Petrin in Prague. Petřín Hill in Prague - an observation deck, parks and relaxation in silence. These languages ​​are spoken here

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Area Information

Petrin Park residence boasts the ideal spot for young, modern and adventurous travelers that are active, social and prefer their independence. This excellent location allows you to walk to the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square, Petrin Tower, and many more. There are many great coffee shops and restaurants located in this neighborhood; from trendy new bistros to local Czech cuisine, the possibilities are endless. By staying in our residencies, you can spend more time experiencing the beautiful city of Prague and less time traveling back and forth to your hotel.

These languages ​​are spoken here

Czech, German, English, in Russian

Its height is 327 meters.

You can climb the hill daily, the ascent is free. There is a funicular, as of November 2018 it was not working. You can ride the cable car with a pre-purchased public transport ticket.

⭕️ How to get there:

• You can get to the funicular station at the Újezd ​​stop by trams - 7, 9, 20, 22, 23, 12.
• On foot or by taxi.

If you go up on foot, then go up the asphalt road. There are several trails, but they will all lead you to the top.

Paved paths are not steep and there are paved paths leading steeply up, we climbed just like that.

Along the way, you will meet a drinking fountain, a pond with ducks and a panoramic restaurant with national Czech cuisine will be higher.

While you are admiring panoramic views of Prague and meeting squirrels, you will not notice how you climb to the fortress wall, all of you are at the top! The wall is called Hungry or Zubata.

Today, the "hungry wall" among the Czechs means useless work, and according to legend, Charles 4 sent beggars to build a wall, whose work was paid with bread. Jagged wall because of its battlements and towers.

In pagan times, the hill was a place of worship for Perun.

Inside the walls is another park with picnic areas, an observatory, the church of St. Lawrence.

⭕️ Where to eat: There is a restaurant at the back of the park.

One of the main attractions of the hill is the observation tower, which resembles its Parisian " older sister» - The Eiffel Tower.

Ticket price for an adult 150 kroons, lift 60 kroons. Prices are current as of November 2018. Cards are not accepted for payment. There is an ATM next to the cash register.

Working mode:

• October - March 10:00 - 20:00
• November - February 10:00 - 18:00
• April - September 10:00 - 22:00

At the top of the tower there is a magnificent view of Old Prague.

On the first floor of the tower there is a cafe with a terrace on the street, here you can easily have a bite to eat and drink coffee.

On the street there public toilet, entrance 20 CZK. There is a mirror labyrinth in the castle building.

After enjoying the beautiful views, we return to the city through the beautiful gardens along the beautiful paths of the Petrin Gardens.

Words cannot express how beautiful it is here in the golden autumn on a foggy November morning. I definitely want to come back here in the spring, when nature will come to life and the territory will turn into a flowering garden of cherry, pear, plum, almond trees, no less and an extraordinary riot of colors and aromas.

Hill Petrzyn ( Petrin) is a hill worthy of the attention of every tourist. It is located on the left bank of the river, the highest point reaches 327 meters.

The hill has been known since ancient times, because it was here that the pagans worshiped the god of thunder - Perun. With the erection of the Hunger Wall under Charles IV, the hill gained strategic importance for the city.

At the top of the hill is an observation tower that visually resembles the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Here you can also visit the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, the mirror labyrinth and the Petrin Gardens.

A legend is connected with the hill, according to which it was from here that Princess Libuse predicted the appearance of the capital of the Czech Republic - Prague. It is also interesting that the legendary Russian poetess, prose writer, poet and translator of the 20th century, Marina Tsvetaeva, mentioned Petrshinsky Hill in her work “The Poem of the Mountain”.

• (30.00 €, 2 hours)
• (35.00 €, 2 hours)
• (40.00 €, 2 hours)
• (60.00 €, 4 hours)
• (65.00 €, 7 hours)
• (65.00 €, 4 hours)

Routes around Petřín

For you, we have compiled 2 routes. The first one is educational and entertaining, it is recommended for walking with children. The second is suitable for an evening, romantic walk.

Attractions Petrin

For your convenience, we have created interactive map Petrin Hill, where all the sights that are located on its territory are noted. To get information about an object, just click on the required number.

Interactive map of Petrin Hill

The main attractions of Petřín

Click on the object of interest to read more about it.

• 3. Flower Garden / Rose Garden
• 4. Stefanik Observatory
• 5. Petrin Tower
• 6. Mirror Maze
• 8. Hungry wall
• 9. Funicular
• 10. Nebozizek Garden

• 12. Monastery of St. Gabriel
• 13. Summer Palace of Kinsky
• 14. Church of the Mother of God Triumphant
• 15. Vtrbovsky garden
• 16. Church of Saint Charles Borromeo
• 20. Statue of Neruda
• 21. Memorial to the Victims of Communism

Strahov Stadium - Strahovský spartakiádní stadion (1)

The Strahov Stadium, built in 1926 and located almost in the center of Prague, is somewhat away from the popular tourist routes. The uniqueness of the project of the architect Alois Driak is associated with the size of the football field of the stadium - 310 x 202 meters or 63,000 sq.m. The grandstands located around the stands can accommodate 220,000 spectators with 56,000 seats.

Initially, the building was intended for holding All-Sokol meetings and was mostly wooden. By the next rally in 1932, wooden structures were replaced with concrete, and the reconstructions of 1948 and 1975. gave the stadium a modern look. Since 1990, the huge building has been rarely used, usually as a concert venue, where many popular bands and performers performed.

