The Old Town Square in Prague (from the Czech Staroměstské náměstí) occupies fifteen thousand square meters and is a center of attraction for both residents and guests of the Czech capital.
The centuries-old history of this place leaves no one indifferent. Connoisseurs of architecture will be delighted with the buildings surrounding the square, on the facades of which you can study the styles of architecture, from Gothic and Renaissance to Baroque and Rococo. For people interested in history, Old Town Square will become an inexhaustible research topic. Lovers of mysticism are fascinated by many legends, secrets and legends.
From the history
The twelfth century - this period is considered the beginning of the formation of the Old Town Square. Successfully located at the intersection of European trade routes, in the Middle Ages this place was a market where there was an opportunity to purchase goods brought from different countries. In the thirteenth century, the square was called the Old Market. Over the course of seven centuries, it was repeatedly renamed until in 1895 it acquired the final name that it bears today. Old Town Square (pictured) is surrounded by a number of buildings with a long history.
Old Town Hall (from Czech Staromestska radnice)
This is an original building, the first part of which was presented to the city by the merchant Wolf Kamene. In 1364, a solid tower sixty-six meters high joined it. Then, in 1381, - a chapel, a little later, in 1410, on the south side of the tower - chimes.
Prague chimes (or eagles) have their own amazing story. The clock on the Old Town Square allows you to determine the current time and date, the movement of the sun and moon, their location in the zodiac ring. Every hour the chimes present a small performance filled with philosophical meaning.
The first part of the mechanism (clock and astronomical dial) was created in 1410 by the watchmaker Mikulas, the project was developed by astronomer Jan Schindel. Then, in 1490, Jan Rouge (or master Ganush) supplemented it with a calendar dial and made the first figure. Subsequently, the legend was born that this master was blinded by the decision of the Prague Council, which could not allow the creation of an analogue of such watches.
Tyn Church
The Church of the Virgin Mary in front of Tyn is an active Catholic church, its construction lasted more than two centuries - from 1339 to 1551. The author is P. Parler. In the architecture of the church you can find a mixture of styles such as Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Inside, there are unique things, including a font (1414), a pulpit made of stone (15th century), a sculpture of the Madonna and Child (1420), altars by ancient masters and, of course, the oldest organ in Prague, made in 1673.
The image of the temple is formed by two eighty-meter towers, which are called Adam and Eve. At the same time, Adam is one meter higher than Eve.
In 1621, a golden cup was removed from the main statue of the church. According to one version, the reason was the family of storks, who built a nest in the bowl. Once, while feeding the chicks, a frog lunch fell on a representative of the authorities, as a result of the storks they were deported, the cup was moved.
It is noteworthy that part of the gravestones (sixty people were buried in the temple) were damaged. This is due to the existing sign that claims to step on the stove - to get rid of toothache.
Church of St. Nicholas
It belongs to the Hussite church (a church of the Christian direction, the ideological founder of which is the Czech preacher and reformer Jan Hus). This temple is an invaluable Baroque building, preserved to this day. The building, which has existed since 1273, was laid at the base. The diameter of the dome is 20 meters, and its height is 49 meters. Within its walls you can hear the sound of a unique organ of the 18th century, on which Mozart played; enjoy viewing frescoes, wood carvings, stained glass; admire the crystal chandelier in the shape of a crown, which was presented as a gift by the Russian emperor Alexander II.
Kinsky Palace
National cultural monument of the Czech Republic. Built in 1765 in the Rococo style for Count Geltz. In 1768, the building was acquired by Stepan Kinsky, whose surname the palace owes its real name. The palace is decorated with magnificent stucco, statues depicting the ancient gods. Inside, since 1949, a gallery has been located, a collection of art objects is currently on display.
The walls of the palace preserved memories of many famous people. In 1843, Countess Kinsky was born, and later became known as Berta von Zutner, a writer, an active participant in the pacifist movement and the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize. At the beginning of the 20th century, Franz Kafka studied at the gymnasium located here.
Monument to Jan Hus
The very idea of erecting such a monument arose at the end of the 19th century and caused heated political debate, as a result of the memorial to Jan Hus was installed in the center of Old Town Square on July 6, 1915, exactly 500 years after its execution. The author of the project is Ladislav Shaloun.
Jan Hus - Czech national hero, priest, rector of the University of Prague, philosopher. With absolute faith in God, he questioned the activities of the church. Accused of heresy and burned at the stake. His execution laid the foundation for the Hussite wars in 1419.
Interesting details
In the sixties of the twentieth century, the square became a pedestrian. On its pavement there is a bronze plaque called "Prague Meridian", with an inscription translated from Latin that in the afternoon you can see the right time in Prague. Earlier, until 1918, the Mariinsky Column stood on the square, the shadow of which was projected onto this place at noon.
Old Town Square is surrounded by houses that are named after their style and character. House "At the minute" probably acquired the name on behalf of the owner of the trading shop, located in the house of Peter Minuyta. Another version of the origin of the name suggests that it comes from the word “mincemeat”, the so-called little things sold in the shop. "Storchow House", the house "At the stone bell", "At the stone lamb", "At the stone table" - each of them is unique and has an eventful history.
Characters of myths and legends
The attractiveness of the Old Town Square is not only in the magnificent buildings, temples, medieval streets. The Old Town has a large number of legends and legends about characters living outside the old walls. A ringing nun swinging the tongue of a bell on the Tyn Tower because of conscience, a chariot of fire harnessed by wild goats, a butcher with a fire ax who did not fulfill his duty in life, and even a skeleton asking for alms and a woman of easy virtue paired with a chaplain roam along the narrow streets extending from the Old Town Square.
Location
Address: Prague, Stare Mesto district, Old Town Square. How to get there: 15-20 minutes walk from the metro station "Staromestska", "Mustek" or "Place of the Republic".
The Prague metro starts at 4 a.m. and ends after midnight. Tickets can be purchased at special vending machines, shops and kiosks.