Falkensteiner Hotel Maria Prag

DISCOVER PRAGUE

THOUSANDS OF TREASURES IN THE “GOLDEN CITY”

The “golden city”, the “city of a hundred towers” the “crown of the world”: ever since medieval times Prague has been renowned as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and rightly so, because the different cultures that for centuries have followed one upon the other have, as far as urbanisation is concerned, made Prague a unique and extremely important urban environment. A city that has inspired painters, poets and photographers, that has thousands of stories to tell, and that evokes, with its eternal beauty, an extraordinarily magical atmosphere which visitors find difficult to resist.

As well as the many cultural attractions  Prague also has plenty to offer to the most discerning of palates. “Haute Cuisine” can be found in many of the city’s restaurants alongside oriental specialities and tasty traditional dishes. Prague’s night-life is varied and lively. Coffee bars, taverns, inns, as well as stylish clubs, lounges and night-clubs vie for the patronage of the many tourists.

The city also has plenty to offer as far as shopping is concerned. Whether wandering idly around the music and book shops, shopping in the exclusive boutiques or rummaging in search of antiques and curiosities, Prague has something for everyone.

The reception desk will be happy to provide you with whatever information you may need to help you decide what to do in Prague, and where and when to do it. In addition we can purchase tickets for cultural events or even help you organise or participate in guided tours.


To help you plan your stay and enjoy Prague in all its glory, we’ve prepared a brief description of its splendid sites and attractions:

During the 9th century, apart from several brief interruptions, Prague castle (Hradschin), very likely the largest inhabited castle in the world, represented the very centre of Prague’s and Bohemia’s politics and authority. Still today the President of the Czech Republic resides here, offering hospitality to a constant flow of international visitors. Numerous kings and emperors have left their architectural mark on the castle, and visitors interested in history and art can spend an entire day exploring this area which measures 800 by 180 metres. Probably the most interesting monument of all is the imposing Saint Vitus Cathedral, the largest church in Prague and a symbol of Gothic style cathedrals. The briefest of visits to the castle should also include a visit to the royal palace as well as a tour around the legendary “golden lane”.

St. Vitus Cathedral: when Charles IV ordered a cathedral to be built a number of Romanic churches had already previously existed on that area. The work was begun by the French master-mason Matthias von Arras in 1344 and carried on 12 years later by Peter Parler from Schwäbisch Gmünd. Many more master-masons were to follow since the monumental cathedral took almost  600 (!) years to complete. The three-aisle cathedral is today 124 metres long, the transept occupies a 60° angle and is 33 meters high. The main tower stands almost 100 metres high. Of particular interest to visitors is the chapel of St. Wenceslaus with its precious frescoes and adornments of semi-precious stones.

Golden Lane: the picturesque little lane, often also called goldsmiths’ lane, became a tourist attraction thanks to a legend: it is said that here, under the rule of Rudolph II, a number of alchemists were engaged in producing artificial gold. Even though the fact was never historically confirmed the fame of the little lane remains intact. Once upon a time, in the little houses situated right below the castle walls lived the royal guards, after which it became a quarter inhabited by the poor. In some parts the little street was just one metre wide and sanitary conditions were deplorable to say the least. For some years the writer Franz Kafka lived and worked on his novels here. Today these tiny little streets house numerous souvenir shops.

Wenceslaus square: the square with the equestrian statue of Prince Wenceslaus is practically the symbol of all the political changes that the country has been subjected to in the last hundred years. It saw the birth of the Czech Republic in 1918, it survived the dark years of the Bohemian and Moravian protectorate, it was witness to the “Prague spring” and the intervention of the soviet army as well as to the “velvet” Revolution of 1989. Wreathes and garlands of flowers are placed here to commemorate all of the most important anniversaries. At the same time however the square is at the throbbing centre of the city and is surrounded by many theatres, restaurants and cinemas.

The Charles bridge: like the castle the bridge is one of the symbols of Prague: no visitor could possibly avoid taking a walk here. Here too peace reigns only very late at night. The bridge’s first stone was laid in 1357, after an earlier bridge (Judith’s bridge) collapsed following a flood. For centuries it was the only fortified bridge across the Moldau and represented an important bottleneck to all main trade routes. Charles IV engaged the services of the  architect  Peter Parler, master-mason on St. Vitus Cathedral. The bridge’s  30 statues, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, today represent an extraordinary outdoor gallery of baroque sculpture, although unfortunately some of the original statues have been substituted with copies over the years.

Fleku: ever since the 15th century this historical tavern has been producing a famous dark beer. Patrons can choose from a number of different rooms, or when the weather is warm they can sit in the interior garden listening to music. Those who appreciate fine beer should not miss a taste of this strong brew.

The Jewish cemetery: memorials worn away by bad weather and the passage of time, hundreds of crooked gravestones and knotty trees, together bestow a singular and eerie atmosphere on the medieval Jewish cemetery. The cemetery is one of the few remaining ruins of the Jewish ghetto, whose narrow little streets were demolished in the 1900s to make way for modern Liberty style buildings and wide avenues.