Royal road: the path of the Czech kings. The royal way. Dear Czech rulers Prague Royal Road

The Royal Way is the classic route through the historical center, which the royal people went to crown to the city of St. Witt. Today it is the most popular and most classic tourist route in Prague.

Let's start with the famous Wenceslas Square. You can’t get around this square. No matter how you try to avoid the only place in Prague, where life boils at three in the morning, you will surely find yourself standing in its center, among crowds of hurrying people, under the signs of numerous restaurants and shops. Because Wenceslas, as Prague residents call it, is the heart of the city, driving away human flows, like a real heart - blood. The Czech Republic has long given away Mala Strana, Grad and Stara Mesto to tourists for plunder. Nove place, Vinohrady and Zizkov left to themselves. On Wenceslas, both meet to break up again in a minute: Prague residents - at their pubs, tourists - at their attractions. Wenceslas Square was formed on the site of the former Horse Market in 1848, therefore, in the usual sense of the word, it does not look like a square - it is rather a wide boulevard. It begins with an equestrian monument to St. Wenceslas. Here, "under the tail", appoint 90 percent of meetings in the city center. And behind the back of Wenceslas stands the huge building of the National Museum, built in 1890.

3. Cafe-tram:

Once at the other end of Wenceslas Square, we cross the street on Przikopa and along the narrow streets we continue towards the Old Town Square - perhaps the main square of Old Prague. Stare Mesto lies on the right bank of the Vltava River in front of the Prague Castle. The first mention of intercity, as the space between the City and Vysehrad was first called, dates back to the 10th century. The land between the two royal residences attracted merchants who first established markets here, and soon began to settle. Then artisans pulled themselves together, and by the 14th century it was already the largest of the Prague settlements. In 1338, its own town hall was built here. The kings, meanwhile, moved from Vysehrad to Grad and back, then generally left for Vienna, but merchants and artisans who were firmly invested in their plots remained. They continued to build and trade, despite the vicissitudes of big politics, and while Grad fell into decay, Stara Mesto was good, and most of the buildings remained intact - the Grads were always more interested in invaders and revolutionaries. And it so happened that today Stare place - this, in essence, is Prague. Not a political, but a civic center. The vast majority of tourists begin their walk in this area with Old Town Square. Here (or rather a little further, at the Powder Tower), the so-called Royal Route begins, leading through Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Mala Strana and further to Grad. When in the XIV century the royal residence was moved from the City to the Royal Court, all the royal people traveled this way to be crowned in St. Witt's Cathedral.

On the Old Town Hall there are amazing watches made already in 1410! They have two dials, one of which shows Central European and Old Bohemian time, and the other - a calendar by which you can determine the day, month and zodiac sign. Every hour, two windows open above the dials, in which the twelve apostles appear in turn, and just below four more characters come to life - the skeleton (which turns the hourglass), the Turk, the proud woman (who looks in the mirror) and the merchant (who rings with the wallet). Every hour, hundreds of tourists gather at the clock to watch this show!

5. Maria Church in front of Tyn (something, by the way, looks like the famous castle from the Disney cartoons - especially at night

6. Church of St. Nicholas:

7. Monument to Jan Hus:

8. Here, in the center of the square, until 1918 there was a Marian column, installed in 1650 to commemorate the victory over the Swedes, but in 1918 this column was destroyed by the anarchists. Talk about the restoration of the monument has been going on for many years.

Old Town Square continues south by Small Square, on which Rottov’s house stands, and then the Royal Route continues along the ancient Karlovaya Street leading to the Charles Bridge. This is one of the most crooked streets of Prague, but it is impossible to get lost here, you just have to follow the crowd of tourists who, like you, follow the Royal Route. If the density of the flow of tourists around you, regardless of the time of day, is approximately equal to the density of passengers in the Moscow metro car, then you are still on Karlova.

11. When driving along the Royal Route, in front of the entrance to the bridge, tourists are greeted by the Old Town Bridge Tower. You can climb it and look at the whole center of Old Prague from a height. We did not hesitate to decide to take this opportunity. You will be in Prague, I highly advise you to do this. Beautiful views from a height:

13. Charles Bridge - one of the symbols of Prague. The first bridge standing on this site was called Yuditin, but in 1342 it was demolished by ice drift. And soon, on July 9, 1357, at 5.31 a.m. Charles IV laid the foundation stone for the new bridge. Since then, for more than 600 years, this bridge connects the two banks of the Vltava. The bridge often suffered from floods, the largest of which, Centennial Water on September 4, 1890, claimed two pillars, three spans and several dozen human lives. We were very worried about the bridge during the recent flood of 2002. But Charles Bridge withstood.

