Prague Old Town City Guide: Mala Strana District - Travel & Discover

Little Quarter is a special part of Prague. It surrounds Prague Castle and is rich in Baroque and Renaissance architecture in the narrow streets of the city. Narodová, Royal Way or King's Road, is the historic street linking Prague Castle to Charles Bridge via Malá Strana. In the centre of the square stands Plague Column. The Black Death, raging through Europe in the 14th century, largely bypassed the area that's now the Czech Republic. Many areas throughout the country have Plague Columns, built by the survivors to commemorate the dead. This masterpiece, built by the architects Dietzenhofer, father and son, is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in central Europe and the most striking example of the so-called radical Baroque in Bohemia. With its majestic dome, its bell tower, and its undulating façade with dynamic lines, the church dominates the whole Malá Strana district. There are three St. Nicholas churches in Prague. Construction of St. Nicholas' Church at Malostranský Náměstí began in 1703. This is the largest of Prague's churches, founded by the Jesuits. The belfry was the last part to be built, constructed by Anselmo Lurago. The church of St. Francis of Assisi is located in the very heart of Prague, right next to Charles Bridge. The Baroque cupolas of the church emerge spectacularly from the vast sea of the city's roofs. The two towers of Charles Bridge, from the lesser quarter side, differ in size and style. The Old Town Bridge Tower is a beautiful Gothic tower guarding one end of Charles Bridge and heralding the entrance to the Old Town. This blackened, aged gate was completed in 1380 and forms part of the old fortification system of Prague, built to protect the Old Town against northern invaders. There are symbols of countries under the reign of Charles IV above the gateway. The Old Town Bridge Tower was built at the end of the 14th century according to a plan by Peter Parler, the favourite architect of Emperor Charles IV. It took about 25 years to build and about 100 stonecutters participated in the building. Charles Bridge is an inseparable feature from Prague. It was built in the 14th century, during the Gothic era, and is the symbol of the city. It's adorned with a unique gallery of sculptures, a true triumphant guard of honour that symbolically connects the riverbanks. The bridge received most of its religious sculptures at the turn of the 17th century. Imitating the pattern of the Bridge of Angels in Rome, it forms an extraordinary triumphant alley that connects both banks of the city, the earth and the sky. The best artists of the time distinguished themselves in a particularly fruitful climate of artistic competition and rivalry. The sculptures that visitors can see today are usually copies of the original pieces. On the other side, the bridge is bordered by two towers, each of a different height. The older one, the Judith Tower, dates back to the Romanesque era in the 12th century. The higher one dates back to the 15th century and offers a beautiful view on the city. In spite of various floods and partial renovations throughout history, the bridge that visitors walk on when crossing the river and the historic centre is still the same old medieval bridge.