Now the stadium is practically not used, thereby causing problems for the city council. The tribunes and service premises are abandoned, small shops and firms huddle in places, but in general the concrete structure is empty and is gradually falling into disrepair. During the last attempts to save the building, the field was divided into 7 standard football fields and futsal fields. There were certain hopes for the reconstruction of the building in connection with the possible hosting of the 2016 Olympics in Prague, but the country's application was rejected. As an option, the possibility of demolishing all buildings on top of Strahov Hill (including the stadium), which offers a magnificent view of the historic city center, and building up the area with luxury real estate and shopping centers is being considered.

Strahov dorms and Silicon Hill club - Koleje Strahov a klub Silicon Hill (2)

Prague is both old and very young at the same time: there are a huge number of students from all over the world. The largest hostel is located on Petrin Hill, in the Prague district of Strahov.

Hostel complex

The complex consists of 12 buildings, there is a stadium nearby, and athletes used to live here. The complex has sports grounds, on one of the buildings there is a climbing wall. Otherwise, the hostel is like a hostel: corridors with rooms to the right and left, a shared kitchen, study rooms, one large and cheap dining room by Prague and Russian standards. Student life is equally beautiful everywhere: being content with little, young people dream of the future and do not notice the lack of special comfort.

The main thing in the complex is by no means the living conditions, but the association located here - the Silicon Hill club, the club of the Student Union of the Czech Technical University.

Silicon Hill Club

This club is one of the first non-profit organizations created after the fall of Czechoslovakia. It brings together students involved in IT technologies and has established itself not only in the country, but throughout the world.

The club has 4200 members and 1 official employee on the payroll: a secretary in the office. Students created and serve the largest local network in the world, linking all the Strahov dorms. The club has many of its own projects: an audiovisual center, a UNIX technology center, a fitness center.
The student spirit of democracy and enthusiasm hovers in the corridors of Strahov's dormitories: you can create any project you like, even the craziest one, but if you defend it before the club's council, then you and your team will be supported.

The school of knowledge, communication and leadership is what the Silicon Hill club is, and it's great that they connect the past and the future of Prague.

Flower Garden - Zahrada Květnice (3)

At the top of Petřín Hill is one of the most picturesque and beautiful gardens in Prague, which is called the Garden of Flowers.

The first plants in it were planted in 1932. The garden is bounded by the 17th-century fortifications and the Hunger Wall, which was commissioned by King Charles IV in the 14th century.

The entrance gate, which in the Czech Republic is called "Secret", is braided with ornamental grasses and richly trimmed shrubs. The Flower Garden itself is formed in the likeness of a classic English park and covers an area of ​​​​almost 1600 m2. The originality of the rose garden is given by its unusual structure. It is divided into three parts of different shapes. One part is a circle, the other is made in the form of a fan, and the third is a parterre with a hornbeam hedge. All flowers in the flower beds are planted strictly by color.

For the most part, the Garden of Flowers consists of perennial plants, of which there are more than 3000 on the territory of the flower garden. Since the flowering period for all plants is different, you can enjoy the view of green spaces almost all year round.

The Garden of Flowers is not included in the register of must-see sights when visiting Prague, but it is worth a visit. At least in order to return to childhood for a few minutes and feel like a small child in a fairy tale.

Rose garden - Růžový sad (3)

Site of the Rose Garden with an area of ​​5.6 hectares, which today is protected as a cultural monument Czech Republic, until the beginning of the twentieth century was used for military purposes. It was only in 1932 that the transformation of this plot of land into a city garden began. Today the Rose Garden consists of the rose garden itself, the garden of perennials and areas of trimmed hornbeams.

Rosary in the form of a rosette and like a fan was created in 1932-1934 as part of the project of Josef Kumpana. For planting, 8000 roses of various shapes and types were donated large enterprises. Today, roses are planted in ellipses, circles or a fan.

In the south, in 1935-1937, a perennial Kvetnice garden with one entrance was laid out in the shape of a rectangle, designed by landscape designer Zdeněk Profouz. There he concentrated perennials, aquatic and marsh plants in small containers.

The rest of the park after 1938 was given over to lawns, where the shape of the hornbeams is constantly monitored.

As the name suggests, the main attraction in the garden are the roses, which have risen to 12,000 (by the way, the unique rose of General Stefanik grows here). Comfortable benches allow visitors to enjoy the scent of flowers.

Entrance to the Rose Garden is free and available throughout the year.

Stefanik Observatory - Štefánikova hvězdárna (4)

There is a scientific institution on Petrin Hill, whose name is inscribed in golden letters in the history of astronomy. This is the observatory named after Milan Stefanik.

Milan Stefanik, one of the founders of Czechoslovakia, is a legendary pilot and astronomer-scientist who did a lot for the development of this science in the Czech Republic. A monument to him is erected in front of the building.

The observatory currently has three telescopes that allow observing celestial bodies and obtaining high-precision scientific data.

One of the telescopes, installed last, is used only by scientists, while the other two are available to anyone interested in other worlds.

The observatory staff has developed a number of educational programs for various categories of the population - from people of retirement age to the smallest. These programs are very popular, as distant galaxies have always beckoned.

He works at the observatory and has his own exhibition. Its exposition presents the history of the observatory itself, Interesting Facts, case studies, rare photos the starry sky, pieces of meteorites that you can buy as a memento of your visit.

Over the years of its existence, more than 120 studies have been carried out at the Stefanik Observatory.

