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Strahov Monastry - Cernin
Palace - Loretto - Hradcanske
Namesti - Archbishop's Palace
- Sternberg Palace - Schwarzenberg
Palace - Neruda street |
 The
area around Prague Castle is called Hradcany and spreads from the
hill of Strahov down to the Hradcanske Square. Many of important and
intersting sights, museums or galleries can be found on this route. |
| Strahov
Monastery
Strahovske nadvori1, Prague 1
tel:2051 7451
Open:Tue-Sun 9am-12:30pm; 1-5pm
The home of Premonstratensian monks had been set up here in 1140.
It was destroyed by fire in the 13th century and rebuilt in Gothic
style with later Baroque additions. The Monastry was nationalised
in 1948. There is one of the finest libraries in Bohemia and form
the most important collection. Within the ornamental and frescoed
Theological and Philosophical Halls, decorated by Ignaz Platzer, are
130,000 volumes and there are further 700,000 in storage. the attainment
of books didn't begin until the late 16th century when the Monastry
escaped Joseph II's dissolution of the monastries by changing its
place into a research institute. Another part of this area is the
Strahov Gallery with a fine exhibition of the collection of religious
art. The Gospel Book is the oldest manuscript trom 9th century and
is on display in the entrance to the library. The Museum of ntional
Literature is on the side of the comlex and is devoted to the Czech
literature. It is now still working monastery and the services are
held in the Church of Our Lady, which retains its twelfth century
basilica ground plan.
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 Cernin
Palace
This magnificent building is worth stopping here. It was commissioned
in 1669 by Humprecht Johann Cernin, the imperial ambassador to Venice.It
is 150m long with a row of 30 massive Corinthian half columns running
the lenght of its upper storyes. During the centuries it was damagd
and bombarded and in 1851 the Cernin family sold this place to the
state and it became a barracks. When Czechoslovakia was established
the building was restored to its original design and became the Ministry
of Foriegn Affairs. The popular son of the first Czechoslovakia president
Tomas Masryk died after a fall rom a top-floor window of the Palace.
It was just few days after Communist party won the election in 1948
and masaryk was the only non-comunist in the government. Noone really
knows whether he was pushed or jumped himself.
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Loreto
Loretanske nam. 7, Prague 1
tel:2451 0789
Open: Tue-Sun 9am-12.15 1-4.30pm
It was constucted in 1626 and had been important place of pigrimage.
It was commissioned by Katerina of Lobkowicz who was very keen to
promote the legend of the Santa Casa of Loreto.
The legend says that the original house was to be wher the Archangel
Gabriel told Mary about the future birth of Jesus, in the small Italian
town of Loreto. it was believed that angels transported the house
from Nazareth to Loreto in 1278 following threats by infields. After
the Protestants' defeat in 1620, Catholics lpromoted the legend and
50 replicas of the Loreto were built in Bohemia and Moravia. This
was the most important one receiving many visitors.
 The
Santa Casa was enclosed by cloisters in 1661 and the Baroque facade 60 years later
by brothers Dintzenhofer. The whole disign was part of Frdinand II's campaign
of Czech recatholisation.
There are 27 bells in the Bell Tower that ring out every hour a malody
called "We Greet You a Thousand Times". Except looking around the
grouns of the complex there are jewels in the Loreto treasury on the
displya, which most of them are monstrances from 16-18th century.
Some of the prettiest and quietest streets of Hradcany can be explored
behind the Loreto. This part was built in the 16th century for for
the Prague Castle staff. At the foot of the hill is Novy svet (New
World), street of coloured cottages restored during 18 and 19th
centuries. Tycho Brahe lived at No.1,called "The Golden Griffin" |
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 Hradcanske
Namesti
This square just in front of the Prague Castle is surrounded by many
palaces built by Catholic aristocracy. Most of the buildings and little
houses around were built in Renaissance.
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 Archbishop's
Palace
The palace dominates the square. It was bought by Ferdinand I and
replaced the old Arbisop's Palace in the Little Quarter.After the
battle of the White Mountain the presence of the Archbishop's palace
next to the Castle was a powerful symbol of Catholic, that they dominated
the city and czech lands. It was build in the 16th century and the
rococo faccade was designed by Johan Joseph Wirch in the 1760s. It
is not open to the public.
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Sternberg Palace
Hradcanske nam. 15, Prague 1
tel:2051 4599
Open: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm
The Baroque building houses the National Gallery's 14th-18th century
collection of european art. Franz Josef Sternberg founded the Society
of Patriotic Friends of the Arts in 1796. The collection became the
property of the state just before World War II. The collection includes
some outstanding paintings like the Feast of the Rosary by Durer ,
Haymaking by Pieter Brueghel the elder, self-portrait by Piccaso or
self-portrait by Henri "le Douanier" Rousseau.
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 Schwarzenberg
Palace
Hradcanske nam. 2, Prague 1
tel:2020 2020
Open: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm
One of the most imposing Rennaisance buildings was built originaly
for the Lobkowitz family between 1545-76. the building is interesting
by using its sgraffito on the flat wall. this rather Florentine style
building passed several hands before Scharzenbergs and much of the
interior decoration has survived. The Military Museum has been there
since 1945 and houses a collection of arms, armour and uniforms from
the time of first Slavs up to 1918.
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 Neruda
street
 This
historic street leading down or up to the Prague castle is named after the 19th
century Czech writer and journalist Jan Neruda. Most of the little house vave
a house sign above the main door and one can tell the name of the each house.
For example the house At the Three Little Fiddles, near at the bottum of the
street, was a home of a family of violin makers around 1700. The house At the
Two Suns used to be the Neruda's home. Today the street is full of restaurans,
cafes and little souvenir shops being open even on Sundays and Bank holiday.
The replica of old pharmacy shop is being open to the public.
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