Observation decks in Prague will allow you to see the city from an unexpected perspective. The viewpoints of the Czech capital are located in the historic center. Often these are fortress towers or bell towers of cathedrals, which are cultural heritage. And the study of these attractions immerses tourists in the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. Almost always, climbing to the very top is not an easy task. But the views from there are stunning: this is the Vltava River, and the historical center, and new buildings. All roofs, spiers, turrets, parks and squares, seen from a bird's eye view, fascinate forever.
Prague Castle
If you want to see the city from a bird's eye view and at the same time from the point of view, located in the historical center, there is no better place to find the Prague Castle. This fortress was founded in the 9th century. The most convenient place was chosen for her: a part of a cliff stretching from Petrin Hill to the east. The first walls were made of earth, wood was used for the frame, cobblestones were laid on top; only in the 11th century the structure was replaced with stone ones.
The garrison of the fortress easily controlled all the fords of the Vltava River and overland approaches to the fortification. It is no coincidence that the kings chose Prague Castle for their permanent residence. An exception was made in the 18th century: the residence was moved to Vienna. But the fortress was not forgotten either: it was reconstructed, after which the buildings acquired a single style. Today Prague Castle is one of the best viewing sites. From this point, an excellent panorama of the entire city opens up.
The views of the capital of the Czech Republic open up from the stairs:
- Mala is a country where vineyards are planted. It is rather a tribute to tradition: Charles 4 founded the first wineries in the country.
- Wonderful turrets and spiers are the hallmarks of Prague.
- Vltava river from the embankment.
Unfortunately, inside a well-fortified and fenced area, there is no convenient viewing platform: the walls block the view. But if you want to see more, you should climb to the platform of St. Vitus Cathedral.
St. Vitus Cathedral tower
Today the cathedral is the seat of the Prague archbishop. The construction of the building began in 1344 and lasted (without interruption) 600 years. This is the most impressive long-term construction in history. The result is impressive: times have changed, fashion has changed too.
The architecture of the cathedral combines:
- gothic
- neo-gothic
- Renaissance
- rococo
- baroque
Tourists note that it is impossible to get used to the look of the cathedral: new features are revealed every time. The building has not only historical and cultural value: the height of the tower is almost 100 meters, in order to climb the gallery, you will need to overcome 300 steep steps. The staircase is spiral, there are no recreation areas. Due to the small width of the opening, it is quite difficult to disperse with the oncoming flow of tourists. But you can stand in narrow niches (though there are not many of them). But the panorama that opens up and the absence of a large number of tourists are impressive and redeem all the difficulties of the ascent.
It is worth working hard to admire the marvelous views:
- Petrin Tower
- church of St. Mikulas
- Old Prague
- The Charles Bridge
- Old Town
- Lesser
- district Prague 6
- district Prague 7
Near the railing there are city maps showing the sights that can be seen from this point: this is convenient for guests who do not know the capital of the Czech Republic well.
Old Town Bridge Tower
This structure blocked the entrance to the Charles Bridge: the royal road was perfectly visible from it. The tower was built at the end of the 14th century. And Karl 4, the customer, did everything to perpetuate his own rule. The facade is decorated with:
- statue of Charles himself
- depiction of his son Wenceslas
- statue of St. Vitus
- coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire and the Czech Republic
The ensemble ends with Saints Sigmund and Vojtech: they watch people passing by from above. On the other side of the tower, the architect depicted statues of Charles 4, his wife Elishka, the Virgin Mary. But during the Swedish war, they were destroyed. The tower performed not only a defensive function: at the bottom there was a room for the rest of the guard, and the second floor was intended for the maintenance of rich and noble prisoners.
Not without intimidation. In the 17th century, townspeople and those entering the capital were greeted by an eerie garland: after the suppression of the uprising against the Habsburg dynasty, the tower was decorated with the heads of executed traitors for 10 years. Today the tower has lost its military significance: it is a monument of culture and architecture. At an altitude of 40 m, there is an observation deck, which tourists tend to climb. 138 steps lead up. This is the most accessible point of view of the city from a bird's eye view.
Vysehrad
Not so long ago, it was believed that it was Vysehrad who was the ancestor of Prague. But excavations have shown that the capital of the Czech Republic began with Prague Castle. The Vysehrad fortress is located on the rocky steep bank of the Vltava. It was an excellent fortification where a small garrison could hold off an enemy army. The first princes of Bohemia lived here, and from the walls of Vysehrad the young Libuše predicted the greatness of the future city. For 70 years it was the seat of kings. She was brought here by Vratislav 1 after a quarrel with her brother Jaromir.
Today expositions work in the fortress. And the unique location of Vysehrad allows you to enjoy the beauty of the Czech capital from different angles:
- An excellent panorama of the Imperial Meadow, the river with bridges and Prague Castle opens from the hill above the Vltava.
- From the opposite part of the park you can admire the Old and New places.
And the weather when viewed plays a secondary role: on a clear and sunny day you can see far away, and on a cloudy and rainy day - the panorama becomes scary and a little mystical. You can admire the view of the surroundings completely free of charge.