Stefanik Observatory - Sloupové sluneční hodiny (4)

The sundial in the garden on Petrin Hill is one of the oldest clocks of this type in Europe. Due to the fact that the clock is very well preserved, it is able to captivate visitors for a long time with numerous small details. It's hard to believe, but once upon a time it was from this clock that the inhabitants of Prague learned the exact time.

At first it seems that this is nothing more than an intricate puzzle. In fact, this is a complex mechanism for determining the time of day. Moreover, for each season, these watches have their own segment. This is due to the fact that the height of the sun above the horizon varies throughout the year. All this was known to the masters who made this masterpiece.

The gray stone is dotted with lines and resembles an ancient table with inscriptions. Next to the clock is an instruction that you can use to learn how to determine the exact time by the sun. It will take a long time to delve into the complex system of signs and lines, but, nevertheless, this activity will seem interesting to both adults and children.

In addition to time, these watches show the position of the earth relative to the sun depending on the season, which is reminiscent of the modern astronomical calendar.

You can look at them for free, as they are in the open air. Visiting hours - from 900 to 2200 hours.

Petřín Tower - Petřínská rozhledna (5)

Everyone should visit the observation tower - from young to old. The tower has two viewing platforms, which are accessed by both a spiral staircase and an elevator, for which you will have to pay separately.

Petrin Tower

Climbing, we saw small children heroically climbing to the top. In some places there are special places for rest, where you can sit down and relax. Climbing is not easy, but you can climb. For the disabled, or those who are afraid not to reach the top for other reasons, there is an elevator (55 crowns per person), which also makes two stops.

From here you can enjoy the best panoramic views of Prague. The tower is included in the list of the best.

Mirror maze - Zrcadlové bludiště (6)

Outside, this is an ordinary miniature castle, and going inside, you find yourself in an endless space. This is the Mirror Maze. It will be interesting for both adults and children. At the end of the walk you will find yourself in a hall with curved mirrors, where you can have some fun.

The wooden building was built in 1891 as an exhibition pavilion of the Anniversary Exhibition dedicated to the achievements of the Czechs in the fields of culture, art and construction. This building was interesting because it completely imitated the Vyshegrad towers of the Thirty Years' War. During the passage of the exhibition, at its entrance there was constantly a porter dressed in clothes of that period. He held a lantern in his hands and greeted the guests with loud sounds of the palace trumpet.

After the end of the exhibition, the question arose about the future fate of the structure, and it was decided to place the Mirror Labyrinth in it.
Mirrors were mounted for several years, achieving the effect of endless Gothic halls. A complex system of mirrors forms bizarre tunnels, cutting off from reality and creating a complete feeling of no way out.

Mirror Maze

There is a legend that once a group of young people entered the labyrinth, but never left, getting lost in the labyrinth of time. Until now, they roam the labyrinth, trying to find a way out of it, but in vain...

All the endless tunnels of the Labyrinth are created by only 31 mirrors. 14 distorted mirrors are located in the Hall of Laughter, which was added to the Labyrinth in 1911.

After passing the Labyrinth, as a reward, a historical diorama opens up with the image of the battle between the Czechs and the Swedes in 1648. The combination of relief image and flat plan gives a realistic feeling that you are in the thick of the action.

The Mirror Labyrinth is considered one of the most visited and loved attractions in Prague. About him, we have a separate, detailed one.

Church of St. Lawrence (Vavřinets) - Kostel svatého Vavřince (7)

The church owes its origin to an old Prague legend. For centuries, this place was worshiped by the god of fire Perun and the spirits that appeared in the fire. In an effort to strengthen Christianity and eradicate pagan rituals, Prince Boleslav II in the 10th century was not afraid of threats from evil spirits and ordered to lay a church here. It was dedicated to the deacon who died in the fire - St. Lawrence (Vavrhynets), the patron of all cooks.

Initially, the church was wooden, but later rebuilt in the Romanesque style from stone blocks hewn right on Petřín. After the Gothic reconstruction of the 14th century, a cruciform vault and a sacristy depicting scenes from the life of Vavřinec were added, and in the 18th century the church was renovated in the Baroque style at the expense of the Brotherhood of Cooks. The project was attributed to Karl Ditzinhofer, but Ignatius Palliardi also played a significant role in it - the church received two domed towers 24.5 m high with semicircular windows, a convex northern facade and baroque statues of the Holy Trinity.

Having suffered due to the reforms of Joseph II, the dilapidated church waited full recovery only in 1985-1991, designed by the architect Josef Hizler. In the interior you can see paintings by Vaclav Markovsky and Jean-Claude Monn, an unusual crucifix - the work of Jiri Pelchl, the head of one of the leading design studios in the Czech Republic, and a magnificent baroque organ by F. Semerad.

Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher - Kaple božího hrobu (7)

To the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher, located on the top of Petřín Hill, there are 33 stone steps made of shell rock, laid during the last reconstruction in 1908. The number of steps symbolizes the 33 years Jesus lived on Earth. According to one of the assumptions, this building was built before the formation of the Way of the Cross with its 14 stops, according to another, the Chapel was erected after the construction of the Way of the Cross. Today it is reliably known that the chapel has existed since 1630, as evidenced by an engraving depicting Prague in 1673. More telling evidence is an inscription found on the wall inside the chapel, which was found during the last restoration, and confirms that the church was visited by pilgrims as early as 1644. The last restoration work was completed in the spring of 2010, and in August it was re-consecrated.

The Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher is an analogue of the Jerusalem burial place of Christ - Kuvuklia, divided into two small rooms.

The tomb, where the statue of the reclining Jesus Christ is located, is connected to the room through which the entrance is made.

The Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher is not accessible to the public, however, through the wrought-iron lattices made in the Baroque style, you can view the interior of the premises.

Way of the Cross - Křížová cesta (7)

Petřín Hill is a very interesting place and many-sided, just like Prague itself. There are both entertainment and places filled with spiritual meaning. One of these places is the Way of the Cross.

The Way of the Cross, or the way to Golgotha, is one of the parts of the Passion of Christ, reproducing the way Jesus carried the cross. In many cities, such a path was created as a path of spiritual enlightenment; in Prague, in its current form, it has existed since the middle of the 18th century. Previously, it started at the Strahov Monastery and went up, today it starts at another church, at the foot of the hill, and ends at the chapel of the Holy Sepulcher.

In Prague, the Way of the Cross reproduces appearance the same monument in Jerusalem. It consists of 14 chapels made as steles with a pediment. On each of them there is a fresco depicting each stop on the way of Christ to Golgotha ​​and Roman numerals with the number of the stop.
Passing along the Way of the Cross had to stop at each chapel and pray. Since the Way of the Cross in a figurative sense is a difficult and painful road, those who overcame it in the name of Christ experienced enlightenment.

The last stop, the position of Christ in the tomb, is located right on the wall of the chapel. Nearby is the chapel of Golgotha, in which there was a confessional. Pilgrims could repent and atone for sins by going to Golgotha.

The Way of the Cross in Prague, together with its starting and ending points, creates an atmosphere of comprehension of the spiritual meanings of Christianity.

Calvary Chapel - Kaple Kalvárie) (7)

On the top of Petřín Hill, next to the Old Catholic cathedral St. Lawrence (St. Vavrhynets), there is a chapel "Golgotha". It was built in 1735-1737 as part of the expansion of the cathedral after it was transferred to the workshop of Prague chefs in 1732. Presumably, the court architect Kilian Dientzenhofer started the reconstruction.

The chapel was part of the pilgrimage to Petrin Hill, symbolizing the penultimate stop of Christ. It represents the end point of the improvised "Way of the Cross", marked by 14 stone steles depicting scenes of the Way of the Cross of Jesus Christ to Golgotha.
The building of the chapel is designed in the same architectural style with the Church of St. Lawrence - Czech Baroque. It is an excellent example of a small architectural form, making the transition between the scale of a person and the monumental building of a majestic temple blurred. Particularly noteworthy is the facade of the chapel, decorated with the scene of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The sketch of the cardboard for the sgraffito was created in 1898 by Mikolas Ales, and brought to life by Jan Riedl in 1936. The inscription above the entrance reads: "Vstalt teto chvile!" ("this is the moment of resurrection").

There is an opinion: if you make a wish at the Golgotha ​​Chapel, it will surely come true.

The chapel is closed to the public.

Hunger Wall - Hladová zeď (8)

The Hunger Wall is a medieval fortification in Prague. It was built from the limestone of the quarries of the Petřín Hill over two years, from 1360 to 1362, by order of the Czech Emperor Charles IV. He sought to protect his residence, which was in Prague Castle, and the Lesser Town area from any possible threat from the southwest. In the original, the height of the wall reached 4.5 m, the width - up to 1.8 m, and on top the fortification was equipped with battlements and, probably, eight bastions. Time did not leave the wall alone, and today its dimensions have changed: the length and thickness have decreased, but the height has doubled since the reign of Maria Theresa.

At one time, the wall was nicknamed Zubata (because of the towers), as well as Khlebnaya. The adjective "hungry" appeared after 1361, when, according to legend, the construction work on the wall provided the poor and destitute with a livelihood. Naturally, the reason was purely strategic: not to feed the poor, but to use their labor. The famine came when the wall was already under construction. Another myth was that Emperor Charles himself worked on the wall for several hours every day to help his subjects. Today, the term "hunger wall" has become a euphemism for useless public works.

Be that as it may, a walk along the Hungry Wall is interesting at any time of the year.

Funicular - Lanová dráha (9)

To use the funicular, you need to buy a regular ticket. If you are riding public transport and you have an extra ticket available, you can use it, and if not, buy it in the building itself using a special machine.

The queue as such exists only on the ascent, when you go down such queues will not be observed.

Funiculars lift and lower tourists every 10-15 minutes. The waiting interval depends on the time. Say, when the flow of tourists is not very large, from 9-00-10-00 and from 18-00-23-00, the funicular moves up and down every 15 minutes, the rest of the time - every 10 minutes.

At the entrance to the lobby, which leads to the funicular, there are composters and inspectors. If you have a travel card for a day, three, a month, it will also fit in order to use the funicular.

The funicular itself can accommodate exactly 100 people. There are 30 landing and 70 standing. The funicular rises quickly enough. There are two stops, the first one is called Nebozizek, and the second one leads to Petřín hill. .

Nebozizek Garden (10)

Nebozizek Garden is located on the eastern slope of Petřín Hill between the cable car and the Hungry Wall. It starts from Ujezd Street and rises almost to the top of the hill to the Stefanik Observatory. The total area of ​​the park is 8 hectares. Vineyards have been growing on the site of the garden since the time of Emperor Charles IV; in the 15th-16th centuries, fruit orchards were planted instead. Later, this territory was bought from private owners by the city council of Prague. In the first half of the 19th century, the garden was partially reconstructed (project by Jiri Braul) and in 1842 it was opened for festivities.

