Prague Live Cam

Points of interests in the hotel’s vicinity: The Old Town Clock, this is one of the rarest of Prague’s symbolic heritage sites. It is a masterpiece of Czech gothic science and technology. The Old Town Clock is part of the Old Town City Hall, which dates back to the 14th century. From 1410 it has been inexorably linked to the Old Town Clock, which is the master work of a clock-making master, one Mikuláš z Kadanì (Nicholas of Kadan). The famous statues of the apostles were added later on, in the 17th century.

The Municipal House - This building belongs among the most important structures from the Art Nouveau period in Prague. It was built between 1904 and 1912 on a site of a former royal court occupied by Czech royalty between 1383 – 1484. The décor of the Municipal House was a multilateral effort by the most important of Czech painters and sculptors. The halls as well as the smaller salons are used for congresses, conferences, concerts, gala balls and fashion shows.

Wenceslaus Square – St. Wenceslaus Monument - Prague’s business centre. The upper part of the square has the St. Wenceslaus Monument dating back to 1912. It is the work of the sculptor J. V. Myslbek. The square is dominated by the Neo-renaissance style National Museum building.

The Church of the Holy Mother before the Tyne - Most impressive of the gothic-style sacral structures in Prague, built between the first half of the 14th centuries and the beginning of the 16th century. At the end of the 17th century, the interior had been re-built in Baroque style. The church is interesting among others for the altar paintings by Karel Škréta and the headstone of that famous stargazer-astronomer Tycho de Brahe.

The Jewish Cemetery - This is one of the most memorable Jewish burial grounds in the world. It has some 12,000 headstones. There are many famous people buried at the cemetery, such as Rabbi Loew, who according to the legend was the creator of Golem, mathematician and historian David Gans, the Jewish Town’s Primate, and patron Mordechai Maisel, physician, physicist and mathematician Josef Delmedigo and the bibliophile David Oppenheimer.

The Bethlehem Chapel - Founded in 1391 for church services in the Czech language. It was the focal point of Master Jan Huss between 1402 – 1412; in 1661 it was converted to a catholic church by the Jesuits and torn down in 1786. Between 1950 – 1952, the chapel’s replica has been re-built on the site.

Klementinum - This is the largest structure after the Prague Castle. This is the first college, which had welcomed the Jesuits in 1556. The college’s buildings had spread over five courtyards and the complex counted three churches, two towers, schools, the college library, theatre, planetarium as well as its own printing shop as an integral part of it.

Rudolfinum - This Neo-renaissance style building was built between 1876 – 1884 (architects J. Zítek, J. Schultz). It was initially used as a paintings gallery, housing museum collections and between 1918 – 1938 and 1945 – 1946, it served as the venue for the National Assembly. From 1946 on, the building was the home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and its Main Hall – the Dvorak’s Hall is world famous for its annual concerts under the name of “Prague Spring.”

Charles’s bridge - This is the oldest surviving bridge in Prague, whose cornerstone was laid in 1357. It links the Old Town and Lesser town and both its ends are fortified by towers. The bridge’s sides are decorated with 30 statues and statuary, which were gradually added from 1683 until the second half of the 19th century.

Lesser Town Square – Cathedral of St. Nicholas - One of the most important structures of the Prague Baroque period with its dominant dome and bell tower. Also, the cathedral’s interior is a prime example of the Baroque style. W. A. Mozart is known to have tickled the organ’s ivories during his stay in Prague.

The Prague Castle - This is a national heritage site, a symbol of more than a thousand-years of the Czech state’s growth. From its very inception in the last quarter of the 9th century, it has been growing since for the past eleven hundred years. It is a monumental complex of palaces, administrative, religious, fortifications and dwelling structures covering all building styles. It spreads over three courtyards, covering some 45 hectares. It was initially the seat of Czech kings and dukes and from 1918, it has been the traditional seat of the country’s presidents.

Prague Castle - Guidelines for Visitors

Prague Castle is part of the national cultural heritage managed by Prague Castle Administration, a contributory organisation of the Office of the President of the Czech Republic. Prague Castle is also the workplace and official seat of the President of the Czech Republic. The thoroughfares within the grounds of Prague Castle have the status of internal utility thoroughfares and are managed by Prague Castle Administration.

The Prague Castle grounds consist of an area which is encompassed by the following: The 1st and 4th courtyards, the South Gardens, Opys Street, the Black Tower, the Daliborka Tower, the Lower Deer Moat, Queen Anne's Summer Palace, the Royal Gardens, U Prašného mostu Street, the Upper Deer Moat and the Na Baste Garden. Information about Prague Castle can be obtained from the Prague Castle Information Centre, which will, on request and for a fee, provide a guided tours.

The opening hours of the individual buildings within the Prague Castle grounds, and the days on which they are open, may be altered subject to prevailing conditions.

