7 Places to see in Prague's Old Town Square, the medieval heart

La Old Town Square de Prague It is one of the most beautiful and impressive corners you can visit in Europe.

It seems almost like a story; actually like many of the corners that you can find in towns and cities of the Czech Republic.

This square is the nerve center of the city and a must-see for tourists to enjoy at different times of your trip to Prague.

In the morning, with the light of the sunset and, to complete the circle, at night to enjoy the beauty of the illuminated monuments.

In this large square you not only find historical buildings and monuments, but a succession of houses with facades of great beauty for its architecture and its color.

This large square is a place full of important sites to see as well as being full of bars where you can have a drink with luxurious views.

Below I tell you what can you see on your visit to the Prague Old Town Square

Prague Town Hall on Old Town Square

The historic building Prague Town Hall (Radnice) It stands out for its 60-meter-high tower and for the astronomical clock attached to its façade and served as the city's town hall until the end of the 18th century.

This historic building was largely destroyed by the nazis in the Second World War because it was hidden in it the resistance, and then it was not rebuilt, so only a small part of it remains.

El Prague Old Town Hall (town hall) is actually made up of several buildings that were added as municipal needs expanded.

The first building was built in year 1338 , when the king John of Luxembourg decided to establish the so-called municipal Council.

This building, known as the House of Wolflin von Kamen, is the one located next to the Tower of the Old Town Hall, which was built in 1364.

If you look at these four buildings that, together with the tower, make up the old town hall, you will see that they have a different architectural style, as they combine Gothic and Renaissance styles.

This set of buildings was renovated between the 15th and 16th centuries, and from this period it is the gothic door main access to the town hall building and the tower.

Also worth highlighting is the beautiful Renaissance window of the Kriz House, from the year 1520, divided into three sections.

How to climb the Town Hall Tower in the Old Town Square

The tower is, without a doubt, the most prominent part of this architectural complex of the Prague City Hall, above all, because on the outside there is the Astronomical clock.

But that's not all, and at the top of this tower there are some of the best panoramic views of the Czech capital.

On the visit of inside the tower You can see some rooms with Renaissance ceilings, and on the first floor, a gothic chapel.

But the most interesting part is undoubtedly the viewpoint.

You can go up on foot or in an elevator depending on the ticket you buy. Even some of the city's discount cards already include the elevator so you can save the trip on foot

From above you have excellent panoramic views of the Old Town of Prague.

At the foot you have the Town Hall Square with the Tyn Temple in front, but this 360-degree viewpoint allows you to see many other emblematic points of the city such as Prague Castle.

Hours and prices of the Prague City Hall Tower

The Prague City Hall Tower visiting hours They are, on Mondays, from 11 a.m. to 22 p.m., and from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 22 p.m.

Here you can consult the guided tour schedules of the tower in various languages, including Spanish.

El price of admission basic is 9,90 euros, with a reduced rate of 5,90 euros for children from 6 to 15 years old, students under 26 years old and seniors +65.

Prague Astronomical Clock

One of the corners of Prague What most attracts visitors to this medieval city is its beautiful astronomical clock what you can see on the façade of the Tower of the old Town Hall, in the center old town square.

In fact, every hour on the hour there are many tourists who crowd in front of this clock to see the chime performance, with the figures of the apostles in motion. I have done it, and you surely will too.

Located at the bottom of the south wall of the tower, the Prague astronomical clock it has its origin in 1410, when its astronomical quadrant was built. Later, in 1490, the Gothic calendar and sculptures were added.

During history, the astronomical clock stopped a few times, such as in 1552 and in 1865, the latter time in which a important repair and the mobile figures of the apostles were incorporated.

Astronomical clock history

But the most critical moment in history of the astronomical clock of the Prague City Hall it was during the Second World War.

In May 1945, during the Nazi withdrawal from the city of Prague, they destroyed the old town square, which caused a major fire. The calendar dial and the figures of the apostles suffered the consequences, until 1948 when they were completely restored.

Despite this, it is worth noting that 75 percent of the parts of the Prague astronomical clock Aun they are original.

This is divided into three parts: the beautiful astronomical quadrant, which tells the hours and indicates the positions of the sun and the moon, and whose complex dial is the highlight of this watch; he calendar which was added in 1870, with its four adjoining sculptures; and the figures of the twelve apostles.