A more serious reconstruction of the garden (designed by František Thomayer) is associated with the construction of a cable car in 1891, timed to coincide with the Jubilee Industrial Exhibition. In 1897, the building "Falcon on Malaya Strana" was built in the lower part of the park, and in 1933, the "Dahlia Garden" was laid out next to it on the site of military barracks. The next step in the transformation of the garden was the reconstruction in 1986 of the Nebozizek restaurant.

In 1896, a monument to the Czech patriot Voite Naprstek was erected in the park, in 1911 - a monument to the poet Carl Hynek Mach, in 1950 - to the composer Vitezslav Novak. And since 1891, a vase from the Jubilee Industrial Exhibition has been in the garden. Also on the territory of the park are the Nebozizek funicular station, a garden house, a tennis court and a small hotel Nebozizek. The upper part of the park is equipped with viewing platforms, from where you can see the view of Prague.

Entrance to the garden is free. You can visit it at any time of the year.

Church of St. Michael the Archangel - Kostel svatého Michala archanděla (11)

This wooden church is also known as the Carpathian Church of the Archangel Michael. And all because he moved to the territory of Prague from the Carpathians - as a gift from Czechoslovakia. Moreover, it was not the first time he migrated - before that, the temple changed the village of Velikiye Luchki to Medvedovtsy. In 1929 it was taken to pieces and taken to Prague. Now the church has become part of the ethnographic collection of the National Museum of the capital.

The church was built in the Lemko style, the Ukrainian version of the Baroque. A distinctive feature of this style is the breakdown of the plan of the temple into three square wooden parts - log cabins, above which rise wooden towers with creases, and the roofs are covered with darkened tiles. The dimensions of the inimitable Carpathian church are 14 m by 8 m. high tower(17 m) there is a space intended exclusively for women - Babinets. Interestingly, both the towers and the interior decoration used three typical Orthodox colors: green, white and red. They symbolize the popular understanding of the basic Christian virtues - holy faith, firm hope and eternal love.

Since 2008, this wooden church has been used by the Orthodox Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia for liturgies on Sundays and Mondays.

Monastery of Saint Gabriel - Klášter svatého Gabriela (12)

The monastery was founded in 1888 at the expense of Countess Gabriela Swirt-Spork, who donated several million crowns for its construction. In gratitude, the monastery was named after her saint, Gabriel. Benedictine nuns from all over Europe found shelter within its walls.

Above the entrance to the monastery you can see sculptures depicting St. Benedict and Scholastica, and above them - the image of the Archangel Gabriel, who is considered the patron saint of the monastery.

The artistic design of the inner space of the monastery was entrusted to Desiderius Lenz, one of the most famous artists of that time.

The wall painting inside the temple is very symbolic and decorative. The icons are framed by ornaments and biblical quotations in Latin. In the monastery you can see the only image of St. Lyudmila with a red scarf around her neck, scenes from the life of St. Benedict, as well as angels depicted in the style of the Beruona school.

The classic image of the Virgin Mary with the baby in her arms is surrounded by a blue field with stars, which resembles the night sky and is very in harmony with the white marble statues standing at the altar, made, like the frescoes, by Lanz.

You can visit the monastery on any day from 9:00 to 22:00.

Kinsky Summer Palace - Letohrádek Kinských (13)

In the 18th century, the land on Petrin Hill was bought by representatives of the old Czech noble family of Kinski, where they intended to build a summer residence. The construction was carried out by Rudolf Kinsky according to the design of Heinrich Koch in the 30s of the 19th century. The palace was used by the family as a summer residence until the beginning of the 20th century. Rudolph, the heir of Franz Joseph, and the last Archduke of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand, who was later killed in Sarajevo, visited here.

The snow-white small building is located at an altitude of about 130 meters. From its high windows a magnificent view of the.

The facade of the palace is divided into three parts: two wings are separated by a portico with Doric columns. Tall French-style windows open onto a terrace where you can see the panorama of the city. Two one-story wings are attached to the central part of the palace, in one of which (the eastern one) there is an entrance designed in the form of an ancient Greek portal.

Today the palace houses a branch of the Czech State Ethnographic Museum.

The museum is open for visits on all days of the week except Mondays from 10 am to 6 pm. Entrance is paid, ticket price - 70 kroons, preferential - 40 kroons. .

Kinsky Gardens - Zahrada Kinských (13)

Gardens of the Kinskys, located around them summer palace, is one of the best examples of English landscape parks in all of Prague.

There were old vineyards on the southwestern slope of Petrin Hill, which the owner of the land, Rudolf Kinski, decided to turn into a beautiful garden. An elevation difference of 130 m required serious work to create a landscape plan, a system for supplying water for irrigation. Rudolf Kinsky successfully coped with this task, however, he did not manage to see the results of his work, his wife opened the garden.

The descendants of the prince wanted to break the garden into plots and sell them for the construction of summer cottages, but the garden and the castle were saved by the efforts of the city authorities.

Two lakes located at different levels became the center of the gardens. Today one of them is adorned with a sculpture of a seal.

The park is landscape, which means that the landscape in it is planned in such a way that one feels close to wild nature. There are no perfectly straight alleys and precisely adjusted straight lawns. The height differences make it possible for whimsically curved streams to run down the stairs to the lower platforms, sprawling trees provide a cool shade, under them there are benches on which the townspeople rest. Rough glades remind countryside. The park has gazebos and ruins - an integral part of the landscape park.

