If you want to feel like you've returned to history or a magical and fantastical world, then Prague's Old Town Square is the perfect place. It Is also known as Staroměstské námestí. You feel something in Prague's Old Town Square because of the atmosphere and setting, which you rarely find anywhere else. Putting aside the romantic side, Old Town Square is where most people meet in Prague. Along with Charles Bridge and Golden Lane, it's also the most Instagrammable spot in the Czech capital.
Old Town Square is a prominent tourist attraction together with Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. The square's classical and Gothic architecture may transport visitors to another period. Even though it has that name and is historically important, Prague's Old Town was not the city's original centre. The Castle deserves this honour because it has been the country's government seat since the ninth century.
Highlights
• Learn more about the Old Town Square, which has beautiful mediaeval buildings, like the famous Astronomical Clock and the Church of Our Lady before Tún.
• Explore the lively cultural and entertainment hub with markets, fairs, and street performances all year round.
• Discover the details about its historical and cultural sites, like the Old Town Hall Tower and the Jan Hus Memorial.
• Enjoy the food at the cafés and restaurants that line around the square with the beautiful scenery.
• Learn about the beautiful mix of Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance buildings that make the square popular for tourists and locals.
How To Reach
- By car: You can take a taxi to Old Town Square from Prague Airport. It takes 15 to 17 km and 30 mins. It costs 550 Kč to 700 Kč.
- By bus: From the Prague airport, take bus 119 to Nádraží Veleslavín metro station, then switch to the green subway line A. The bus comes every six to twenty minutes, and the trip takes 20 minutes.
- By tram: The 98 tram line goes from Hlavní nádraží to Staroměstská. You can take the tram to Old Town Square in Prague from there. You can go there within 22 minutes.
Best Time To Visit
You can visit Old Town Square all year from 9 am to 10 pm except Monday. On Monday it opens at 11 in the morning.
- Best Season: Visitors suggested that the end of summer (April- May) is the perfect time to visit Old Town Square when fewer tourists exist.
- Best Day of the Week: Weekdays are better than weekends for visiting Prague's Old Town Square. Weekdays are more open.
- Best Time of the Day: Tourists say the best time to go to Old Town Square is early morning and before sunrise. The square is often full of people in the afternoon.
Other Essential Information
Visitor Tips
- Wear shoes that provide adequate arch support. There may be some narrow cobblestone streets.
- Accompanying you is a robust umbrella. Any time of year can bring rain to Prague.
- Remember to bring your camera because Prague is one of the most picturesque places in Europe.
- Markets selling food, souvenirs, and beverages set up shop in the square throughout the winter holidays.
- See the restored Marian Column, originally erected in 1910 to commemorate the Habsburgs' triumph in the Thirty Years' War but demolished in 1918 and rebuilt in 2020.
Town Hall and Town Hall Tower
One of Prague's most famous attractions, the Town Hall, stands guard at the square's southeast corner. The view of the city from its tower is unparalleled. The people of that time used the proceeds from the beer tax to fund its construction in 1338. It has not been a town hall since 1945 due to the severe damage it sustained during WWII, but it hosts various cultural events. The catacombs beneath the town hall and the town hall's tower are notable among its historic halls.
Jan Hus Monument
Ladislav Šaloun made the monument out of stone and bronze. It is one of the most important Art Nouveau sculptures in Prague. Finishing in 1915, celebrated Czech reformer Jan Hus' 500th death anniversary. It is seen as a symbol of the Czech people's independence. A hundred years before Luther, Jan Hus preached that the Catholic Church should be changed. In 1415, he was burned alive at the stake for this. His death four years later led to the first defence of Prague and the 18-year Hussite Wars that followed.
Teyn Church
Teyn Church is right across the street from the Old Town Hall. The building occurred between the middle of the 14th century and the start of the 16th. It is one of Prague's most important Gothic sacral buildings. The building was still on time because the wooden beams that were supposed to be for the roof truss were used to make gallows instead. The roof could finally be finished 20 years later. Before the 1600s, the two towers, which were named Adam and Eve, still needed to be finished.
The Prague National Gallery
If you want to explore one of the famous art galleries in Prague, then The National Gallery is one. This is Europe's only older art gallery outside of Paris. Its permanent shows happen in several Prague buildings. One of them is the Baroque Goltz-Kinsky Palace on Old Town Square. It has art from Islamic cultural circles as well as Asia and Africa. The palace was home to a humanist high school that taught in German. Franz Kafka and his longtime friend Max Brod went there many years ago.