These figures move around the carillon every hour on the hour, between 9 in the morning and 9 at night. In the rest of the hours, they “rest”…

These figures are flanked by four sculptures that represent vanity, greed, death and lust.

As a curious fact, the Prague astronomical clock is the only one in the world able to measure Babylonian time, related to magical rites.

In summary, my advice is that you make a note to see the astronomical clock in your agenda for your trip to Prague.

Tyn Temple

El Tyn Temple It is the most imposing building in this square.

From 1375, his two 80 meter towers tall, they protrude from behind the baroque houses whose facades are partially hidden by one of the buildings that face the square.

Tyn is the most important Gothic building in Prague. Its interior, divided into three naves and with a choir, was remodeled in the Gothic style in the 17th century.

History Temple of Tyn

The Temple of Tyn It was built on the site of a Cistercian church from the mid-14th century to the early 16th century.

The Romanesque style church that occupied the place where the church is now located in the 11th century Tyn Temple It served as a hospital.

The work was started by the same architect who was simultaneously building the St Vitus Cathedral in the Prague Castle.

El Tyn Temple It is a Gothic style building, although it also has Renaissance style corners.

After a big fire in prague city In the 17th century, the interior of the Temple of Tyn, which I will tell you that I have not yet had the opportunity to visit, It was rebuilt in baroque style.

For this reason, it is easy to venture the great contrast of said interior with the exterior image of the building.

What to see at the Temple of Tyn

The highlights of its interior are the paintings that decorate the main altar area, as well as the tomb of Tycho Brahe.

The church organ, from 1673, is the oldest in Prague.

When on a next visit to Prague I can see the interior of this monumental church, I hope not to find a decoration that is too strident compared to the exterior architecture.

If you contemplate the towers of the Temple of Tyn during the day it is one of the duties that we visitors to Prague have, the spectacular night lighting of this church of the old town square forces you to visit it again during the night.

In any case I tell you that the Tyn Temple It will be one of the iconic images of Prague that will remain in your retina after visiting the Czech capital.

Tyn Temple visit schedules

The Prague Tyn Temple visiting hours They are, from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 13 p.m. and from 15 p.m. to 17 p.m., and on Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

A voluntary payment of 25 CZK (1 euro) is recommended for the visit.

Art gallery in Kinsky Palace on Old Town Square

One of the buildings that will undoubtedly catch your attention in Prague's Old Square is the Golz Kinsky palace, a beautiful rococo style building built in the mid-18th century.

Oriented towards the west, like the  Tyn Temple, and after monument to Jan Hus, Golz Kinsky palace You will recognize it by its beautiful facade of golden architectural style colors rococo.

Currently it is one of the headquarters buildings of the National Gallery in Prague.

El Golz Kinsky palaceAs we see it now, it was completed in 1765 on the site occupied by three medieval buildings, which dated back to the 12th century.

These buildings underwent various renovations, which led them to be united and decorated in a stylish style. renaissance.

Golz Kinsky palace history

In fact, in the current building of the Golz Kinsky palace There are still areas that preserve the medieval construction of said buildings, such as the northern part of it, which is from the 13th century, and the basements of the Gothic.

In the middle of the 18th century was when the Count Golz acquired the aforementioned medieval buildings and carried out the definitive renovation that gave way to the building rococo that now you can see.

This palace was sold to the Kinsky family in 1768, which was its owner until 1945.

Finally, since 1949 the Golz Kinsky palace Belongs to the National Gallery in Prague.

When you visit the old town square, you can enjoy the beauty of the façade of this palace, which, due to its aforementioned west orientation, is enhanced by the evening light.

Exhibitions National Gallery Kinsky Palace

But you can also tour its interior, taking advantage of the opportunity to visit some of the exhibitions of the aforementioned museum.

Here you can check which exhibition is currently being shown, as well as the future exhibitions of the Kinsky palace.

The Visiting hours of the National Gallery headquarters in Kinsky Palace They are every day from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m., except on Mondays when it is closed to the public.

Monument to Jas Hus

One of the corners that will undoubtedly catch your attention in the Old Town Square, is the great It is about the Monument to Jan Hus, is a bronze sculptural group raised between 1900 and 1915.

House “Up to the minute”

Among the various houses of great beauty in Gothic and Renaissance style that surround the square, it is worth highlighting the so-called House “to the Minute”,

Located next to the foot of the old town hall building, it is covered with a 17th century sgraffito, at this building the Kafka family lived up to 1896.