Strahov Monastery
The Strahov Monastery was built in the place where the city guards were located. The first building was erected in 1140. Over time, it became a rich institution: fields, orchards and vineyards stretched around. There were more granaries and wineries in the monastery than temples and premises for monks-premonstrants. All buildings had 2-3 floors (at the same time, the houses of wealthy citizens were one-story). The monastery has an extensive library, and since the 8th century, church hierarchs have been collecting a collection of paintings.
Subsequently, the library became public, and an art gallery was opened for the townspeople. After the fall of the Bolshevik regime, the Strahov Monastery returned to the believers. But there are expositions in it that were located at the time when it was closed. And near the walls of the monument of history and culture, the architect Kuza in 1995 designed a convenient viewpoint of the capital of the Czech Republic. The territory is tiled and fenced with a parapet. The hedges add charm to the place.
And you can see from here:
- Prague Castle
- Vysehrad
- Old Town Square
Under the viewing platform there is an alley, walking along which tourists see the old monastery garden and vineyards. 4 terraces are planted with this beauty.
Petrin Tower
This tower is located on the Petřín Hill, which bends around the Vltava River, so an amazing panorama opens up from it. The hill itself is the highest point in the capital of the Czech Republic. But in order to climb the tower itself, you will first have to conquer the Petřín Hill. This is also interesting: you can walk the entire distance on foot, admiring the gradually opening views of the city, or drive to the top by funicular to the top point.
This tower is the main attraction of the Petrin Hill. It is located at the very top, in the middle of a well-tended garden. The area around is very clean and elegant: lawns are trimmed, flower beds are laid out, there are benches for tired tourists to rest. As conceived by the architects, it copies the outlines of the Eiffel, but only in a 1: 5 ratio. And due to the fact that the structure is located at the highest point in Prague, it turns out higher by as much as 17 m.
Two places are allocated for the review: one in the middle, the second - at the very top, at an altitude of 55 m. Tourists are invited to appreciate the beauty of the views as they ascend. The tower is made of metal, its weight is more than 175 tons, and its height is more than 60 m. There are two ways to climb it: by elevator (for an additional fee) or on foot (almost 300 steps). But these are not worn stone steps of spiral staircases, but quite comfortable wooden ones. For the convenience of climbing, a railing is attached to the side. The difficulty of lifting redeems itself completely. Everything is visible:
- old districts and new buildings
- Vltava with bridges and embankment
- Prague Castle
- the Petřín hill itself with its wonderful green gardens
And the lower floor of the building offers to buy souvenirs in a local shop and relax in a cozy cafe. If you go down to the basement floor, you can see the exposition dedicated to Yar Tsimrman.
Zizkov TV Tower
They call her monstrous, but they consider her the most fashionable. They say that it combines the features of a spaceship and a Kalashnikov assault rifle. They argue whether to keep it or destroy it. But while the court is still in progress, the Zizkov Tower is the most visited point of view of the capital of the Czech Republic from a bird's eye view. The author of the TV tower project is Vaclav Aulicki.
In order to realize his idea, the old Jewish cemetery had to be demolished. And in 2000, it turned out that the structure needed to be balanced. Therefore, the sculptor David Cherny sculpted 10 babies and placed them on the structure. Whether the appearance of 700-kilogram babies crawling on the structure added to the tower's charm is an open question. But the citizens of Prague fell in love with two-meter black babies and show them to tourists.
There are no buildings above the Zizkov TV Tower in the capital, therefore, from all 3 sites, the city opens at a glance. In order to get to the desired floor, it is recommended to use the elevator. The ascent will take 20 seconds. But for tourists who want to test their strength, there is a staircase.
And the playground itself is the height of comfort and care for guests:
- you can relax in hanging chairs
- it is offered to look at the city through telescopes
- for lovers of unusual architectural forms, a model of the structure is exhibited
But that's not all. The fourth floor attracts visitors with thematic exhibitions. When hungry, guests can eat at the bar or restaurant. True, the prices here are cosmic. If you have a desire to stay for a long time, you should rent a hotel room, which is located here, on the tower. From this point you can explore Prague during the entire vacation.
Old Town Hall Tower
This is also a former outpost. But now it is a monument of culture and architecture. The inspection point is 56 m above the ground. To see the golden city from a bird's eye view, you will have to walk along the sloping ancient slabs. Few people will like this ascent, so many tourists use the high-speed elevator.
After you get tired of admiring the beauty of the capital of the Czech Republic, you can go down and see an unusual action. The Old Town Hall tower is decorated with a unique clock. They show the date, time, position of the zodiacal constellations, the time of moonset and moonrise. Here every hour a performance awaits guests: the Prague chimes beat the time. And before that, funny figures on the clock play out a performance.
Powder tower
At the end of the 15th century, the construction of the Powder Tower (or gate) began. The goal is usual: control over the entry into the capital of the Czech Republic. But after 10 years, the king moved the residence to Prague Castle, so the building was not completed. The construction was planned to be demolished, but after minor modifications (they added an external staircase of 186 steps and built a roof) they began to use it as a powder warehouse. This staircase is still valid today.