14. The musician on the bridge

15. We cross the Charles Bridge to the other side.

17. Sculptures ... From the side of Malaya Strana and the Old Place, the bridge ends with the Malostran and Old Town bridge towers, respectively, and more than 30 sculptures are installed on the bridge itself. The oldest and most popular statue depicts St. John of Nepomuk, a cult Czech saint who, according to legend, was once thrown from the Charles Bridge in this place.

18. The stone guard with a sword on the left bank:

19. Having crossed the Charles Bridge to the left bank of the Vltava, we continue along the Royal Route and slowly rise to the hill, holding the path to the Grad ...

20. Malostranskaya Square, over which the City rises:

22. View of the tiled roofs of Old Prague and St. Nicholas Cathedral:

24. And here is the castle gate guarded by the President’s guards:

25. Classic - the facade of St. Witt's Cathedral (the sun came out, and this makes it look especially bright) ...

28. Basilica of St. Jiri:

29. One of the main attractions of Prague Castle is Zlata Street. It appeared in the second half of the 16th century - gold miners, as well as archers, lived in small houses. Popular rumor persistently calls Zlata a street a street of alchemists - supposedly Rudolph II ordered all court alchemists to settle here, so that it was impossible to hide the successful transmutation. In general, Zlata Street is a series of tiny doll houses, one more beautiful than the other. It seems that there lived hobbits or Carlsons from around the world!

Walking along this mysterious street, we leave Prague Castle through the northern gate and keep our way to Letna Park, which is spread out on one of the nearby hills - it will slowly evening, and from there you can enjoy wonderful views of the evening Prague. Letna Park is located on a steep hill on the banks of the Vltava. It offers a stunning view of the city!

34. Prague Castle from the metro station "Malostranskaya". Below is the silhouette of the Prague tram, dear to each of us.

In Prague, there is a route (3.8 km) called the Royal Route. Centuries ago, the future rulers passed on this road to their own coronation. 23 kings and 28 queens.

The journey begins from the Republic Square and ends near St. Vitus Cathedral.

The route passes through several interesting sights - the Powder Tower, Celetna Street, Old Town Square, Small Square, Clementinum, Crusader Square, Charles Bridge, Malostranskaya Square, Gradchanska Square and Prague Castle, which I want to tell you about.

Republic Square is the border zone of the Old and New Towns. There are the Powder Tower, hotels, shops, the theater and the Church of St. Joseph.

Hotel Paris stands out against the general background with elements of Gothic architecture.

The Powder Tower was founded in 1475. Height 65 m. Inside the tower there is a spiral staircase, climbing which you get to the observation deck.

Celetna Street, an old Prague street connecting Republic Square and Old Town Square. The street is always full of tourists, there are shops with souvenirs, a cafe, a wax museum, a chocolate museum, and Franz Kafka lived in one of the houses for 11 years.

Old Town Square is the central square of the old city. In the center of the square is a monument to Jan Hus (the national Czech hero). The Old Town Hall (a complex of buildings), which includes the Prague Chimes (Orloj), an astronomical clock of the 15th century, is located on the square. The clock measures Old Bohemian, Central European and stellar time.

Further, in a circle are located - the church of St. Mikulash, Kinsky Palace, Tyn Church. There are always a lot of people in the square, including motley artists, there are folk festivals and Christmas markets open.

Small area

In the center of the square is an old fountain, decorated with a forged lattice with gilded figures of angels.

An interesting attraction on Small Square is the house "At Rotta". The house is known for publishing the first Czech Bible in 1488. The building stands out with a beautiful facade with paintings depicting the battle and ancient legends.

Clementinum is a complex of buildings of the 18th century, which includes an astronomical observatory, three libraries, a mathematical museum, a weather station - the first in central Europe, the Mirror Chapel, and the Church of St. Salvator.

Crusader Square

The smallest square in Prague, founded in 1252 by the Order of the Crusaders of the Red Star. In the center is a statue of Charles the 4th. Nearby is the Charles Bridge Museum.

