PRAGUE - 100 reasons to visit - Part III

More places to explore

The fortress Vysehrad -  from the 10th century is located on the hill above Vltava River. Explore the neo-gothic church, the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul and the Vysehrad Cemetery where many famous Czechs were laid to rest.

The Vysehrad Cemetery

The Karolinum is one of the oldest dormitory in Central Europe, build shortly after establishment of Charles University as a place for teachers and students to stay, serves today as a seat of Charles University. If you are interested in history and architecture, there are many more historic buildings in Prague. In 862, the missionaries from Tessalonica, Cyril and Methodius came to Czech lands and brought Christianity, so there are many beautiful old Romanesque,  Gothic and baroque churches to visit. There are many other interesting buildings to explore, such as the Dancing House or, as locals like to call it, the Ginger and Fred building. It was designed by Czech and American architects.

Dancing House 

Czechs are the art and music lovers and all year round you can attend an opera, ballet or concert in one of the many theaters, concert halls or churches, and visit their museums and art galleries.

Prague National Theater, a beautiful building and the most important Czech institution, is the embodiment of the will of the Czech nation for its national identity, as it was built by money collected from Czech people in the second part of 17th century. You may catch your favorite opera or ballet and if you are lucky they may play my favorite Czech fairy tale opera Rusalka by famous Czech composer Antonin Dvorak. He lived for years in America where, in New York in 1893,  he wrote his Symphony No. 9 "From the New World".

It is a treat to see Mozart's Don Giovanni at Stavovske Divadlo, which had a world premiere there in 1787, and was used for filming of the Oscar wining film Amadeus by Czech director Milos Forman. The theater is the only one still standing where Mozart performed himself. Also, in 1791, Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito was staged there for the first time in celebration of the coronation of Emperor Leopold II.

National Theater in Prague

State Opera House is the most beautiful of Prague opera houses,  formerly the German Theater, where Caruso, Gigli, Mahler and Strauss performed. Opera's repertoire is rich in mostly all the famous Italian but also other operas performed by wonderful Czech singers.

The State Opera House

Enjoy a concert in one of many Prague's halls or churches, such as St. James Church built in 1232, which is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in Prague. Its great acoustics make a wonderful venue for concerts or church music.

Another very interesting place to visit is Laterna Magica, an unusual theater, created in 1958 for the wold exhibition EXPO 58 in Brussels, Belgium. No words are spoken,  several other mediums are used instead: dance, sounds, lights, pantomime and  the combination of life stage media and film projection.

The Bedrich Smetana Museum is honoring much loved Czech composer Bedrich Smetana who is the author of several operas and the famous symphonic cycle Ma Vlast (My Country). One of the symphonic poems is about the river Vltava.  He was loosing his hearing, and unfortunately, was never able to hear his finished work.

View of Prague Castle from Bedrich Smetana Museum

If you are still not tired, after all that sightseeing, there is a night life in Prague with many night clubs open, where you can dance, listen to jazz or have a night cap.

So good night for now. Next time we will finish our blog about Prague with the information where to stay, dine, shop and how to get there. Until then enjoy traveling!