Fodor's Expert Review Staroměstské náměstí

The hype about Old Town Square is completely justified. Picture a perimeter of colorful baroque houses contrasting with the sweeping old-Gothic style of the Týn Church in the background. As the heart of Staré Mĕsto, the majestic square grew to its present proportions when Prague's original marketplace moved away from the river in the 12th century. Its shape and appearance have changed little since that time. During the day the square pulses with activity. In summer the square's south end is dominated by sprawling (pricey!) outdoor restaurants; during the Easter and Christmas seasons it fills with wooden booths of holiday vendors. At night, the brightly lit towers of the Týn Church rise gloriously over the glowing baroque façades. The square's history has also seen violence, from defenestrations (throwing people from windows) in the 15th century to 27 Bohemian noblemen killed by Austrian Habsburgs in 1621; 27 white crosses embedded in the square's paving stones commemorate the spot.