For many centuries, future Czech kings, "rushing" to their own coronation, invariably followed the same path along the streets of Prague - from the royal residence in the Old Town (now there is the Public House) to St. Vitus Cathedral, located in and storing "royal regalia.

All the streets along which the royal procession was moving were richly decorated, and Prague residents greeted their future ruler with cheers and threw flowers from the windows of the houses. During the journey, the royal procession periodically made stops on the streets of the city, near significant Prague buildings, where representatives of the clergy, nobility, merchant or craft guilds, etc. paid tribute to the king.

The first solemn procession of the royal procession along this route took place in 1438 - it was the coronation of Albrecht II of the Habsburg dynasty, and the last took place in 1836 (the coronation of Ferdinand V), which was quite large-scale in nature: it involved more than three thousand horses and even four camels. But Leopold II was especially distinguished in September 1791. The march was led by the royal cavalry, followed by horse-drawn trumpeters, drummers, soldiers and representatives of the nobility, followed by more than 80 carriages (some of which - the most luxurious - were harnessed by six pairs of horses), the highest nobility and the clergy.

Kings Road Today

Today, the path followed by the coronation processions of the kings and which, accordingly, bears the name of the Kings, can be safely ranked as one of the most fascinating and interesting city tours, because it allows you to see all the “salt” of Prague. A walk along the Royal Route, in the footsteps of Czech monarchs, “opens” the narrow and winding streets of the city “breathing” with bewitching antiquity to the guests of the Czech capital, provides an excellent opportunity to see the most famous, many of which are symbols of the city, in a few hours and it’s better to learn the history from the most beautiful and romantic cities of Europe - one-storied Prague ...

Map excursion route

As you can see from the route map, a walk along the Royal Road in Prague will take about 40 minutes (about 3 km). If you want to see all the sights in detail in the direction of travel, then such an excursion will last half a day.

Sights of Prague on the Royal Route

So, the Royal Way begins in the Old City. Here, near the royal residence, the future monarch and a rather large group of persons accompanying him, which included representatives of the clergy, nobles and foreign ambassadors, were welcomed by the "city fathers".

Community House (Obecní dům)

Now on the site of the former royal palace is the Public House, the largest room of which is reserved for the central concert hall of the city named after the great Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. In other smaller rooms, exhibitions are held, offices, cafes and restaurants are located.

The Public House (Obecní dům) in Prague is often called the Municipal House.

Powder Gate (Prašná brána)

Next to the Public House are the Powder Gate, which is a 65-meter-tall Gothic tower with a travel arch and intended as a gift to Vladislav II Jagiellon in honor of his coronation from the city council. Today, the Powder Gate, richly decorated with Gothic and Neo-Gothic sculptures and with a viewing platform located at a height of 44 meters, is the starting point of many sightseeing routes around the city.

Celetná ulice

From the Powder Gate, the royal procession continued its movement along one of the oldest streets of the city - Tseletnaya, famous for the unusually tasty wicker bun - tsalta, which was once baked here. Here in the house at number 36 for a long time there was a mint. Representatives of craft workshops and the Jewish community welcomed the future monarch on Celetnaya Street. Today, almost every house on this street, which has its own unusual emblem, is a historical monument: in the cellars of many houses rebuilt in the Baroque and Rococo styles, the masonry of more Romanesque and Gothic buildings has been preserved, and some houses have preserved Gothic interiors. Especially noteworthy are such houses as At the Black Mother of God, At the Red Eagle, At the Vulture.

And it is worth noting that such house signs (stone ram, black sun, three violins, white peacock, two suns, a golden snake, etc.), which are various symbols, emblems and coats of arms, will be found throughout the Royal Way. Until 1770, there were no numbering of houses, and house signs decorating them testified to the profession of the residents of the house, their name or nickname, or were the result of a legend associated with the building. All these secrets, hidden behind the walls of old houses, make a walk around the city even more fun.

Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)

Tseletnaya Street led the procession straight to the heart of the Old City - on Old Town Square. Here the monarch stopped at the Temple of the Virgin Mary in front of Tyn (Tyn Church), which attracts attention with its 80-meter pointed, as if fabulous towers. Tyn Church is a monument of Prague Gothic of the XIV-XV centuries, and its interior is considered one of the richest in the city. Here is also the oldest organ in Prague, dating from 1673.

