Contents
- 1 Prague Old Town A Short History
- 2 Church of St. James Prague Old Town (Bazilika svatého Jakuba Většího)
- 3 Municipal House Prague (Obecní dům)
- 4 Powder Gate Prague Old Town (Prašná brána)
- 5 Church of St. Nicholas Prague Old Town (Kostel svatého Mikuláše)
- 6 House of the Black Madonna
- 7 Kinsky Palace Prague (Palac Kinskych)
- 8 Clam-Gallas Palace
- 9 House at the Two Golden Bears Prague Old Town (Dům U Dvou zlatých medvědů)
- 10 Getting Around In Prague
- 11 How To Get To Prague Czech Republic
- 12 Prague Old Town Map
Prague Old Town A Short History

Prague Old Town (Staré Město) and its central square are the city’s heart. In the 11th century, the settlements around the Castle spread to the right bank of the Vltava. A marketplace in what is now Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) was first mentioned in 1091. Houses and churches sprang up around the square, determining the random network of streets, many of which survive.
The area gained the privileges of a town in the 13th century, and, in 1338, a Town Hall. This and other great buildings, such as the Clam-Gallas Palace and the Municipal House, show the importance of the Old Town of Prague.
Plan your trip to Prague Old Town with this complete Prague Travel Guide!
Church of St. James Prague Old Town (Bazilika svatého Jakuba Většího)

The attractive Baroque Church of St. James was the Gothic presbytery of a Minorite monastery. King Wenceslas invited the order (a branch of the Franciscans) to Prague in 1232. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style after a fire in 1689, allegedly started by agents of Louis XIV.
Over 20 side altars appeared over time, decorated with works by painters such as Jan Jiří Heinsch, Petr Brandl, and Václav Vavřinec Reiner.
Tomb of Count Vratislav
The tomb of Count Vratislav of Mitrovice, designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and executed by sculptor Ferdinand Brokof, is the most beautiful Baroque tomb in Bohemia. It’s said that the count was accidentally buried alive. His corpse was later found sitting up in the tomb. Hanging on the right of the entrance is a mummified forearm.
The Madonna catching a thief
It has been there for over 400 years, ever since a thief tried to steal the jewels from the Madonna on the high altar. But the virgin grabbed his arm and held on so tightly it had to be cut off. Because of its long nave, the church’s acoustics are excellent. It’s the venue for many concerts and recitals. There’s also a magnificent organ built in 1702.
Address: Malá Štupartská 635, Prague Old Town
Municipal House Prague (Obecní dům)

Prague’s most prominent Art Nouveau building stands on the site of the former Royal Court palace, the King’s residence between 1383 and 1485. Abandoned for centuries, what remained became a seminary and later a military college. The present cultural center replaces it after demolition in the early 1900’s. It now has exhibition halls and an auditorium.
Architectural Gem
Stucco and allegorical statuary enrich the exterior. Above the main entrance, there’s a huge semi-circular mosaic entitled Homage to Prague by Karel Špillar. Inside, topped by an impressive glass dome, is Prague’s principal concert venue and the core of the entire building, the Smetana Hall, sometimes also used as a ballroom. Works by leading Czech artists of the first decade of the 20th century decorate the interior of the building, including some from Alfons Mucha.
There are many smaller halls, conference rooms, and offices, as well as cafés and restaurants where visitors can relax and enjoy the center’s flamboyant Art Nouveau decoration at their leisure. On 28 October 1918, Prague’s Municipal House was the scene of the momentous proclamation of the new independent state of Czechoslovakia.
Address: Náměstí Republiky 5, Prague Old Town
Powder Gate Prague Old Town (Prašná brána)

There has been a gate here since the 11th century when it formed one of the 13 entrances of the Old Town. In 1475, King Vladislav II laid the foundation stone of the New Tower. A coronation gift from the city council, the gate resembles Peter Parler’s Old Town bridge tower built a century earlier. The gate had little defensive value. The intention of its rich sculptural decoration was to add prestige to the nearby palace of the Royal Court.
Building activities stopped eight years later when the king had to flee because of riots. On his return in 1485, he opted for the safety of the Castle. Kings never again occupied the Royal Court. The gate acquired its present name when used to store gunpowder in the 17th century. The sculptural decoration, damaged during the Prussian occupation in 1757 and removed soon afterward, came back in 1876.
Adres: Nám. Republiky 5
Church of St. Nicholas Prague Old Town (Kostel svatého Mikuláše)

