World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Prague  - Excursions
Excursions

For a Half Day

Vyssehrad:
No other single site is as imbued with as much national history than the Fortress at Vy?ehrad, 3km (2 miles) south of the centre of Prague (Metro Vy?ehrad; tram 17 (alight before the road tunnels)). Although recent archaeological evidence does not bear out the traditional theory that is was the first site settled by the Slavic tribes, it clearly indicates that in the eleventh and twelfth centuries it was of far greater importance than the Castle.

With the walls is the neo-Gothic (1880s) church of sv. Petr a Pavel (Peter and Paul); although closed to the public, the facade has stunning carvings. Adjacent to the church is the Slavín Cemetery, the final resting place for Czech artists, scientists and academics - an indication of the respect in which they have always been held (no politicians or soldiers are buried here). The often highly artistic graves include those of Smetana, Dvo?ák and Mucha. Within the suburb of Vy?hrad itself can be found the Cubist villas (on Neklanova and Ra?ínovo náb?e?í); the architect Josef Chochol's designs remain a unique feature of Czech Cubism.

Troja (Trojský zámek): Prague's only chateau (tel: (02) 689 0716), was built by the ?ternbeck family in the late seventeenth century as a paean to the reigning Hapsburg dynasty. Much of the rich Baroque interior decoration celebrates the Hapsburgs, notably Leopold I's victories over the Turks. The exquisite formal gardens lead down to the river, where rowing boats can be hired May-Oct. Access is by bus 112 from Metro Nádra?í Hole?ovice, or a pleasant half-hour walk along the banks of the Vltava. The chateau is open Apr-Oct Tues-Sun 10.00-18.00; Nov-Mar Sat and Sun only 1000-1700 and admission is K?100 (free first Tues of the month).

For a Whole Day

Kutná Hora:
Now a World Heritage Site, Kutná Hora came to prominence in the late thirteenth century as a centre for silver mining. With the founding of the Royal Mint in 1308 a boom town economy developed and, until the veins were exhausted, the town was second only to Prague in importance. The principal point of interest is the extraordinary Gothic Cathedral of St Barbara, with its tent-like roof supported by three needle spires; like many of the monuments in Prague, the cathedral design came from the workshop of Peter Parler. The building was financed by the miners' guilds to honour their patron saint. For a taste of what the miners endured, the Hrádek on Barborská Czech Silver Museum offers tours into the mines (protective clothing supplied).

Sedlec: Although most tourists pass swiftly through this dreary suburb, it is worth walking from the train station to view the macabre Ossuary on Zámecká ul. Part of the Cistercian Abbey complex (now the largest tobacco factory in Central Europe), the graveyard became internationally famous when Abbot Jind?ich returned from Jerusalem with a pot of soil, believed to confer miraculous properties of preservation. Demand for burial came from as far away as Belgium, and with the plague of 1318 adding another 30,000 bodies, it became necessary to add a crypt to hold all the bones. The noble Schwarzenberg family acquired the property in 1784 and in 1870 commissioned a local woodcarver to organise the remains. The resulting sculptures, chandeliers and even the Schwarzenberg crest must be seen to be believed. Take the train from Hlavní nádra?í or Masasykov nádra?í (Kutná Hora main station is actually at Sedlec, change to the local train for the town); bus from outside ?elivského Metro statio. The Tourist Information Office, Palackého nám?stí 377 (tel: (0327) 515 556), can provide further details

Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad): Founded in 1358, the Czech Republic's largest spa town, sited along the river Tepla, has long been a place of decadent extravagance, celebrity visitors and clandestine liaisons. The numerous spas and hotels reflect the past glory of the town; grandest of all is the Grand Hotel Pupp, said to be the most elegant in the country. Especially during high season, the town can be exceptionally crowded with foreign tourists. Further information is available from Kur-Info, V?ídelní kolonada, Karlovy Vary (tel: (017) 322 9312). Transport is by bus from Florenc station (two hours thirty minutes hours) or train from Hlavní nádra?í (4 hours, 3 trains daily)



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