Tyn Church (Týnský chrám)

Near the Tyn Church, the future ruler listened to the oath of allegiance from Charles University, founded by Emperor Charles IV in the middle of the XIV century. It was the first university in Central Europe, and today it is the main university of the Czech Republic.

Old Town Hall (Staroměstská radnice)

Further, the monarch’s path to the crown passed the Old Town Hall, on the tower of which there are world-famous astronomical clocks. Every hour, a huge number of people gather here - both tourists and residents of Prague, to watch the amazing performance given by puppet figures, each of which has its own symbolic meaning. This short theatrical action is better to see once than to talk about it hundreds of times. According to legend, the chimes cost watchmaking to the master of vision: city councilors, fearing that such watches could appear in other cities, and Prague would cease to be unique in this sense, blinded the talented watchmaker.

Small Square (Male namesti)

Right behind the house “At the minute”, decorated with straffito, the Small Square opens, which is a continuation of the Old Town Square. Here, the royal procession was welcomed by representatives of various church denominations, merchants and merchants. One of the most remarkable houses on Small Square is the renaissance house “At Rotta” (“At Three White Roses”).

Karlova street (Karlova ulice)

From the Small Square, the king followed Karlovaya Street, which was running away into the distance, the very curve in Prague, where several Gothic and Renaissance houses were preserved, which almost all have now been converted into shops. It is worth paying attention to such houses as At the Golden Well and At the Golden Snake.

Clementinum (Klementinum)

The next "royal stop" - Clementinum - the Jesuit complex, built back in the XVI century and representing the largest architectural and historical monument in Prague after the Prague Castle. Near Clementinum, where the State Library is currently located, the royal procession was welcomed by the ministers of the church.

Křižovnické náměstí

Walking a little ahead, the monarch and his entourage came to Křížovnice Square (the Square of the Knights of the Cross), which offers a wonderful view of the opposite bank of the Vltava.

Charles Bridge (Karlův most)

Then, through the Old Town Bridge Tower, which is a monument of Gothic architecture and built at the end of the XIV century, the royal procession set foot on the famous, also dated to the XIV century, connecting Old Town with. This is one of the symbols of Prague and a true masterpiece of architecture. There are 30 sculptural groups on the bridge, most of them were installed in 1683-1714. No matter what time of year or whatever weather you find yourself in Prague, Charles Bridge is a place that is never empty: crowds of tourists from different countries always walk here and take pictures for memory. And when touched, some sculptures “fulfill” their most cherished desires, which attracts special attention of guests of the Czech capital. The Charles Bridge ends with two Malostransky bridge towers: the smaller one, originally built in the late 12th century in the Gothic style, was rebuilt in the Renaissance style at the end of the 16th century, and the large one, very similar to the Old Town Bridge Tower, dates from the second half of the 15th century.

Small Country (Malá Strana)

Ahead, Small Country is one of the most picturesque urban areas. When the solemn procession appeared on its territory, her burgomaster presented the future monarch with the keys to the city, and after that an artillery salvo was heard.

Mostetskaya street (Mostecka ulice)

Further, the king’s path passed along Mostetskaya Street - one of the busiest streets of Prague today with a number of houses with narrow facades and richly decorated stucco molding. Here it is worth paying attention to the Kounitsky Palace (now the embassy of Yugoslavia is housed in it), built in the Rococo style, and the Saxon House, which has undergone more than one architectural transformation over the centuries of its existence (Gothic, Renaissance) and now appears before us in the classical style.

Malostranska Square (Malostranské náměstí)

Mostetskaya Street "led" the procession to Malostranskaya Square with the baroque Church of St. Mikulas (Nikolai), the emerald dome of which reigns over the entire area. The temple was built in the first half of the XVIII century and is today the hallmark of the Small Country. Thanks to its amazing acoustics, classical music concerts are often organized in the temple. As the coronation procession passed the temple, bells rang here in honor of the future ruler.

Nerudova street (Nerudova ulice)

Having passed the Malostransky Square, the monarch and his entourage came to Nerudova Street, where the poet and writer Jan Neruda lived in the house “At Two Suns”, immortalizing the locals in his collection of short stories “Little stories”. Nerudova Street is the pride of Malaya Strana - and for good reason: it is unique in that almost all the houses here have preserved their house signs - “At the Golden Horseshoe”, “At the Three Violins”, “At the Golden Bowl”, “At the White Swan”, “At green cancer "etc. There are also several Baroque palaces (Tung-Hohenstein, Morzinsky, etc.), where foreign embassies are now located.

