209 Best Sights in Czech Republic

This is the place to come for entrance tickets, guided tours, audio guides with headphones, and tickets to cultural events held at the castle. You can wander around the castle grounds, including many of the gardens, for free, but to enter any of the historic buildings, including St. Vitus Cathedral, requires a combined-entry ticket (valid for two days). There are three ticket options, but the best value is "Circuit B", which, allows entry to St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, and the Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower. This will provide enough quality time in the castle for most, but if you want to add on Rosenberg Palace as well as a permanent exhibition on the history of the castle called The Story of Prague Castle., opt for "Circuit B" instead. The historical buildings are open until 5pm from April to October, and until 4pm otherwise. If you just want to walk through the castle grounds, note that the gates close at 10pm every night.er and at 11 pm the rest of the year, and the gardens are open from April through October only.

There's no doubt who this square belongs to—a bronze statue of Jan Žižka dominates the area and clearly points to its Hussite past. The stone tables in front of the Gothic town hall and the house at No. 6 date to the 15th century, used by the Hussites to give daily communion to the faithful. Many fine houses that line the square bear plaques describing their architectural style and original purpose. Be sure to stroll the tiny streets around the square, as they curve around, branch off, and then stop; few lead back to the main square. This bemusing layout, created in the 15th century, was designed to thwart incoming invaders.

You can't miss the imposing neo-Renaissance building of the Museum of Southern Bohemia. It was originally founded in 1877 in a small building next to the town hall, but generous donors flooded the facility with so many artifacts that the space had to be expanded. The major exhibits include theme collections portraying the history of the town and the region through an extensive variety of artifacts including metalwork, ceramics, glass, and furniture. A fascinating large-scale model shows the Old Town and its picturesque medieval walls and towers. A regular series of temporary exhibits also runs alongside the permanent ones.

Prague's largest island is circled by the narrow Čertovka streamlet and filled with beautiful, historic buildings. The name Čertovka, or "Devil's Stream," reputedly refers to a cranky old lady who once lived on Maltézské náměstí. During the historic 2002 floods, the well-kept lawns of the Kampa Gardens, which occupy much of the island, were underwater, as was much of the lower portion of Malá Strana. Evidence of flood damage occasionally marks the landscape, along with a sign indicating where the waters crested. These days, the green space is a lovely, calm place to avoid crowds, even on the hottest days. Don't miss another of leading Czech public artist David Černý's works in the middle of the island, too: giant crawling babies with what look like barcodes in place of their faces.

This square began life as a cattle market, a function chosen by Charles IV when he established Nové Mĕsto in 1348. The horse market (now Wenceslas Square) quickly overtook it as a livestock-trading center, and an untidy collection of shacks accumulated here until the mid-1800s, when it became a green park named for its patron. Glassy, modern buildings clash with surrounding older architecture, but it's quite representative of Prague's past and present united in one spot.

This baroque synagogue, right by the entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery, displays objects from Czech Jewish traditions, with an emphasis on celebrations and daily life. The synagogue was built at the end of the 17th century in place of three small buildings (a synagogue, a school, and a ritual bath) that were destroyed in a fire that devastated the ghetto in 1689. In the more recent Ceremony Hall that adjoins the Klausen Synagogue, the focus is more staid. You'll find a variety of Jewish funeral paraphernalia, including old gravestones, and medical instruments. Special attention is paid to the activities of the Jewish Burial Society through many fine objects and paintings.

Another of Charles IV's gifts to the city, the Benedictine monastery sits south of Charles Square. It's often called Na Slovanech (literally, "At the Slavs"), which refers to its purpose when established in 1347. The emperor invited Croatian monks here to celebrate mass in Old Slavonic and thus cultivate religion among the Slavs in a city largely controlled by Germans. A faded but substantially complete cycle of biblical scenes by Charles's court artists lines the four cloister walls. The frescoes, and especially the abbey church, suffered heavy damage from a raid by Allied bombers on February 14, 1945; it's believed they may have mistaken Prague for Dresden, 121 km (75 miles) away. The church lost its spires, and the interior remained a blackened shell until a renovation was begun in 1998; the church reopened to the public in 2003.

