Table Of Contents

1. History
2. Admission and Access
3. House 20
4. Franz Kafka House
5. House 12
6. House 13
7. House 14
8. House 15
9. House 16
10. House 23
11. House 27
12. Medieval Armoury

History

In 1597, the marksmen who guarded the castle’s fortifications wanted a place to live nearby. They didn’t want to walk back to Lower Town every day after their shift was over, and being nearby would mean faster response to any attackers. The emperor permitted them to build their homes on the small piece of land now the Golden Lane. But there were 24 marksmen and a lack of space for large enough houses. The miniature houses were constructed in the mannerist style out of stone, mud and wood – all cheap materials which would have been abundant to these marksmen.

Eventually, the row became home to more than just marksmen. Both rich and poor people lived here, as their proximity to the castle made it the perfect location to best serve the monarchy. There were artists, clerks, footmen, and more living along this narrow road. An extensive renovation was done to the lane in the 1950s after WWII, and only 11 historic houses remain today. The houses on the street no longer house residents of Prague but contain souvenir shops and little exhibits which display what life was like in the lane over the last 500 years.

The street gets its name from the famous alchemist who once lived here during the reign of Rudolf II. This alchemist was obsessed with creating the philosopher’s stone, the elixir of youth and most of all, trying to turn cheap metals into gold! He was never successful himself, but stories of his attempts lived on. In the 20th century, an old doctor of philosophy spent his life savings collecting old books on magic and went about secret experiments in his house on Golden Lane.

One day, neighbours heard an explosion and came running. His house was on fire, and when firefighters finally could extinguish the blaze, they found the old man dead inside, clutching a large piece of gold in his hand. Perhaps he finally accomplished what all those alchemists before him were attempting to do, as no one could understand how else he would have come to own such a large, expensive piece of gold.

Admission and Access

Access to the Golden Lane can be gained only with a Prague Castle admission ticket. You can access the Golden Lane on either circuit A or B. It is open from November – March from 9am – 2pm and from April – October from 9am – 5pm.

House 20

The only house retained with a Renaissance appearance is house #20, with its original dark brown pieces of framing, which can be seen from the exterior.

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Franz Kafka House

Many famous people have lived here throughout the years. Be sure to stop by house #22, the blue house, which was once home to Czech-born, German-language novelist Franz Kafka. Although the interior of this house is one of the most disappointing since it’s now nothing more than a cheesy souvenir shop.

House 12

House #12 was owned by film historian and collector Josef Kazda. This was my favourite house on the lane. Inside are hundreds of posters from old Czech films and piles of film canisters littering the floor. Kazda saved many films which were supposed to be destroyed by the Nazis in WWII, and his house became a kind of warehouse to keep these pieces of history safe.

House 13

House #13 is the residence of the red artilleryman. It’s a recreation of the home of one of the many guards who protected the castle. Inside you can find his bed, original guard uniform, and their humble cottage kitchen.

House 14

House #14 once belonged to the psychic Madame de Thebes, who lived here in the 20th century. She predicted the downfall of the Third Reich and was eventually arrested and tortured to death by the Gestapo for her predictions, which, as we all know, finally came true. This house now hosts items favoured by fortune tellers, like tarot cards, skulls and books on astrology.

House 15

House #15 contains an exhibition dedicated to the goldsmith’s workshop. In addition to living in these houses, many craftsmen used them as studios. Inside this little house, you’ll find a small Renaissance desk, goldsmith tools, an outfit that such craftsmen would have worn during the period, and various other items of decor that such a man would have owned.

House 16

House #16 is a recreation of the kinds of tavern inns that would have served the Golden Lane and Prague Castle residents in the Renaissance period. A dimly lit bedroom, surrounded in rich animal furs and jugs of ale, surrounds the bedside.

House 23

House #23 is a goldsmith’s workshop. Displaying antique jewelry both on the exterior and interior, there is a myriad of tools of the goldsmith’s trade on display. A fur apron sits on the chair, as it was used to catch any of those precious flecks of fold the smith would be working with. One can only imagine the kinds of requests these goldsmiths would be making for the Kings and Queens of Bohemia and their court.

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House 27

House #27 contains an exhibition dedicated to herbalists. Herbalists were the doctors, pharmacists, dermatologists and makeup artists of the 15th century. They cured diseases, healed wounds and served both the rich and poor. Their materials consisted mostly of flowers, powders, seeds and spices. Inside you also have a modern-day beauty products shop selling all sorts of natural creams and tonics made in the Czech Republic from regional ingredients. I’d seen this brand elsewhere in the city, but buying it in the old home of the original herbalists felt extra special.

