Old Town Square and other Prague, Czech Republic Things to Do Tips

Old Town Square is the center of the Old Town (Stare Mesto) and one of the major tourist attractions in Prague. You will find a plethora of restaurants, shops, and tourist attractions such as the Jan Hus statue, Church of Our Lady Tyn, Astronomical Clock, and others.

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Address: Staromestske namesti
Directions: Heart of Old Town

The Old Town Hall, built in 1338, is located at the Old Town Square. The outside of the tower has the Astronomical Clock. The tower is popular to climb for a good view of the Old Town Square. The inside houses a chapel and the Hall of Mayors of the City.

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Address: Starometska radnice, Starometske namesti.
Directions: Old-Town Square

When you are walking around the Old Town Square and see a massive crowd gathering at one corner at 15 min before each hour, they are waiting for the Astronomical Clock to go off. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Prague, although not nearly the most impressive.

The clock goes off every hour on the hour and features astronomical movements and a procession of statues of the apostles. The show is very quick, so if you plan on taking video or pictures make sure you are in a good spot 10-15 minutes before the hour. Crowds gather quickly.

I found a nice history of the clock here:
http://www2.intop.net/~jhollis/clock.htm

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Address: Starometska radnice, Starometske namesti.
Directions: Old-Town Square
Website: http://www.interprague.com/prague/astronomical_clock.htm

The Jan Hus Statue sits in the middle of Old Town Square. It was unveiled on July 6, 1915 - the 500th anniversary of his execution. Jan Hus was a Czech nationalist and religious reformer who spoke against the Holy Roman Empire's abuses through preaching. He was excommunicated in 1410 and was later tried for heresy and burned at the stake.

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Directions: Old-Town Square

The Church of Our Lady Before Tyn is located at Old Town Square. Construction began in 1380 with the finishing touches completed in 1835. The church was originally tied to Jan Hus and Hussitism but later became Catholic.

I walked around this massive church and couldn't find the entrance, which isn't uncommon for many tourists. I was short on time so I enjoyed it from the outside.

In the picture, it is the building with 2 huge spires sticking out.

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Phone: +420 222318186
Address: Tynsky chram.
Directions: Near Old-Town Square.
Website: http://tynska.farnost.cz/index_en.html

The Church of St. Nicholas at Old Town Square (not to be confused with the more popular St. Nicholas in Mala Strana) was built in 1735. It was once used by the Russian Orthodox Church. During World War II, the church stationed Czech troops, and after the war was turned over to the Hussite movement.

Choral and classical music concerts are currently held at the church on certain days.

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Address: Old Town Square, Stare Mesto
Directions: Old-Town Square

The Charles Bridge (Karlov Most) has been spanning the Vltava River for over 600 years. This is by far the #1 tourist attraction in Prague. The pedestrian-only bridge is made of stone and connects the Old Town with Mala Strana. Construction began in 1357 after being commissioned by Charles IV and was finally completed in 1402. For around the next 460 years, it was the only structure to cross the Vltava River. A popular story about the construction of the bridge is that egg yolks were mixed in with the mortar to strengthen it. So far, I would say its working.

The Charles Bridge is packed with tourists, artists, vendors, and musicians all day and gives great views of both banks of the river. Be prepared to get elbowed, poked, run into, and run over. If you have some time to kill, this is a great place to relax and watch all the people, especially in the surrounding scenery.

There is so much to say about the bridge that it can't be summed up in just 1 tip. See my other tips about the bridge.

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Address: Karluv most
Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town

Statues began to be placed on each side of the Charles Bridge in the 1600's. Many of them are copies, with the originals in a museum, but they are still very detailed and add to the mystique of the bridge. If you are walking on the bridge in the darkness of night, the statues can be intimidating as if they are looking over you.

There are statues of Christ, St. Wenceslas, and the most popular one of St. John of Nepomuk.

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Address: Karluv most
Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town

The statue of St. John of Nepomuk is the first statue placed along the Charles Bridge and also the most popular. He is a Czech patron saint who was martyred after being thrown off the bridge by bad King Wenceslas IV in 1393. The bronze on a part of the statue has been rubbed to a shine by visitors over the centuries, as seen in the photo. Touching the statue is supposed to bring good luck and ensure a return to Prague.

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Address: Karluv most
Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town

There are towers at each end of the Charles Bridge. For a small fee, you can climb the towers and get some great views of Prague and the bridge.

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Address: Karluv most
Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town