josef Fanta and built between 1901 and 1909. The building had a grand, ornate Art Nouveau entrance and ticket hall complete with a small, decorated ceiling dome, customers would head for their trains in intricate style. Unfortunately during the Communist regime, some...![Prague Art Nouveau Architecture | Wilsonova Building]( "Prague Art Nouveau Architecture | Wilsonova Building")
The Wilsonova Building at the Main Railway Station
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Located in New Town is Prague’s tallest belfry. This Gothic tower was completely renovated in 2002 and features 10 floors, which are comprised of a café, a whiskey bar and shop, galleries, a restaurant on two floors, a kitchen, a lovely look out point and more. This whimsical tower is an attractive place for a romantic dinner, a friendly drink in the Scottish themed bar or simply a delectable dessert with a delicious Italian coffee. The atmosphere in the tower...![Jindřišská Tower | Prague]( "Jindřišská Tower | Prague")
Jindřišská Tower
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At the top of Wenceslas Square next to the majestic National Museum is an unattractive Communist era building. Resembling a giant black glass table that just so happened to sit on another building, this eyesore is anything but pleasing. From 1966-1973 the old building that housed the original Exchange was destroyed to make way for the Communist Parliament, a glass monstrosity with two giant pillars. The building is still complete with nuclear shelters. The demands of the Velvet Revolution were...![Prague Communist Era Architecture | Former Parliament Building]( "Prague Communist Era Architecture | Former Parliament Building")
The Former Parliament Building
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Located on the flowing Vltava next to the golden-topped National Theater is the lush Slovansky Island. A quiet retreat in the center of the city, Slovansky Island features the neo Renaissance Zofin Palace, a playground and a toy train for children, the Zofin Garden restaurant (perfect for al fresco dining), a large gazebo and the Manes building, a famous functionalist building plus more. The island was formed in the 17th century by gradual soil deposits. After the floods in 1784...![Slovansky Island | Prague Parks]( "Slovansky Island | Prague Parks")
Slovansky Island
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Located in the center of the gorgeous city of Prague is the Museum of Communism. This educational museum focuses on the totalitarian regime of Communism from its military coup beginning of 1948 to its collapse in November of 1989. The Museum of Communism in Prague focuses on the theme of Communism: the Dream, the Reality, and the Nightmare and primarily deals with daily life, history, politics, sports, economics, education, Soviet realism artwork, media and propaganda, the army, the secret police,...![Museum of Communism | Interior]( "Museum of Communism | Interior")
Museum of Communism
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Sloping through the middle of the city and presided over by an impressive statue of the Patron Saint of Bohemia, lies one of Prague's most important living museums, Wenceslas Square. Prague's natural meeting point is at Wenceslas Square, with residents often using the phrase “let's meet under the horse”, referring to the horse that St. Wenceslas sits astride. Prague's legendary Wenceslas Square has been the site of some of the most important and thrilling events in Czech history, especially in...![Wenceslas Square | Flowers]( "Wenceslas Square | Flowers")
Wenceslas Square
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The youngest, dating from 1906, largest and most vibrant synagogue in Prague is the Jubilee Synagogue. Designed by Wilhelm Stiassny, and named in honor of the 50th anniversary celebration, or the silver jubilee, of the reign of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria, the Jubilee Synagogue is a colorful mixture of Moorish revival design and Art Nouveau decor. The facade features ornate keyhole arches, a rose window, lovely Iberian red and white layers of stone, and colors galore, the synagogue...![Jubilee Synagogue | New Town | Exterior]( "Jubilee Synagogue | New Town | Exterior")
Jubilee Synagogue
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This unique office building designed by the famous Frank Gehry and Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunic, has quickly become one of the signature structures of Prague. Its contemporary, bold design is very eye-catching and distinguishes itself from the surrounding classical architecture. Nicknamed Fred and Ginger, this structure is beloved for its unique design by some, and discarded as an imposition with the surrounding classical architecture by others. Originally envisioned as a cultural center, today the building is an office building, home...![Dancing House | New Town]( "Dancing House | New Town")