There has been a church here since the 12th century. It was the Old Town’s parish church and meeting place until the completion of the Týn Church in the 14th century. After the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620 the church became part of a Benedictine monastery. The present church by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer is from 1735. Statues by Antonin Braun stud its dramatic white facade.
The Church houses troops
When in 1781 Emperor Joseph II closed all monasteries not engaged in useful social activities, the church was stripped bare. In World War I the troops of Prague’s garrison used the church. The colonel in charge took the opportunity to restore the church with the help of artists sent to the front.
The dome has frescoes of the lives of St. Nicholas and St. Benedict by Kosmas Damian Asam. In the nave is a huge crown-shaped chandelier. During the war, the church of St. Nicholas passed to the Czechoslovak Hussite Church. During the summer you can attend concerts in the church.
Address: Staroměstské nám. 1101, Prague Old Town
House of the Black Madonna

Josef Gočár, a member of the famous Mánes circle of artists, designed the House of the Black Madonna as a department store commissioned by the merchant František Josef Herbs.
It emulates French Cubist style (Picasso, Braque) and therefore represented a cultural resistance against the Viennese Avant-Garde. The building takes its name from the Gothic black virgin perching on one of its parapets. Little by little the building was forgotten until it became a showpiece of Avant-Garde Czech Cubism as an annex to Prague’s National Gallery at the end of 2012.
Today merchants have reclaimed a corner of its history with the opening of a Kubista shop-gallery on the ground floor. On the first floor, the Grand Café Orient has been faithfully restored to its original form after being closed for 80 years.
Address | Ovocný trh 19, Prague Old Town |
Kinsky Palace Prague (Palac Kinskych)

This lovely Rococo palace, designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, has a pretty pink and white façade crowned with statues of the four elements by Ignaz Franz Platzer.
It was bought from the Golz family in 1768 by Stepan Kinsky, an Imperial diplomat. In 1948 Communist leader, Klement Gottwald used the balcony to speak to a huge crowd of party members – a key event in the crisis that led up to his coup d’état. The National Gallery now uses the Kinsky Palace (Palac Kinskych) for art exhibitions.
Address | Staroměstské náměstí 12, Prague Old Town |
Clam-Gallas Palace

Located in the heart of Prague’s Old Town, the Clam-Gallas Palace is a stunning example of Baroque architecture. This historic palace, located at the corner of Husova Street and Mariánské Square, offers visitors a glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of the aristocracy in the 18th century.
Architecture of the Clam-Gallas Palace
Designed by the renowned imperial court architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and built by Italian architect Domenico Canevale between 1714 and 1718, the Clam-Gallas Palace is a masterpiece of Baroque design. The palace’s grand façade, intricate stuccos, and majestic ceremonial staircase are just a few of the architectural highlights that await visitors.
The interior of the Clam-Gallas Palace is equally impressive. Visitors can explore the piano nobile, or noble floor, which features the Golden and Turquoise Rooms adorned with restored furnishings, crystal chandeliers, and ornate ironwork. The Marble Room and the Chinese Lounge offer further delights, with their open spaces and unique decorations.
Address: 20, Husova 158
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
House at the Two Golden Bears Prague Old Town (Dům U Dvou zlatých medvědů)

If you leave the Old Town Square by the narrow Melantrichova Street, make a point of turning into the first alleyway on the left to see the portal of the house called “At the Two Golden Bears”. The present Renaissance building is from two earlier houses, joined in 1567. The portal is from 1590, when a wealthy merchant, Lorenc Štork, secured the services of court architect Bonifaz Wohlmut, who had designed the spire on the tower of St. Vitus’s Cathedral.
His ornate portal with reliefs of two bears is one of the most beautiful Renaissance portals in Prague. Magnificent arcades, also dating from the 16th century, are still visible in the inner courtyard. In 1885 Egon Erwin Kisch, known as the “Furious Reporter”, was born here. He was a German-speaking Jewish writer and journalist, who feared for the force of his left-wing rhetoric.
Getting Around In Prague
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Prague

Big Bus Tours offers sightseeing tours of Prague on a double-decker bus or a single-decker bus across our two routes. During your tour, you can listen to our complimentary, pre-recorded commentary available in 24 languages to learn fascinating facts and stories about Prague.
You can hop on and hop off the bus at any stop to visit attractions and places of interest, or you’re welcome to sit back and relax for the entire tour!