Alternative Sights to See
The following sights are some of the more unique or off the beaten track sights to see in Prague.
Prague Street Art
As you stroll around the city, be sure to keep a look out for the unique street artworks and sculptures dotting the city. For fans of The Beatles, enjoy some time examining the Lennon Wall in the Old Town, an homage to John Lennon covered in artworks, lyrics and memories since the 1980s. Or for those looking for a more contemporary commentary on political and cultural movements, David Černý’s works will often surprise and amuse you. In particular, his works include ‘Babies’, giant brass sculptures of babies in Kampa Park. A rotating ‘Head of Franz Kafka’ features 42 rotating panels which seamlessly move to shape and then disembody the struggling mind of the famous Kafka. For those who enjoy humour in their art, Černý’s ‘Piss’, a water fountain outside the Franz Kafka Museum, features two rotating male figures who literally ‘piss’ onto a map of the Czech Republic. The streets of Prague are filled with statues and interesting artworks, so for those who prefer an impromptu surprise, always look around, even high above the cobblestones of this great city. You may even spot another Černý original in the Old Town, ‘Man Hanging Out’ – don’t be afraid to look twice to reassure yourself that this figure is a statue of Sigmund Freud and not a poor soul dangling from a beam.
Memorial to the Victims of Communism
Olbram Zoubek’s sobering memorial to the victims of Communism, unveiled in 2002, tells a particularly personal story, Zoubek having been persecuted by the former regime during his life. Situated at the foot of Petrin Hill, Zoubek’s memorial depicts seven bronze figures descending a series of smooth concrete steps. The first man you see is whole but look further back and the figures stumbling down the stairs are damaged, missing limbs, torsos and heads. The memorial depicts the brutal oppression and punishment imposed upon the Czech people but also shows the remarkable resilience of the people. They are all still standing. A bronze strip along the length of the memorial offers the following statistics: 205,486 convicted, 248 executed, 327 died during illegal crossing the boundaries and 170,938 emigrated.
If you would like to learn more about life in Prague under Communist rule, visit the Museum of Communism in the New Town.
Petrin Lookout Tower
Petrin Hill rises up above the Lesser Town (Mala Strana) of Prague and offers a lovely green space to walk with great views across towards the Old Town. High atop the hill you can find the Petrin Lookout Tower. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris and originally built for the Prague Jubilee Exhibition in 1891, Petrin Tower is a 63.5m steel construction with an observation deck at the top. You can take the lift or climb 299 spiral steps to the top where you are greeted by spectacular views across the whole of Prague and the Bohemian countryside beyond. For an extra adventure, take the Petrin Funicular from Ujezd Street in the Lesser Town up to the Petrin stop. The funicular is integrated into the Prague public transport network and tickets cost CZK 24 for 30 minutes of travel (CZK 32 for 90 minutes).
Old Jewish Cemetery
Prague’s Old Jewish Cemetery is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe and offers a fascinating insight into the long Jewish history in Prague and the boundaries they faced when burying their dead. Founded in the early 15th century, just a block from the Old-New Synagogue (Europe’s oldest active Synagogue dating to 1270), the cemetery is in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, between the Old Town Square and the Vltava River. Due to restrictions over where the Jewish people could bury their dead, the cemetery was confined to a space no larger than a city block. Over 12,000 medieval tombstones fill the cemetery but it is thought that more than 100,000 bodies are buried in this hallowed ground. Due to the lack of space, bodies were often buried on top of one another, in some cases up to 10 deep. The earliest headstone in the cemetery dates to 1439 while the last dates to 1787. Today you can visit the cemetery as part of a tour of the Jewish Museum or Prague Jewish Town. You can walk through the cemetery and contemplate the thousands of crumbling, toppling headstones, grouped together and overgrown with ivy. Look out for the symbols carved into the headstones including plants, animals, and musical instruments.
Tickets to the Prague Jewish Town are CZK 420.
Tickets to the Jewish Museum in Prague are CZK 350.
Vrbta Garden
Vrtba Garden is a beautiful Italian-style Baroque Garden, nestled into the slope of the Petrin Hill. Originally built from 1715 – 1720, the garden encompasses three terraced levels, connected by sublime curved staircases. The gardens are small but beautifully manicured and feature a round pool, aviary, frescoes, statues, relief decorated vases, hedges and decorative flowerbeds. The gardens retain their ornamental Baroque design and offer a calm respite from the bustling Mala Strana streets outside. From the upper terrace there are excellent views across the Mala Strana rooftops to the Old Town beyond.
The gardens are open to April to October and tickets cost CZK 100.