The Kinsky Garden is beautiful at any time of the year, but especially beautiful in autumn.

Entrance to the gardens is free.

Church of Our Lady of Triumph - Kostel panny Marie Vítězné a Pražské (14)

The Church of the Mother of God Triumphant (other names -) was built at the beginning of the 17th century. Unfortunately, the name of the creator is not known for certain, but historical chronicles contain information that this church was built on the initiative of the Germans who professed Lutheranism.

The Church of Our Lady Triumphant is an outstanding architectural building made in the Baroque style. In 1624, a major battle took place on White Mountain, after which the then King of the Czech Republic Ferdinand II decided to donate the temple to the Carmelite Order, who won the battle. This order gave the name to the street where the shrine is located.

In the 17th century, the temple was closed for reconstruction, during which an additional monastery was built next to the church. The appearance of the church has not undergone any changes since then, so the inhabitants of Prague and its guests can see one of the few ancient architectural monuments with their own eyes.

There are 2 chapels inside the temple. At the beginning of the 18th century, the main altar was created, which is decorated with statues of the Madonna, Elisha, Joseph, John the Prelate and Teresa. In the upper part of the Church of the Virgin Triumphant there is a belfry, which today includes 3 bells.


Entrance is free. Church visit times:
Monday - Saturday 8:30 - 19:00
Sunday 8:30 – 20:00

Vtrbovská garden - Vrtbovská zahrada (15)

The Vrtbov Garden occupies an honorable place among the three most valuable and charming baroque gardens in Prague. His ingenious design was developed by the Prague-born Frantisek Maximilian Kanka (he set to work after the restoration of the palace for Jan Josef, Count of Vrtba). The architect collaborated on the creation of the masterpiece with the sculptor Matthias Bernard Braun, whose workshop created statues of mythological characters and other decorations for the garden, and the artist Vaclav Vavrzynets Rainer, the author of the frescoes of the pavilion in the lower part of the garden - “salla terene”.

The amazing effect of the Vrtbov Garden is due to the gradation of terraces connected by stairs and the curved shapes of the walls, typical of the Baroque style. Although the garden is considered Italian according to the project, it also has features of the Czech Baroque, as it is ideally located on a small area of ​​3000 square meters compared to other terraced green areas. m.

Since 1990, the Vrtbovsk Garden has undergone a comprehensive reconstruction, which included the planting of flowers and trees. The refurbished baroque masterpiece was reopened to the public eight years later. This popular venue for weddings, receptions and concerts can be visited from April to October, seven days a week from 10:00 to 18:00. Tickets for adults cost 60 crowns, for students and children - 50 kroons, family - 170 kroons, and a subscription for a year will cost 350 kroons.

Seminar garden - Seminářská zahrada (17)

The seminary garden is located between the Nebozizek garden and the cable car on the one hand, and the Lobkowicz and Schonborn gardens on the other. The upper part of the park borders on the garden "At the observation tower", and the lower part - on the church of the Virgin Mary Triumphant and the building of the Ministry of Education (the former Carmelite monastery). The area of ​​the park is 13 hectares.

The history of Seminary Garden begins in 1611, when the church of the Virgin Mary Triumphant was built. Then it was called Grispekovsky garden. Until the end of the 18th century, there were mainly vineyards and artificial ponds on its territory, in which Carmelite monks grew fish and frogs for Lenten food. After the closure of the Carmelite monastery in 1784, the garden was transferred to the ownership of the archbishop's seminary, therefore it was called Seminarsky.

In 1912-1914, the park was reconstructed according to the plan of Svyatopolk Moker, who proposed a new grid of walking paths and a plan for planting fruit trees. In 1927, the city bought the garden from the seminary: the walls were demolished and opened to the public on May 1, 1930.

In 1949, a bronze Fountain with Boys (the work of Karel Dvořák) was installed in the park. As it became known in 1989, the models for the sculptor were the grandchildren of the first President of the Czechoslovak Republic, Tomas Masaryk. In 1970, a monument to the poet Jan Neruda was unveiled next to the fountain. There is a legend that a pear grows in the garden, which keeps the memory of the poet. Also on the territory of the Seminarsky Garden there is a medieval chapel, a small lake, the Petrshynka spring and the Petrshinsky Terraces restaurant (the former monastery refectory).

Entrance to the garden is free.

Strahov Monastery - Strahovský klášter (18)

The Strahov Monastery was founded by the Czech king Vladislav II in 1140-1143. The name of the monastery comes from the word “guardian”, since in its place there was previously an outpost guarding the Prague Castle and the main road to it. The location of the monastery was the reason why it participated in many significant events of the past: the Hussite War, the Thirty Years' War, the capture of Prague by the Prussian troops.

The Strahov Monastery has been restored and reconstructed many times. After the first fire in 1258, it was rebuilt in the Gothic style. The current Baroque style of the building was acquired after the destruction brought by the French troops in 1742. The architect A. Lurago was engaged in restructuring.

Today, under the arches of the monastery there is an art gallery and a huge library, the number of books in which exceeds 200 thousand. The art gallery presents a collection of paintings created in the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo eras.

In addition, the Strahov Monastery attracts with its famous brewery, where beer is brewed according to recipes from the 13th century. offers a variety of beers under the brand name "Saint Norbert".

Visiting times and prices can be found at.