Near the river between Pařížská and Revoluční ulice, in the northeastern corner of Staré Mĕsto, this peaceful complex has Prague's first buildings in the Gothic style. Built between the 1230s and the 1280s, St. Agnes's Convent provides a fitting home for the National Gallery's marvelous collection of Czech and Central European Gothic art, including altarpieces, portraits, and statues from the 13th to the 16th century. There is an interesting collection of contemporary Czech sculpture in the gardens, too, which are free to enter and open year-round. 

Red markers indicate a path from Cheb's main square westward along the river and then north past this extinct volcano, now a tree-covered hill. Excavations on one side have laid bare the rock, and one tunnel remains open. Goethe instigated and took part in the excavations, and you can still—barely—make out a relief of the poet carved into the rock face.

The volcano is about 2 miles out of town.

A source of pride for České Budějovice, Koněspřežka is the oldest railway station on the continent. Designed to transport salt to Bohemia from Linz in Austria, a horse-drawn railway was built between 1825 and 1832. One of the first major industrial developments in Europe, it reduced the journey between Linz and České Budějovice from two weeks to four days. Public transport was introduced soon afterward. The station is now a part of the city museum and houses an exhibit dedicated to the horse-drawn railroad. You can also pick up a brochure from the tourist office that details other buildings throughout town that played a role in the transport.

The twin-spired Týn Church is an Old Town Square landmark and one of the city's best examples of Gothic architecture, looming over the former school  building below. The church's exterior was in part the work of Peter Parler, the architect responsible for the Charles Bridge and Katedrála sv. Víta (St. Vitus Cathedral). Construction of the twin black-spire towers began a little later, in 1461, by King Jiří of Poděbrady, during the heyday of the Hussites. Jiří had a gilded chalice, the symbol of the Hussites, proudly displayed on the front gable between the two towers. Following the defeat of the Czech Protestants by the Catholic Habsburgs in the 17th century, the chalice was melted down and made into the Madonna's glimmering halo (you can still see it resting between the spires). Much of the interior, including the tall nave, was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 17th century. Some Gothic pieces remain, however: look to the left of the main altar for a beautifully preserved set of early carvings. The main altar itself was painted by Karel Škréta, a luminary of the Czech Baroque. The church also houses the tomb of renowned Danish (and Prague court) astronomer Tycho Brahe, who died in 1601. The church's full name---Church of Our Lady before Týn---comes from the name of the courtyard behind it. 

To the right of the Vřídlo Colonnade, steps lead up to the white Church of Mary Magdalene. Designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer (architect of the two churches of St. Nicholas in Prague), this is the best of the few baroque buildings still standing in Karlovy Vary.

If it's open, try to visit the crypt.

Formerly part of the Capuchin Monastery, the Church of the Holy Cross combines a baroque form with a rather stark façade. Enter the krypta (crypt) in the basement, and the mummified remains of some 200 nobles and monks from the late 17th and 18th centuries are displayed, ingeniously preserved by a natural system of air circulating through vents and chimneys. The best-known mummy is Col. František Trenck, commander of the brutal Pandour regiment of the Austrian army, who, at least in legend, spent several years in the dungeons of Spielberg Castle before finding his final rest here in 1749. A note of caution about the crypt: the graphic displays can be frightening to children (and even some adults), so ask at the admission desk for a small brochure with pictures that preview what's to come, or look at the postcards for sale. Locals refer to the building simply as the Capuchin Church.

Dating to the second half of the 14th century, this church and its tower are the other dominating features of the city's skyline besides the castle. It's a Gothic triple-nave church with some interesting elements, including a Gothic Madonna from the beginning of the 15th century. By coincidence, the church straddles the 15th meridian, and you'll see a line marking the point. The city tower is also open for those wishing to scale 157 steps for an extensive view of the surrounding area.