A hidden treasure should be found at each right castle. There are many treasures at Prague Castle, but the idea of the chest overflowing with gold and jewels is not exact. First of all the coronation jewels and the art collections may approach our idea of treasure. The treasures, too, but mostly the information on the ancient life at Prague Castle brings the archeological research. The Archive of Prague Castle contains many valuable manuscripts, books and historic documents. You are invited to reveal all these treasures now.

The art collections of Prague Castle contain a wide scale of the articles of aesthetic, craft and historic value. The collection articles gathered as the decoration of the prince's seat, the ancient utility objects which became the art-craft of historic documents, the liturgical articles connected through their origin or destination with Prague Castle - there are the collection of Prague Castle.

According to these different types of articles, the collection funds are located in various places. Many of them serve as the furniture and decoration in the official rooms of Prague Castle and they are inaccessible for tourists. The collection of the best pictures will be exhibited in the Picture Gallery of Prague Castle. The documents on historic and building development of Prague Castle have been put in the depositories (the exhibition of the historic development of Prague Castle will be prepared). The liturgical articles and the decoration of the churches are mostly on their original places, or in the separated collection funds.

The St. Vitus Treasure

A wholly exceptional position among all the collections of artistic or historical articles at Prague Castle is held by the treasure of St. Vitus's Cathedral. Its age makes it stand out from all others, because its beginnings date back to the time of Prince Wenceslas. The existence of the treasure was documented already in 1069 in connection with the Basilica of St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert. Of outstanding importance, however, is also the liturgical value of the accumulated relics and liturgical articles along with the high standard of the artistic crafts involved and also - even if in last place - the quality and material value of the precious stones and metals.

During the centuries the treasure was enriched with numerous gifts and, on the contrary, suffered numerous losses during the wars. In the early 20th century the articles forming the St. Vitus treasure were listed by Bishop A. Podlaha, who published two versions of a catalogue in 1902 and 1903. The number of articles forming the treasure now exceeds four hundred. They are an immensely diverse whole. Apart from reliquaries, liturgical articles and vestments for the serving of mass it also contains various monuments, jewels, commemorative coins and medals.

The St. Vitus treasure is not exhibited.

The most important articles of the treasure

Clearly the oldest items are the parts of the armour of St. Wenceslas, preserved from the 9th to 10th centuries. Approximately or the same age is the so-called St. Stephen's sword with a carved bone handle of the 10th century. Two ivory horns with relief decoration also rank in the early Middle Ages.

The Romanesque period is represented by the artistically and technically exceptional lower part of the so-called Milanese bronze candlestick of the mid-12th century, formed by the interwined bodies of a human being and a dragon. A house-shaped reliquary decorated with enamel dates in the same period.

The most outstanding and important articles. come from the time of the reign of Charles IV. A crystal jug, originally made from a single big crystal, including the handle, served as a container for the so-called Lord's tablecloth, later kept in a spread state outside the container. The container with a lid for the relic veil of the Virgin Mary is also made of crystal. A nail from Christ's cross was set simply, but effectively in gold. Another reliquary of Christ's martyrdom contains the coronation cross, decorated with rare antique and early medieval cameos. Also set among them on the cross is an exceptionally big sapphire with a carving of Christ's face.

Another outstanding article - an onyx cup made of one piece of stone - has a gilded mantle bearing an inscription and emblem shields. Three reliquary busts, the gift of Vladislav Jagiello, have been preserved from the Late Gothic period. These busts of SS. Wenceslas, Vitus and Adalbert, hammered from silver plate, are decorated with gilding, real precious stones and their glass imitations. The Kolovrat relics panel with small silver sculptures, precious stones and engravings in mother-of-pearl is also of Late Gothic origin.

Apart from other monuments, the cross of Archbishop Medek, the silver reliquary of the Holy Five Brothers and especially an incomplete set of seventeen superb links of a decorative chain have been preserved from the time of the Emperor Rudolph II. Each one of these links is a separate gold jewelwith precious stones, pearls and miniature human and animal figures covered with coloured enamels. These decorations of a rich secular garment have survived thanks to the fact that in the last quarter of the 17th century they became parts of the monstrance of the dean Dlouhovesky. Another exceptionally valuable article - the St. Vitus tabernacle of variously coloured plates of precious stones - was made in the stone-cutting workshop of the Miseroni family, who worked at Prague Castle from Rudolph II's time.

The number of Baroque and Rococo monuments is relative large. Especially worthy of mention are chalices of gilded silver, a gold monstrance of 1766 and the washbasin of Archbishop Breuner.

The artistic craft of the 19th century is well represented by an Empire monstrance which belonged to King Charles X of France and as well as a glass Harrachov monstrance and a bouquet of roses made of gold plate. The last items to be placed in the treasure are finds from the graves of bishops and rulers, among them, for example, a hat worn by Rudolph II.