Hradčanské Square (Hradčanské náměstí)

At the end of Nerudova Street, turning to the right, the royal procession rose to Hradchanska Square, from the observation deck of which magnificent views of the city open. Hradchanskaya Square can “boast” of a number of palaces (Martinitsky, Schwarzenberg, etc.), each of which is distinguished by its unique architectural appearance and has a rich history.

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

And here, finally, the Prague Castle itself, founded back in the 9th century. This is the largest architectural complex in the Czech Republic, the former residence of Czech kings and the current residence of the Czech president. Here, the monarch to the ringing of bells and cannon salvos was greeted by the nobles and the heads of district departments.

St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrála svatého Víta)

Through the Matiášov Gate, guarded by guards, the procession passed through the first courtyard of Prague Castle and followed right into the second - to St. Vitus Cathedral, where the coronation took place. The cathedral surprisingly harmoniously combines as many as three architectural styles - Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Inside the cathedral, many architectural monuments and works of art have been preserved. Here is also the tomb of many Czech rulers.

Old Royal Palace (Starý královský palác)

Well, the kings completed their journey to the Czech crown here, but tourists should not stop there. The best continuation of this excursion will be a visit to the Royal Palace with the famous Vladislav Hall, a visit to the Romanesque Basilica of St. George (XII century) and, of course, it is certainly worth taking a walk along the famous and mysterious golden street with picturesque miniature houses where jewelers lived before and now There are souvenir shops.

Where to book a Royal Road tour

It’s better and cheaper to book such an excursion in one of the many travel agencies located in the city center. You can also find a private guide who with pleasure and for little money will conduct and tell in detail about all the sights of Prague on the Royal Route.

Not to take a walk along the Royal Route, just following the route of the Czech monarchs or deviating a little from it, showing a bit of curiosity, is the same as not seeing such an amazing and beautiful European city like Prague at all! The royal way will give a lot of unforgettable impressions and the most vivid emotions! It is precisely the route from which you should begin your acquaintance with Prague in order to discover all its beauties!

This tour will give you the opportunity to see the most famous Prague attractions in a short time. You will enjoy a variety of architectural styles and learn a lot of interesting things about the Czech Republic - a wonderful country with a long history.

• Following the Czech kings, you will pass along the coronation Royal Road.
• Through the ceremonial Powder Gate you will enter the Old Town and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of medieval streets, for many centuries keeping their secrets
• On Old Town Square - the heart of the Old Town - you will enjoy the battle of the famous Astronomical Clock and admire the fabulous temple of the Virgin Mary in front of Tyn
• On the famous Charles Bridge - a masterpiece of medieval architecture, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the stunning panorama of Prague and make a treasured wish that will come true.
• Mala country is considered a reserve of Baroque architectural style. You will admire the monumental St. Nicholas Cathedral - its green dome reigns over the magnificent Malostranskaya Square
• Along the picturesque Nerudova street, you will rise to the most beautiful Hradchanskaya Square, from the observation deck of which you will have a wonderful view of the city
• You will touch the majestic history of Prague by visiting the Prague Castle - a unique architectural monument - from time immemorial serving as the residence of Czech rulers. The magnificent Cathedral of St. Vitus, the graceful basilica of St. George and the Golden Street shrouded in mysticism will not leave you indifferent.

What you will see:

Republic Square - Municipal Palace - Powder Tower - Old Town Square - Tyn Church - ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK - Old Town Hall - the Clementinum - Charles Bridge - Lesser Town Square - SOBOR.SV.NIKOLAYA - Nerudova Street - Hradcany Square - Prague Castle - St. Vitus Cathedral - ROYAL PALACE - BASILICA ST. GEORGIA - GOLD STREET

  Tour Duration:   4 hours

The cost of the tour, in euros:

The cost of the tour is indicated in euros. Payment is possible in Czech crowns, at the CNB rate on the day of payment and by bank transfer.

The price includes:

• Professional licensed guide services
• The cost of multi-day excursions includes the cost of living in a *** hotel, with breakfast, for double occupancy.

The price does not include:

• The cost of admission tickets.
• Nutrition.

Do not like individual excursions? Take advantage of our offer for group tours.

Transfers in the Czech Republic and Europe are inexpensive, fast and comfortable.