Vinohrady Tour

Vinohrady, in Prague 2, is the neighborhood I live in. You've heard me rave about it countless times, so I thought I'd give you the historic (self) tour that I did on Thursday, 12/16.

Church of St. Ludmila

The Neo-Gothic Saint Ludmila Church (Kostel sv. Ludmily), a two-tower basilica from 1888 - 1893, dominates the Náměstí Míru Square. Many renowned artists of the time worked on the interior and exterior of the church, including sculptor Josef Václav Myslbek, author of the statue of St. Wenceslas on Wenceslas Square and the sculptures in the Vyšehrad park.

Church of St. Ludmila

The square bears the name of the Hussite king Jiří z Poděbrad (George of Poděbrady) who ruled the country in the 15th century. It is a good starting point for a walk around Vinohrady.The square is easily recognized by the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of our Lord (Kostel nejsvětějšího srdce Páně). This monumental modern church is a unique architectural work of Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik. It was built in the years 1928 - 1932.

Church at Jiřího z Poděbrad

The street's name pays tribute to Josef Mánes, a 19th-century Czech painter and author of the images of the twelve months on the Prague Astronomical Clock. Mánesova is a beautiful tree-lined street with buildings featuring colorful Art Nouveau facades, many of them restored.

Mánesova Street

The Neo-Renaissance National House of Vinohrady stands at Náměstí Míru 9. It dates back to 1893 - 1894 and was designed by architect Antonín Turek. The building has served as the seat of various organizations and corporations and today houses businesses and occasional expositions

Vinohradský Národní dům

The historic Vinohrady Market Hall at Vinohradská 50 is located a few blocks down Vinohradská street from the Jiřího z Poděbrad Square. You can walk or take tram 11 to Vinohradská tržnice. The market hall was built in 1902, following the design of the leading Vinohrady architect of the time, Antonín Turek. It is one of the three remaining historic market halls in Prague. The interior is now taken up by an upscale shopping center, the Pavilon.

Vinohradská tržnice

There is the majestic Art Nouveau building of the Vinohrady Theatre, one of Prague's oldest and most reputable theatres. It opened in 1907.

 Divadlo na Vinohradech

A short walk from the Jiřího z Poděbrad Square is Prague's TV tower that provides a fantastic 360-degree view of Prague through the windows of its observation deck. It is located in Mahlerovy sady (Mahler Gardens) off of Ondříčkova street, just outside of Vinohrady in the neighboring district of Žižkov - essentially in the center of the city. The controversial tower was built in 1985 - 1992 despite the protests of locals who feared that this giant construction would become an eyesore to Prague. In recent years, it's become known for the baby sculptures attached to it (created by artist David Černý) that give the impression of babies crawling up and down the tower.The tower is now an unmistakable Prague landmark and has made it on the list of the World Federation of Great Towers. It is 216 meters tall and besides providing Prague with a TV and radio signal, it offers a panoramic view of the city and Central Bohemia from 93 m above ground (an elevator will take you there). On a clear day, one can see to a distance of up to 100 km/60 miles. At the height of 66 m, there is a restaurant and the Blue Café.

TV tower