This beautiful church with its poetic name (Church of Our Lady of the Snows---one of the titles used for the Virgin Mary in Catholicism) was intended to rival Katedrála sv. Víta (St. Vitus Cathedral), in the castle complex, for grandeur when Charles IV started building it in the 14th century. Alas, it was never finished, and still has a slightly odd shape as a result of that today, taller than it is long. It has the highest vaults and column altar in the city.

This beautiful church is home to Prague's most famous religious artifact, the Pražské Jezulátko (Infant Jesus of Prague). Originally brought to Prague from Spain in the 16th century, the wax doll holds a reputation for bestowing miracles on many who have prayed for its help. A measure of its widespread attraction is reflected in the prayer books on the kneelers in front of the statue, which have prayers of intercession in 20 different languages. The Bambino, as he's known locally, has an enormous and incredibly ornate wardrobe, some of which is on display in a museum upstairs. Nuns from a nearby convent change the outfit on the statue regularly. Don't miss the souvenir shop (accessible via a doorway to the right of the main altar), where the Bambino's custodians flex their marketing skills.

A Karlín landmark and one of the largest religious buildings in Prague, this unmistakable black-and-white church is dedicated to the Orthodox missionary brothers Cyril and Methodius, who are credited with spreading the Christian faith through the Slavic lands. It was consecrated in 1863, exactly 1,000 years after the brothers started their important work. Head inside the neo-Romanesque basilica to discover decorative pillars, intricately painted ceilings, and an art nouveau baptismal chapel. The church is on the neighborhood's main square, Karlínské náměstí, which regularly hosts farmers' markets, festivals, and cultural events.

A tiny street leading off the main square takes you to the 160-foot Romanesque tower of the Church of the Holy Spirit, a solid tower finished off in conical gray peaks. This is the oldest standing structure in Telč, dating to the first quarter of the 13th century. The interior, however, is a confused hodgepodge, as the style was fiddled with repeatedly, first in a late-Gothic makeover and then refashioned again because of fire damage.

In the summer months, the tower is open for a small entrance fee.

If you've already been to St. Barbara's, you'll have seen the tilting tower of this church next to the old mint. It doesn't keep normal operating hours, but go ahead and try the door anyway. It was originally built in the Gothic style, but a massive baroque transformation occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries; the onion dome was added in 1737. The baroque paintings on the wall are Czech masterpieces.

The oldest church in town, built between the 13th and 16th centuries, this is an excellent example of Bohemian Gothic architecture. Inside, extensive frescoes in the clerestory date to the first half of the 14th century and portray scenes from the lives of Christ, the Apostles, and various Czech saints. They also demonstrate the medieval necessity for pictorial narratives in educating the illiterate population. On the south side of the sanctuary you can see the Chapel of St. Nicholas, built in 1369. The vaulted ceiling is supported by a single central pillar; this is one of the earliest buildings using this construction in Bohemia. The church and monastery are part of the municipal museum and sometimes have exhibitions.

Replete with buttresses and a characteristic portal, this church's exterior is a powerful and beautiful example of Gothic architecture—famed Czech director Miloš Forman certainly thought so, shooting some of his hit film Amadeus inside. An important outpost of Czech Protestantism in the 16th century, the church reflects baroque style inside, with a design by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and sweeping frescoes by Václav Reiner. The interior can be viewed during the day from the vestibule or at the evening concerts held several times a week.

The Gothic style of Southern Bohemia is exemplified in this curious church. The unassuming exterior gives no clue to the vastness inside or the treasures it holds. Paintings in the Czech Gothic style can be found by the main altar, along with other artwork and frescoes dating as far back as the late 15th century.