Dancing House
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The Manes building with its exhibition hall, opened in 1930, well known as a functionalist dream, as it is considered one of the top Functionalist buildings in Europe today, is not only famous for the design of the building, which paired with the old 15th century water tower brings an interesting blend of old and modern, but also for the avant-garde work it housed and continues to house within its walls. Vaclav Havel has said that the Manes building is...![Manes | Prague Functionalism]( "Manes | Prague Functionalism")
Manes
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Located near St. Stepan Church on Stepanska Street, is the rotunda of St. Longin, the smallest of the three rotundas in Prague. The Romanesque rotunda dates back to the second half of the 12th century, when it served as the parish of the village Rybnicek (when sections of New Town were still villages). The rotunda underwent a reconstruction between 1929 and 1934.![Prague Romanesque Architecture | St. Longin Rotunda]( "Prague Romanesque Architecture | St. Longin Rotunda")
St. Longin Rotunda
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Karlovo Náměstí, which translates to Charles Square, is located in New Town, and is the largest public square in Prague, and one of the largest in all of Europe. With a wooded area, a park, a busy street, a church, a town hall building, as well as above-ground tram and below-ground metro lines, it can be hard to fathom that all of this life is contained within one public square. Once the site of the biggest major cattle market for...![New Town City Hall from Karlovo Namesti]( "New Town City Hall from Karlovo Namesti")
Karlovo Náměstí
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Located on famous Wenceslas Square, home to revolutions and protests, sits the grand Hotel Evropa. This Art Nouveau beauty was built in 1889 under the name At the Archduke Stephan, but between 1903 and 1905, architects Bedrich Bendelmayer and Alois Dryak rebuilt the structure in the Art Nouveau style with Bohumil Hubschman, Jan Letzel and Ladislav Saloun designing the gorgeous interior. The hotel is famous for its beauty and elegance and its exquisite ornate interior was featured in the Hollywood...![Prague Art Nouveau Architecture | Hotel Evropa]( "Prague Art Nouveau Architecture | Hotel Evropa")
Hotel Evropa
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Reinhardt Heydrich, nicknamed the butcher of Prague, was the Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia under the brutal eye of Hitler. He was attacked by Czech born British trained assassins in Prague on May 27 1942. The assassination proved successful, as Heydrich died one week later in a nearby hospital. The Nazi retaliation was atrocious, as approximately 13,000 people were tortured, arrested, killed or imprisoned. The villages of Lidice and Lezaky were literally wiped off the map, as the towns...![Prague Memorial]( "Prague Memorial")
National Memorial to the Victims of Post Heydrich Terror
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Pay a visit to the National Museum’s Antonín Dvořák Museum and spend an afternoon with the Maestro. Situated in a charming renovated Baroque townhouse (“Villa America”), this popular museum that was founded in 1932, showcases a nice collection of Dvořák’s personal items, period photographs, correspondence, music notes / autographs, and more; at the museum you can even see his writing desk, reading glasses, piano, honorary Cambridge robe, viola, and more. The villa was built at the beginning of the 18th...![Antonín Dvořák Museum]( "Antonín Dvořák Museum")
Antonín Dvořák Museum
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Overlooking the large green square (more like a large rectangle really) of Karlovo Namesti is the tower of New Town Hall. The hall dates back to 1377, when New Town was in fact new. Several additions were made in the 15th century including the sturdy tower complete with an intimate chapel and a massive bell. The Hall was the seat of New Town administration until Emperor Josef II joined Old Town. Lesser Town, Hradcany and New Town together into one...![New Town Hall | Prague New Town]( "New Town Hall | Prague New Town")
New Town Hall
