Prague tips

Had you lived in the medieval times, you would have found only gardens on the entire island. A park designed in the English style can be found at the southern end of Kampa still nowadays whereas the northern part has Renaissance houses and a Baroque palace.

The very first buildings to appear here were the homes of bricklayers, carpenters and stonemasons so that they could comfortably keep an eye on Charles Bridge and maintain it in a perfect state. The square surrounded by these houses is the place where pottery used to be sold regularly. Kampa was namely also a place, where traditional pottery markets took place for centuries… (read more)

Of course I am talking about the exhibition of exotic butterflies in Botanical Garden in Prague, to be more precise in Fata Morgana Greenhouse. And it is really worth seeing because you are walking among those flying beauties, and they may even sit on you!! It is fantastic! Have your camera ready!

Fata Morgana is not a typical greenhouse – it has not only the hot and humid section, but also a dry semi-desert section and a mountain section. For only 90 CZK (children and students for 45 CZK) you will take a tour around the world – you will stop by in dry Australian bush, in Madagascar, Polynesia, Africa and other countries.

You get to see not only the marvelous butterflies, but also tropical and subtropical plants, meat-eating plants or romantic waterfall. Butterflies are not the only animals you will come across – tropical fish and frogs from South America are also very nice.

Those butterflies that are now awaiting you in Fata Morgana feel at home in Africa, Philippines, Thailand, South and North America.

You will probably not have better chance to see exotic butterflies in Prague any time soon because Prague is located in temperate zone, so meeting an exotic butterfly is a real specialty to locals. So hurry up! Exotic butterflies are here for you only till April 29!!

To get there, use subway to the station Nadrazi Holesovice (red line C), then bus number 112 to the station “ZOO Troja”, and then just follow the signs for “Fata Morgana” or “Botanicka zahrada”. Open is daily from 9am to 6pm.

Probably the most spectacular and beautifully decorated halls at Prague Castle complex can be found in New Royal Palace, that, together with St Vitus Cathedral, surrounds the III courtyard of Prague Castle. The palace served as the dwelling place for many rulers in the past. Now it is used by the office of the president of the Czech Republic and its administrative. The exclusive halls inside New Royal Palace are used for the receptions of diplomats and statesmen officially invited by the president. They are open to the public only during two Czech national holidays or special events… (read more)

This is no joke – John Lennon is in Prague – well, to be precise, his wall is in Prague although John Lennon himself never visited Prague in his short life. Are you confused? Let me explain it to you then.

In Mala Strana, near the French Embassy, you’ll see the John Lennon Wall. The wall that was formerly an ordinary wall in Prague has been called Lennon´s since the 1980s, when people have filled it with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs. Why? (read more)

It may sound crazy to you – a house that dances? Impossible! But it is real! Located on the corner of Rasinovo Nabrezi and Resslova street, alongside the Vltava River.

The Dancing House is the nickname given to a building designed by Croatian-born Czech architect Vlado Milunic in a co-operation with Canadian architect Frank Gehry. Built between 1994-1996, Dancing House is a strikingly modern contrast to Prague’s historic attractions… (read more)

Langweil’s model of Prague is one of the most extraordinary and most admired exhibit in the Museum of the City of Prague. What is it so special about it? Many things! Langweil’s model of Prague is a paper and wood model that shows Prague what it looked like about 150 years ago. Many buildings in the model cannot be found in present Prague any more. It’s especially in the Jewish quarter and Old Town where many building were demolished. Langweil’s model is in many cases the only witness of these buildings and it serves as a study material for many Prague’s historians and lovers of art… (read more)

Are you one of those who do not really like visiting museums? Is it boring for you? You have to be silent, serious, and, hey, don’t touch anything!!!! Well, forget about museums like that! There is a fun interactive exhibition right now running in Czech Museum of Music. It is called Orbis Pictus and it is nothing like regular museums!!

The name of the exhibition may help you to see the point of this exhibition. Orbis Pictus, which can be translated as World explained in pictures, was a textbook written by Czech thinker, philosopher and educator Jan Amos Komensky in 17th century. What is so special about this book is that it was written specially for children and is considered to be the first picture book for children.

Komensky was well known for his ideas about educating children – he thought that teachers should use audio-visual techniques in the classroom. Nothing new, you may say, but back then it was revolutionary idea!

The exhibition Orbis Pictus takes many of Komensky’s ideas. Visitors can not only touch but are also invited to participate on playing the musical instruments!! And it is to say that the musical instruments are rather unusual, such as the water organ in the central part of the exhibition.

Every day, visitors turn this museum into one great symphonic orchestra. Apart from sounds, most of the instruments can also produce colors, lights and shadows!! This exhibition will be loved by any child but it is well-suited for the whole family.

The museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm. From 6:30pm there is sometimes an additional musical program for everybody with a valid ticket for the exhibition. The Czech Museum of Music is near Helichova tram station (trams 12, 20, 22, 23). But hurry up, the exhibition runs only until April 30!!!

Prague Krizik´s Fountain (Křižíkova fontána), often referred to as the Dancing Fountain or Musical Fountain, is a spectacular show of water, light, music and dance. It is truly magical and I would recommend it to everyone! It is not only for couples, although the performance can be really romantic, it just depends which show you choose.