Strahov Gardens - Strahovská zahrada (19)

Strahov gardens: Convent, Abbey and Big Strahov - component Strahov monastery complex. They spread out in the south and east directions from the monastery building, between Uvoz Street and the Hungry Wall. The upper part of the park borders on the Lobkowicz garden. Their total area is 11 hectares. These are the oldest gardens on Petrin Hill. Their history is inextricably linked with the history of the Premonstratensian abbey.

In 1140, Prince Vladislav II donated extensive land to the monastery. They began to be put in order under the abbot Jan Loel (1586-1612), who restored the monastery gardens and vineyards after the Hussite wars. For more efficient care of them, the Romanesque water conduit was reconstructed, springs were cleared on the eastern slope of the hill, and new adits were cut to increase the flow of water. Abbot Loel's successor, Caspar Questenberg, also paid great attention to the gardens, especially the Abbey.

At the end of the Thirty Years' War (1648), the Swedes thoroughly destroyed the monastery and the adjacent gardens, but 10 years later the abbot Vincenz Macarius Frank restored them and, moreover, designed the space of the park up to the Cathedral of St. Lawrence. In general, the entire history of the Strahov Gardens is a history of destruction and restoration.

During the overhaul of the monastery (XVIII century) under the direction of Anselmo Lurago, several buildings in the early Baroque style appeared in the gardens. The Big and Small sketes, the fruit dryer (now the gardener's house), the confessional were built according to the designs of Giovanni Orsi.

The gardens acquired their modern look in the 1950s. They are divided into 3 parts: a park area, an orchard and a forest. The skete and the confessional are hidden in the woods near the Hungry Wall. In the central part of the park there is an observation platform with a sculpture of the Virgin Mary in Exile. Also on the territory of the Strahov gardens is the hotel "Monastery".

The Strahov Gardens, apart from some of the inner monastery gardens, are open to the public. Free admission.

Memorial to the Victims of Communism - Pomník obětem komunismu (21)

One of the most expressive and controversial monuments in Prague is the monument to the victims of communism, located on Petrin Hill.

In 2002, among the Petrin Park, it was decided to erect a memorial dedicated to all those who suffered in one way or another during the years of the totalitarian regime.

The work was carried out by the sculptor Olbram Zubek and two architects: Jan Kernel and Zdeněk Holzel.

Seven emaciated men stand on a high staircase leading up. The first figure is intact, the second - with a fracture passing through the heart, the third - without the right side, and so on, each sculpture is more and more destroyed. The staircase breaks.

The meaning of the memorial is extremely clear: people go up the stairs leading to nowhere, and each step leads not to the creation, but to the destruction of man.

The monument can also be interpreted as follows: the more rules the communist regime, the more casualties he demanded. It is not for nothing that the memorial contains data on the dead, repressed, executed, deported during these years.

It cannot be said unequivocally that during the years of communist rule, the country stopped in its development. It would be more correct to dedicate a memorial to the victims of all totalitarian regimes. This idea, probably, was what those who attempted on the memorial several times wanted to convey to the people.

In any case, this is an expressive and soul-catching work of talented artists.

Petřínka spring - Studánka Petřínka (22)

The famous Petřín Hill includes, among other cultural attractions, the Petřínka spring. It is located in the Seminary Gardens, at an altitude of 279 meters above the ground. By the way, this source was discovered by Jana Stibralova only 6 years ago. And thanks to her, on February 26, 2008, the Petrinka spring was laid, to the delight of tourists and local residents. By the way, until the 1970s, water from this source was supplied to all nearby hospitals, kindergartens, and schools.

In 2013, the Petrinka spring was completely restored. And now it is open to visitors again. Any sufferer can drink delicious and crystal clear water from it. In addition, every year a group of volunteers, consisting of tourists and employees of one of the nearby hotels, who have taken patronage over the Petrinka spring, clean and decorate the entire territory of this natural monument. It is not surprising that this place is loved not only by tourists, but also by Prague students. Therefore, in the warm season, many local youth always rest near the source. The spring, as well as the entire territory of Petřín, is open for visits daily and all year round. An entrance ticket is not required.

One of the brightest examples of the “green” Prague is the Petřín Gardens ( Petrinske sady), which amaze with their beauties, imprinting in the memory of numerous tourists the images of flowering alleys and elegant architecture.

At the foot of the hill there is the Seminarsky Garden, in its upper part there is an observation tower founded in 1891, surrounded by a garden adjacent to it with the most logical name “garden at the observation tower”. By the way, if you want to take a good look at the city, then 299 steps of this attraction will take you to such heights that everything will be visible at a glance. In addition to the above, the complex includes: the Nebozizek garden, named after the vineyard, Seminarsky and Strahovsky gardens, as well as a magnificent rose garden, spread over an area of ​​5.6 hectares with all its greenery.

The northern slope of the mountain sheltered two indoor gardens - Schönborn, used by the American embassy and terraced Lobkovitsky, occupied by the German embassy, ​​as well as the amazing Vrtbovsky garden, which opens its doors to the public only at certain hours. Tourists will have to pay special attention to the last corner of nature, because it is decorated with the Vrtbov Palace, which many will want to get acquainted with. Plus, for connoisseurs of art, a visit to the garden loggia of the castle will be especially pleasant, as classical music concerts are held there, and the palace gallery often hosts all kinds of art exhibitions.

Have a nice walk and an exciting journey!