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Medieval Armoury

At the end of the lane, one of the houses houses a medieval armoury and textile displays. Visitors can even try shooting a crossbow in the makeshift range they’ve set up inside. Although this little street might seem inconsequential against the majesty of St. Vitus Cathedral or the Royal Residences, seeing how the everyday people who built the foundations of the city lived, is truly an eye-opening experience.

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Prague’s Golden Lane is a must for any traveller. From its vibrant and well-preserved medieval architecture to its historical significance and rich cultural heritage, the Golden Lane offers a unique and unforgettable experience. Whether you’re a history buff, an architecture lover, or just looking for a fun and immersive day out, the top ten sights on this walking tour are sure to captivate and delight.

The post The Top Ten Things to See on a Walking Tour of Prague’s Golden Lane first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. History
2. Access
3. Brewery
4. Admission
5. Viewing Gallery
   • Medieval Monastery
6. The Grand Philosophical Hall
   • Intellectual Progress of Mankind
7. Cabinets of Curiosities
8. The Theological Hall
   • Murals in the Theological Hall
   • St John the Evangelist

History

The Strahov Monastery was first established in 1140. Throughout the years it was destroyed and rebuilt, time after time, war after war. Many of their precious books were stolen, and despite this, every time they rebuilt it, they sought to rebuild their libraries, even grander. Creating a space of importance and preservation for the tombs within. Today, the Monastery and the library stand as a jewel of the Baroque era. Even from afar their bright red-tiled roofs and copper spires, aged to a brilliant teal colour, contrast the grey skies.

Access

To get to the library, walk across the Charles Bridge to board the #22 Tram and ride it to the stop ‘Pohořelec’. From this stop it’s only a 5 minute walk downhill to get to the library. Alternatively, take in the monastery as a part of my Petrin Hill Self-Guided Walking Tour!

Brewery

As you ascend the hill towards the main building, you first pass another piece of the Monastery’s history; its brewery. This brewery was established in the 1600’s, and the monks would work and produce beer to create income their order. Even today you can visit the brewery and drink a glass sitting in their scenic beer garden. We made sure to make a pit stop here before heading to the library. Like all beer in Prague, it is cheap and delicious! And the view is unbeatable, look out over the valley and across to Prague Castle.

Admission

The entry price for visiting the Library and Pictures gallery is CZK 120, and there is a small photo fee if you want to take pictures. While some people complain about this cost, I love this feature. Some places don’t let you take pictures at all, but here, by charging a small fee, it can control the cameras in the museum and helps bring in a little more money to ensure proper preservation the delicate pages inside against those harsh flashes that people inevitably use. The library is open daily from 9am to 5pm (with a one hour lunch break from 12pm-1pm when it is closed). Last admission 30 minutes before closing.

The library has three parts which visitors can explore. The Grand Philosophical Hall, The Baroque Theological Hall and the Cabinets of Curiosities. After paying admission to a surely looking Czech woman inside an ancient wooden toll booth, you are allowed to head the old stone staricase towards the library.

Viewing Gallery

The first room you enter inside the Monastery is the Viewing Gallery. This room contains dozens of timeworn books, preserved in glass cases. The most important, beautiful and rare book of the collection, as well as one of the oldest, is the Strahov codex. The codex was rebound with red velvet in around 1180 and decorated with four enamel Romanesque carvings and six large red and white crystals. A sculpture of Christ on the Cross, Our Lady and St John, along with four silver Renaissance medallions of the evangelists were also added to create one of the most stunning book covers I’ve ever seen.

Behind the glass in the other cabinets, you can see the masterful art works within the pages of this book. This codex older than the Czech state itself, dating from 860-865. There are between 980 and 985 full page drawings of the evangelists. The illustrations contained within were painted by some of the great masters of book illustrations in the Ottoman empire.

Medieval Monastery

In medieval times, before the printing press, the only way of getting text into books was to write it by hand. This was mostly done by Monks of the order. Since these Bibles and Holy tombs were handmade, they were extremely expensive. But they were most than just words; they were works of art. So much time, care and artistry were put into each unique treasure. The monks were incredibly talented, and each of the tiny painted scenes hidden on each piece of parchment brought the story alive to the readers. In addition to the codex, there are various other illustrated books from the medieval period depicting subjects like religion, mythology and even geography inside the glass cases in the entry.