During the war with Prussia in the 18th century, the building was partially destroyed and looted. But in the 19th century, reconstruction began. The architect decided to compositionally combine the Powder and Charles Bridge tower. Josef Mozker tried to preserve the historical appearance of the building, but due to the addition of new details, the pseudo-gothic style turned into neo-gothic. Today the Powder Tower is a great landmark for tourists.
It is made of dark sandstone (due to the high proportion of iron) and is decorated with sculptures of Prague kings. Christian themes are also reflected in the design. You can enter the building and inspect the 1st floor for free. But to get higher, you have to buy a ticket. On the second floor there is a place for inspection. To climb here, you have to overcome all the same 186 steps. From a height of 44 m, the city opens up in all its glory.
Jindříš tower
In the 15th century, the inhabitants of the suburb required a church with a parish school. This temple became the cathedral consecrated by the saints Jindrich and Kuguta.
The church bell tower stood separately. Over the centuries, it was rebuilt several times:
- It was originally designed in the Gothic style. The most available material was used: local sandstone. The roof of the tree was blown away by the hurricane of 1801.
- In the 16th century, the bell tower was supplemented with a mechanical clock, figures were engraved on them.
- In the 17th century, during the war with the Swedes, the bell tower was a well fortified fort. The walls of the building were partially destroyed.
- In the 18th century, the authorities decided to reconstruct the bell tower in the Baroque style.
- At the end of the 19th century, the building was restored to its historical appearance. The new roof was designed by Moker and organically complemented the structure. The watch also changed its design.
Today the bell tower of the Church of Saints Jindřich and Kuguta is 10-storey high. The top floor has an excellent platform for viewing the city from a bird's eye view. But tourists are invited not only to explore Prague, but also to listen to the concert of bells. 10 discordant objects are installed here. You can also go up to the place of inspection by high-speed elevator in a few tens of seconds. And the most interesting thing is to overcome the staircase of 200 steps: it goes through the interior rooms, the interiors of which have been restored to the maximum.
Hanavskiy pavilion
Admiring the city from this place will appeal to those who prefer to combine art with a completely material thing: lunch or dinner. After all, today the Hanava Pavilion is a trendy restaurant. The history of the building began in 1891. The owner of the metallurgical plant ordered a pavilion for the industrial exhibition in Hanava. Designed by the Giesser building. Its goal was: to attract visitors with an unusual architectural solution.
The pavilion was decorated with openwork forged details. And in the hall, a column of cast iron was installed, around which samples of products from the Gohau plant were located. Part of the hall was set aside for the exposition of the products of the students of the factory school. But the exhibition has passed, the need for a pavilion has disappeared. Willem Gochau presented the building to the city. The pavilion was dismantled and transported to Letenskie Sady. Initially, it was used by Prague citizens walking in the park, fleeing the rain.
But later the city administration decided to open a restaurant in the pavilion. Unfortunately, the building is dilapidated. In the 70s of the last century, a large-scale reconstruction was required. During the work, the architects tried to return the building to its historical appearance. And today the Hanavskiy pavilion welcomes tourists again. It offers dishes not only of national cuisine, but also of European, Mediterranean and Oriental. And sitting on the open veranda, you can watch the Prague spread out at the foot of the hill.
Tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral
Although the building is called the Tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral in guidebooks, it belongs to Prague. And it was erected as a sentry room. And the bell, hanging at the very top, warned the citizens of Prague about the attack of enemies. The place for the construction was well chosen: the whole Malaya Strana could be seen from the loopholes. A solid structure about 70 m high made it possible not only to send a signal of danger to the townspeople, but also to reflect the attacks of enemies for some time.
A fire that happened at the beginning of the twentieth century seriously damaged the bells: there was only one left.It is called Mikulas (after the name of the saint in whose honor the cathedral was consecrated). Today it is a favorite place for tourists: at a height of 65 m, there is a platform, from the height of which the charming Malaya Strana opens. And the fact that the tower was once a signal tower is reminiscent of the exposition of ancient musical instruments. You can familiarize yourself with it before climbing to the very top. By the way, to get to the goal, you have to overcome 200 steps of a steep and narrow spiral staircase: there is no elevator in the room.
Restaurant "Terrace at the Prince"
A very unusual and romantic point of view of the city. It is located on the rooftop of the family hotel U Prince. The building was built in the 12th century, now it has been completely reconstructed. The owners have equipped a restaurant on the roof with a viewing platform to attract tourists.
To get upstairs, you need:
- go to the hotel reception, go to the elevator
- go up to the 4th floor
- decide on the choice: drinks and food or only food (this is necessary for placement on the terrace)
Some tourists believe that the panorama from the drinks area is better (you can see the cathedral, the entire square and the town hall). But this is a matter of taste. The dishes are offered national and European. Excellent beer, good wine. It is recommended to book a table in advance: there are many guests here during the high season. You can enjoy the views of Prague until 11 pm: then the institution closes.