P.S. Since the end of October 2013, Petrin Hill has officially become a natural monument, which is planned to be protected accordingly. So be polite :)

Petřín is a hill in the heart of Prague. I believe this is one of mandatory items on the must see list of any traveler. You know, it happens that you find yourself in some place, and you immediately understand: "Here it is, the royal garden from the fairy tale of Lewis Carroll." I have already given such a comparison, describing Petřín in Prague, but I cannot but repeat myself, since the landscapes in this place really seem to be from the pages of a book.

Here people play sports, have picnics, go sightseeing... in general, they do whatever they want. It just so happens that nature often pacifies, and you become ready to do anything: someone even studies or works on a laptop!

Brief history

Since ancient times, Petřín has been the most famous hill in Prague. According to history, the pagans in ancient times worshiped the gods here.

In the XIV century, under the rule of Charles IV, a defensive wall was erected here (it is also called the Hungry Wall), which is not surprising, because the flourishing Prague was a tasty morsel for the invaders. I will talk about this wall in more detail below.

At the end of the 19th century, or rather, in 1891, the Petrin Tower was erected here, we will also talk about it later.

In recent decades, the territory has been significantly ennobled: beautiful roses and young trees have been planted. And that is great! After all, a place that attracts so many people every day must be modernized and become better.

How to get there

Petřín Hill is located in the historical center of Prague on the left bank of the Vltava. You can take trams No. 12, 20, 22, 57 to the stop Újezd ​​(County).

Height difference Petřín Hill is about 120 meters. For the first time, the funicular to Petřín Hill began to go in 1891 and was set in motion quite original way. A water tank was provided at the bottom of the trailers for passengers. At the top the reservoir was filled, at the bottom it was emptied. Thus, the descending car, which had a greater mass, pulled up the lighter ascending car. The volume of water depended on the ratio of the number of passengers in the descending and ascending cars and averaged 1750-2000 liters. The water funicular on Petřín Hill worked until the First World War.
In the early 1920s, it was launched again, again water-powered. Then, in 1932, the funicular was switched to electricity, and it worked with some interruptions until 1965, when a landslide forced the road to be stopped. The work on the restoration and modernization of the funicular took about twenty years. Currently, you can enjoy a walk and ride the funicular to Petrin Hill.

On Petřín Hill are:
lookout tower
Mirror Maze
Observatory
Gardens and lovely park
Calvary Chapel, built in 1737
Church of St. Lawrence

Petrin Hill probably can be called the largest green space in Prague. There are 8 parks on the hill where you can relax and breathe in the fresh Prague air. From Petřín Hill you can enjoy wonderful views of Prague. In addition to the funicular, you can also climb the hill on foot, along winding paths. But it's better to ride up, and walk down already. Previously, the hill was dotted with vineyards, as well as quarries. The latter have partially survived to this day. To the south of the funicular is the Stefanik Observatory. From it you can enjoy a view of a clear starry sky magnified tenfold. Leaving the funicular stop, you will involuntarily walk along the path and find yourself at the foot of the Petrin Tower. Some call it a copy of the Eiffel Tower of Paris. It was built for the Zemstvo exhibition in 1891. Two staircases lead to the tower, each with 299 steps. Go up one ladder, go down the other. It is very convenient, since the stairs are narrow enough to disperse two people who met. If you are lucky and the weather is good, the tower offers great views of the area. parks, Old city, Vltava, Charles Bridge, new districts of Prague. All this can be seen from the tower on hill Petřín.

The funicular makes one stop at the Nebozizek station along the way. At this moment, the funicular trailers part with each other and you can get out. Your gaze will open a great panorama of the city. There is also a restaurant of the same name that you can visit.

On the top of Petřín Hill, you can find the remains of the southernmost part of the wall that ran along the perimeter of the Old Town. The wall is popularly known as Hladova zed, which means Hungry Wall in Czech. The wall seems to be sliding back to Ujezd street and to the northwest to Strahovsky klaster (). The wall was erected by order of Charles IV. In those years, the construction of the wall was presented as if it were a huge public work, in which the local poor were employed. The communists also maintained this illusion. In fact, the construction costs were paid for by property taken from the Jews.

Walking along the wall you find yourself in the wonderful Rose Garden (Ruzovy Sad). Flowerbeds planted with roses strictly according to color are laid out in front of the building of the Petřín Observatory (www.observatory.cz). Inside the observatory there is a small and not very interesting exposition, but to come here on a clear night and look through the eyepieces of two powerful telescopes will most likely bring great pleasure. Walking along the wall in the other direction, you will come to the church of St. Lawrence (sv. Vavrinec).

Opposite the church there are a number of buildings from the 1891 exhibition and, of course, the main one is Rozhledna - a tower one-fifth the size of the Eiffel Tower. On a clear day, the view from the viewing gallery is stunning. The next building is Bludiste (Bludiste or labyrinth). A miniature neo-Gothic castle equipped with a fake drawbridge. Inside, the first room houses the Mirror Labyrinth, followed by a life-size action-filled diorama illustrating the victory of Prague students and Jews over the Swedes at Charles Bridge in 1648. The humor embedded in the convex and concave mirrors behind the diorama is so uncomplicated that it makes both children and adults giggle. From the tower and the labyrinth, a path with calvaris will eventually lead you to the wall of the Strahovsky klaster (Strahovsky Monastery). Along the way, you will see magnificent panoramas of the lush gardens of Petřín and the sea of ​​red tiles below.

How to get to Petřín Hill.

From Malostranska by tram to the stop Ujezd.