Lucerna Shopping Passage and Upside Down Horse
Lucerna shopping arcade is shopping under the watchful eye of an upside down horse dangling from the ceiling. The entrance to Lucerna Passage is flanked by U Novaku and Fortuna, two buildings with sparkling Art Nouveau facades. Covered indoor passages (pasáž in Czech) are very common in the centre of Prague. They became popular in the early 20th century when many of the buildings in the Nove Mesto district were built. These passages formed an integrated part of the building and offered alternative routes and shortcuts.
Lucerna Shopping Passage
Lucerna arcade is a maze of corridors lined with trendy shops, fashion boutiques, restaurants, cafes, the Lucerna Music Club and kavarna and a cinema. The shopping arcade only covers the ground floor on the top floors are offices. The round marble hall in front of the cinema is the centre of the arcade. Look up at the ceiling at a horse mounted by Saint Wenceslas, a nod to the equestrian statue of the same saint on Wenceslas Square.
Shops in Lucerna Shopping Arcade
* Fransyr: Perfect range of French cheese from all parts of France, from cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk, also unpasturized. French baguettes and pain au chocola as if you are in France! Fransyr is not only a shop but also a bistro where cheese and wine can be savoured.
* Delmas: Leather goods store with a large selection of handbags, briefcases, sports bags and wallets, leather gloves and belts. All bags designed and made by Czech designers.
* Kavarna Lucerna: Sit face to face with the horse dangling upside down from the ceiling. It’s a lovely old-fashioned cafe, a bit dark, easy chairs (a bit worn) and coffee served on small trays with a jug of hot milk and a glass of water. Come here to relax after a morning of sightseeing in Prague. The cafe often organizes musical events with live piano music.
* HappyFeet Records: Excellent vinyl record store with a wide range, mainly rock and pop. The LPs are in good condition, almost always scratch-free and reasonably priced. Listen to your record before you buy it, as was done in the old days.
*Jaroslava Prochazkova: Czech fashion designer with a very wearable collection that emphasizes the feminine line. Affordable fashion.
*Kino Lucerna: This classic cinema with original Art Nouveau details is one of the smaller cinemas in Prague and shows art films mostly with English subtitles.
* Ovocny Svetozor: A household name in Prague. Here you buy ice cream, drink coffee and eat the most delicious pastries. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, try chlebicky. These are open sandwiches spread with potato salad and topped with slices of ham or salami, egg and pickle.
* Cellarius: One of the oldest wine shops in Prague with a wide selection of wine from all over the world. There are regular wine tastings sessions. Excellent place to take a break from shopping for a glass of wine with snacks. They also serve coffee.
Location
Lucerna Passage is sandwiched between Stepanska and Vodickova streets, near Wenceslas Square. This famous shopping arcade was built between 1912 and 1916 by a consortium that included the grandfather of Vaclav Havel, the Czech ex-president. The seven-storey building was one of Prague’s leading construction projects and was designed in the spirit of the times.
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