City Walk from Old Town Square to Prague Central Station
This two-kilometre city walk takes you past a number of highlights in the centre of Prague. You walk across Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock and Tyn Church. You can go shopping in Palladium Shopping Mall. Narrow, winding streets lead to the Jerusalem Synagogue with an impressive interior. The walk ends at Central Station and a visit to Fantova Kavarna, a café in Art Nouveau style.
START: Metro station Staromestska (line A)
END: Prague Central Station
LENGTH: 2 km
1. This city walk starts at the corner of Kaprova and 17 Listopadu Street. Walk into Kaprova to the end and keep St. Nicholas Church on your left. You are now on Old Town Square.
St. Nicholas Church
If the church door is open, go inside to admire the impressive interior. The chandelier was a gift from Russian Tsar Nicholas II to the Orthodox Church, which had been using the church since 1871. Now it is a Hussite church.
Read more about St. Nicholas Church
Jan Hus Monument
In the middle of the square stands the Monument to Jan Hus, a preacher and critic of the Catholic Church. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Hus’ martyrdom.
Tyn Church
The church is hidden behind buildings, but its towers are clearly visible: two non-symmetrical towers symbolizing the feminine and masculine sides of the world.
Read more about Tyn Church
Astronomical Clock
The clock is on the side wall of the town hall. In addition to the time, the clock also shows the days, the sidereal time and the position of the moon and the sun. Every hour, on the hour, you can watch the spectacle of the twelve apostles that lasts less than a minute.
Read more about the Astronomical Clock
2. Walk into Celetná, pass under the Powder Tower.
Celetna Street and House of the Black Madonna
Celetná is a pleasant shopping street. On the corner of Celetná and Ovocný trh is the House of the Black Madonna, the first cubist building in Prague, which originally served as a department store. Now the building houses the Museum of Cubism and a café, Grand Cafe Orient, furnished in cubist style.
Read more Museum of Cubism and Grand Cafe Orient
Powder Tower and the Municipal House
At the end of Celetná is the Powder Tower with the Municipal House, Obecní dům, next to it. This building is best known for its lavish Art Nouveau decorations, sculptures, stained glass windows and paintings by leading Czech artists of the early twentieth century.
Read more about the Municipal House, Obecni Dum.
Palladium Shopping Centre
Opposite the Municipal House is Palladium, the largest shopping mall in the centre of Prague with 200 shops and 20 restaurants.
Read more about Palladium
3. Keep the National Bank on your right and take the first street into Senovážná. Turn left into Jindřišská. Take the first street on the right into Jeruzalémská.
Jerusalem Synagogue
At number 7 in Jeruzalémská is the Jerusalem or Jubilee Synagogue, built in Moorish style with Art Nouveau details. This synagogue is a place of worship for the Jewish community in Prague but can also be visited. The permanent exhibition gives an overview of the Jewish community in Prague from 1945 to the present day using photos, documents, video footage and documentaries.
Read more about the Jerusalem Synagogue
Mosaic Pavement
Make sure to look down because sidewalks in Prague are true works of art. The pavement in front of the synagogue is a mosaic of black and white cobble stones in the shape of stars.
Read more about mosaic pavement
4. Continue Jeruzalémská. Pass through Vrchlického sady, a small park, to the entrance of Prague Central Station.
Winton statue group
On platform 1 there is a statue group in tribute to Nicolas Winton who, just before the Second World War, put almost seven hundred Jewish children on transport to England and thus saved their lives.
Read more about Nicolas Winton
Fanova Kavarna
Fantova kavárna is a café at the original main entrance of the station right under the dome. The ticket counters used to be here.
Shopping Centre Central Station
A large part of the station is a shopping centre with fashion boutiques, cosmetics and perfumeries, books and sports shops and also plenty of fast food, cafés and supermarkets.
Read more about Prague Central Station
END OF THE CITY WALK
Photos: Marianne Crone
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