The interior of this triple-domed church casts a dramatic spell. The frescoes, the high and airy central dome, and the shades of rose, beige, and gray trompe-l'oeil marble on walls and arches work in concert to present a harmonious whole. The decoration followed a fire in 1709, only 30 years after the original construction. Another renovation took place in the 1890s. The architect and builder are not known, but it's surmised they are the same team that put up the Church of the Annunciation on Svatý Kopeček (Holy Hill), a popular Catholic pilgrimage site just outside Olomouc.

While there has been a site of worship at this location since the 13th century, the church still standing was designed in the 18th century by Prague's own master of late baroque, Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer. Overall, it's probably less successful in capturing the style's lyric exuberance than its name-twin across town, the Kostel sv. Mikulase (Church of St. Nicholas) in Mala Strana; but Dientzenhofer utilized the limited space to create a well-balanced structure, and it can offer a moment of peace from Staré Mĕsto crowds. The interior is compact, with a beautiful chandelier and an enormous black organ that overwhelms the rear of the church. Afternoon and evening concerts for visitors are held almost continuously—walk past and you're sure to get leafleted for one.

With its dynamic curves, this church is arguably the purest and most ambitious example of high Baroque in Prague. The celebrated architect Christoph Dientzenhofer began the Jesuit church in 1704 on the site of one of the more active Hussite churches of 15th-century Prague. Work on the building was taken over by his son Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, who built the dome and presbytery. Anselmo Lurago completed the whole thing in 1755 by adding the bell tower. The juxtaposition of the broad, full-bodied dome with the slender bell tower is one of the many striking architectural contrasts that mark the Prague skyline. Inside, the vast pink-and-green space is impossible to take in with a single glance. Every corner bristles with life, guiding the eye first to the dramatic statues, then to the hectic frescoes, and on to the shining faux-marble pillars. Many of the statues are the work of Ignaz Platzer and constitute his last blaze of success. Platzer's workshop was forced to declare bankruptcy when the centralizing and secularizing reforms of Joseph II toward the end of the 18th century brought an end to the flamboyant Baroque era. The tower, with an entrance on the side of the church, is open in summer. The church also hosts chamber music concerts in summer, which complement this eye-popping setting but do not reflect the true caliber of classical music in Prague. For that, check the schedule posted across the street at Líchtenštejnský palác (Liechtenstein Palace), where the faculty of HAMU, the city's premier music academy, sometimes also gives performances.

It's hard to miss this church—a striking constructivist work of art that, at 164 feet high, dominates the Vršovice skyline. Built in 1930 to commemorate 1,000 years since the death of St. Wenceslas, the building's most striking feature is its skyscraping white clock tower, topped by a 23-foot-high gold cross. It's worth a visit to see the exterior alone (and the lovely surrounding park), but for a peek inside, doors are usually open between 8 and 1 on Sunday for services. There are also occasional morning and evening services during the week; check the website in advance for more information.

This neo-Gothic church with its octagonal tower provides a nice contrast with the castle's older tower across the river. Step inside to see the elaborate baptismal font and frescoes. Much reconstruction took place in the 17th and 18th centuries but some earlier features remain; the Gothic entrance portal dates to 1410.

A five-minute walk up the steep Zámecký vrch from the Market Colonnade brings you to the Victorian, redbrick St. Luke's Church, once a gathering point for the local English community.

The plain but imposing Church of St. Nicholas was begun in 1230, when it belonged to the Order of Teutonic Knights. Tinkering over the centuries added an impressive Gothic portal and a baroque interior. Just inside the Gothic entrance is a wonderfully faded plaque commemorating the diamond jubilee of Habsburg emperor Franz Joseph in 1908. The church was restored in 2016, and you can now visit the crypt, which has exhibitions, and the south tower, which has a panoramic view of the city.

Six domes top this splendid Russian Orthodox church. It dates to the end of the 19th century, and is decorated with paintings and icons donated by wealthy Russian visitors.

You can usually peek inside, daily 9–6.