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Located in the district of Prague 1 – New Town in the gorgeous city center at the corner of Jungmannova náměstí and Národní třída is Adria Palace, a true architectural gem. This significant architectural monument is both unique and unforgettable and houses an al fresco cafe that overlooks the architecturally interesting square, a famous theater and an interesting antique books dealer on the bottom level. Adria Palace, a marvel of Rondocubism, an architectural style originating and only present in the...![Adria Palace | Prague]( "Adria Palace | Prague")
Adria Palace
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If the two twin spires rising in front of this Gothic structure seem strange, recall that they were added in the 1960s after a British and American firebomb destroyed a section of the building in 1945. The monastery dates back to 1372, when Charles IV requested a Slavonic Benedictine order in Prague, centuries of peace followed. During WWII the Gestapo captured the monastery and sent the monks to the Dachau concentration camp. After the war a small number of monks...![Emmaus Monastery | New Town]( "Emmaus Monastery | New Town")
Emmaus Monastery
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Close to Karlovo Namesti is the oldest botanical garden in the Czech Republic, the Botanic Garden of the Faculty of Science at Charles University. The garden used to be in the Smíchov district, but due to flooding from the Vltava River, the garden was relocated in 1898 to its current location. Located a bit out of the main tourist way, this intimate garden is relaxing and romantic, with benches and couples in love everywhere you look. Its winding paths lead...![Charles University Botanic Garden | Prague Gardens and Parks]( "Charles University Botanic Garden | Prague Gardens and Parks")
Charles University Botanic Garden
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There are many mysterious places in Prague connected with legends and myths. But none is more mysterious than the Faust House in Karlovo Namesti. It is if shrouds of mist and magic surround this creepy Baroque house, and according to its magical history, magic did indeed exist. Various stories has appeared over the past years involving Dr. Faust and the Devil taking him to hell through a hole in the ceiling, as well as a story concerning a poor student...![The Faust House | New Town]( "The Faust House | New Town")
The Faust House
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Located in New Town is the intimate Mucha Museum. The world’s first Mucha museum is housed in a renovated Baroque palace and showcases an informative and impressive collection of Alfons Mucha’s work. The selection of over 100 exhibits consisting of personal photographs, paintings, pastels, charcoals, lithographs, and personal memorabilia provides an interesting insight into Mucha’s life. At the end of the exhibition you can watch a 30-minute educational video covering Mucha’s life. Special attention is paid to his time in...![Mucha Museum | Prague]( "Mucha Museum | Prague")
The Mucha Museum
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Located in New Town, just off of Wenceslas Square on lively Vodičkova Street, is Langhans Gallery Prague. Langhans Gallery Prague is a not for profit organization that holds exhibitions of photography, exhibitions that include classic and contemporary photography, including new media. The gallery works with Czech curators as well as curators from abroad and also publishes catalogues to accompany some of the exhibitions. An interesting archive of portraits from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s is on display here,...![Langhans | Prague Galleries]( "Langhans | Prague Galleries")
Langhans Gallery Prague
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Located close to the New Yorker retail store, the Wenceslas Square Christmas Market does not prove to be as magical as the Old Town Square and Namesti Miru Christmas markets, but is conveniently located in the shopping center of Prague, perfect for last minute gifts. It is smaller than the Old Town Square market, although it does feature a beautifully lit Christmas tree, which is magical when viewed from second floor cafes overlooking the market. Recent efforts to enhance –...![Wenceslas Square | Prague Christmas Markets]( "Wenceslas Square | Prague Christmas Markets")
Wenceslas Square Christmas Market
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Located on bustling Na poříčí Street leading to the business area of Florence is the Legio Bank Building, a prime example of Rondocubism in Prague. The Legio Bank is a must see for lovers of architecture. Designed by Josef Gočár and built in 1921 – 1923, the building was an excellent example of Czech nationalism at the time. The impressive building features a façade designed by famous Czech Cubist sculptor Otto Gutfreund, the first Cubist sculptor in the world; the...![Legio Bank Building | Prague]( "Legio Bank Building | Prague")
Legio Bank Building