The musical scale will address everyone. There are four shows at night, starting at 8 p.m., and after full hour another show follows so that the last performance starts at 11 p.m., ending at midnight. Those four shows are usually very different from one another – one being a classical piece of Mozart, and the other one is from Metallica. As I said, everyone will find there the music of his/her heart.

The best shows are at nigh when it is already dark out because only then you can fully enjoy the light show. If you pick the show with music that you like there is no possible way for you not to love it! The music and light arrangements goes so well with water creations that one can hardly believe it is not a fairy tale. Only here you can really feel the music! Only here the water sings to you and dances for you!

There are also musical performances presented by a top dance ensemble, such as Romeo and Juliet or the Swan Lake, usually starting at 10 p.m. They dance in the middle of the fountain pool! With the play of lights, high water geysers, hundreds of dancing water drops and the most beautiful melodies it is just unforgettable!

The Krizik´s Fountain is equipped with incredible 3,000 nozzles managed by fifty water pumps, and with 1,200 underwater floodlights of various colours.

The shows take place even in inclement weather as most of the seats are roofed. So you won’t get wet unless you get too close to the water geyser.

To name just some music that is played there – for classical music it is Antonin Dvorak, Bedrich Smetana, Antonio Vivaldi, Giuseppe Verdi, W.A. Mozart; for film music it is Titanic or Gladiator; great shows are with music from the Queen or Michael Jackson.

The massive fountain is located at the Vystaviste – Prague Exhibition Grounds, constructed for the Prague’s Exhibition in 1891, and is easy to reach by tram – 5, 12 and 17, station Vystaviste. It is not far from the subway station Nadrazi Holesovice (red line C).

There are few things quite like this fountain in the world so you should definitely pay it a visit!

W. A. Mozart and Prague – those are two words that just belong together. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart visited Prague three times in his short life, and it was in Prague where Mozart and his music found inspirational acceptance, friendship and admiration.

Of the thousands of musicians only few reach such fame as Mozart. He showed musical gift at a very early age, composing when he was only five! His music is played for centuries around the world. Even those who are not classical music lovers know who W. A. Mozart was. That is why in 2006 the whole cultural world remembered 250 years from the birth of W. A. Mozart (January 27,1756) and at the same time 215 years from his death (December 5,1791). Prague joined the other European cities that commemorate the anniversary of Mozart’s birth and his musical legacy by concerts, theatrical performances and exhibitions recollecting the genius composer.

When you are in Prague, you have a great opportunity to get acquainted with the places that are connected with Mozart’s life and work. Among other places such as the Estates Theatre or Lichtenstein Palace, villa Bertramka is special.

During his stays in Prague Mozart spent a lot of time at the villa Bertramka. This house from the turn of the 17th century used to be a summer house of the outstanding Czech singer Josepha Duschek and her husband, piano player, teacher and composer Franz Xaver Duschek. The Duscheks are credited with inviting Mozart to Prague. Duscheks and Mozart were close friends.
Here Mozart found a second home. In the idyllic environment of Bertramka he finished his masterpiece Don Giovanni just before its memorable Prague premiere on October 29, 1787.

Today, the house serves as the W. A. Mozart’s museum. The villa has kept the atmosphere of the times when the brilliant composer lived and worked there. It is definitely worth seeing. The exhibition shows all memorabilities of Mozart and the Duscheks, such as personal belongings, letters, pictures, musical instruments, above all the piano, which Mozart played in 1787, and others. It is like going back in time!

Regular chamber concerts are held at Bertramka as well. Either in the authentic music salon or in the romantic garden during the summer season.

The villa Bertramka is next to the Mövenpick hotel, near the subway station Andel (yellow line B). You can reach it by trams 4, 7, 9 and 10, station Bertramka. The museum is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The entrance fee for an adult is 110 CZK, students pay 50 CZK. Special discounts for group over 10 people is offered. Indoor concerts are for 390 CZK, garden concerts for 450 CZK. Students again can join the show for special price of 250 CZK.

You don’t need to go inside the museum. Just the villa from outside and the garden, which is open to public, itself is a magic place. You can just visit the Café place there, drinking coffee just like Mozart did at this spot years ago. And you can say: „I was there where the great Mozart stayed 215 years ago! Pity, I just missed him!“

Is the current generation more tolerant than the one before? Is intolerance still present in democratic states these days? This and other questions are coming to mind when walking through the Klementinum, which is the National Library of the Czech Republic.

Until March 15 you have the great chance to see an exhibition called Tolerant – Intolerant. This unique exhibition consists of anti-racist posters made by Czech university students as well as students from the Prague Goethe-Institute.

The main themes of the exhibition are racism, racially motivated extremism and neo-nationalism. Organizers of the exposition want to stress the unsetting reality – alarmingly, there are still people who doubt such events as the victims of Holocaust; there are nationalistic parties in power of some European countries… Those are things we should not hide but talk about. So that there is no second WWII since nationalism caused all the wars that happened in Europe in the last century, including the recent military conflicts in the Balkans!!

The exhibition is held in the ground floor exhibition corridor of Klementinum, which is not far from the Old Town Square. It is open from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 19:00. The entrance fee is 5 CZK only.

The partner of the Tolerant – Intolerant project is the Czech-German Fund for the Future.