The Grand Philosophical Hall

The Grand Philosophical Hall is the jewel of the monastery. Looking from floor to ceiling at this ornately designed library will literally take your breath away. It contains over 42,000 ancient philosophical texts, sprawling along the room like a wave of knowledge. The room was designed in 1794 by Jan Ignác Palliardi, an Italian architect living in Bohemia. He used elements of the previous, smaller library, when creating his final vision. This preserved the beautiful old walnut interior for the previous library.

The sheer size of this library is what first hits you. It is 32 meters long, 22 meters wide, with a ceiling height of 14 meters. Your eyes are not doubted drawn right up to the bright and action packed frescos above. These were done by the Viennese painter Anton Maulbertsch, who spent over six months working with only one other artist to complete the stunning scene.

Intellectual Progress of Mankind

The painting depicts the ‘Intellectual Progress of Mankind’ and shows developments in science and religion, and their mutual impact on each other. It also represents man’s quest for knowledge and his drive to learn the secrets of the universe. We can see Noah building the ark, Cain and Abel as well as the evolution of Greek civilization. There are philosophers standing guard; Socrates and Diogenes as well as leaders like Alexander the Great. There are two levels to the library. The main level with rolling staircase to access the books at the very top of the shelves, and a gallery only accessible from a hidden spiral staircase. The staircase looks like the spines of books but is, in fact, simply painted onto the wooden door.

Cabinets of Curiosities

Between the Philosophers hall and the theological hall, you’ll come across various cabinets of curiosities. This particular collection was from the estate of Karel Jan Erben, brought to the monastery in 1798. These cabinets are tiny museums. Wealthy collectors had the ability to buy different items that interested or amused them and assemble it all together in these gilded cabinets. They would then invite friends over to admire their collection and tell stories about the various pieces within. To these people, it was the height of entertainment.

In the Renaissance when these cabinets first began to pop-up, the most popular items in the collections were mysterious or remarkable objects. Then, obsession moved onto natural sciences, like collections of sea fauna. There were insect collections, mineral samples, and wax replicas of fruit. One of rarest things in the collection is the prepared remains of, the now extinct, Dodo bird. There are weapons and armour from Bohemia as well as ceramics, sculptures and more. One of my favourite cabinets contains a ‘dendrology’ library. 68 volumes prepared by Karel of Hinterlagen from around 1825 full of different types of wood! Seems pretty dull but I love when people have something, even something mundane, that they are obsessed with.

The Theological Hall

The Theological Hall is down the long hallway from the Philosopher’s Hall. This gallery contains over 18,000 religious texts. Many of the books included are rare volumes seen only by the monks and approved scholars. The room is named ‘Theological Hall’ after the fact that it contains nothing but different editions of the Bible or parts of the Bible in all different languages. The Theological Hall was built in 1671 by architect Giovanni Domennico Orsi, a Prague burgher of Italian origin. The Italian influence can be seen throughout the design of the library, especially in all the stucco touches above the shelves.

The bookshelves are gilded wood with carved decoration. The use of red throughout related to the ‘sacred’ as these books were considered some of the most sacred things in their time. Although we look at the use of upright shelves in the library as the norm now, Baroque designers were the first ones to use the upright shelf design compared to the Gothic desk system or Romanesque treasury system.

Murals in the Theological Hall

Above the shelves of the Theological Hall are gilded wooded-carved decorations inside wooden cartouches. These functioned as a sort of early card cataloguing system. The pictures in the wooden cartouches specified the type of literature stored on the shelves below. Above all the shelves is magnificently painted fresco. The mural portrays the ethos of the library that a person with great faith must also build on his knowledge and provide education for those who need it, sharing his learned knowledge with the world. There is a piece of script carved into the iron gates on the other side of the library which states INITIUM SAPIENTIAE TIMOR DOMINI (the beginning of wisdom is fear of God.) Along the centre of the room are a series of 17th-century geographical and astronomical globes.

St John the Evangelist

One of the most important objects in the room is the late-Gothic wooden statue of St John the Evangelist. In his left hand, he holds a real ‘girdle-book’. These girdles were used as carrying cases for the treasured objects, in this case, books, as people travelled from city to city, reading to the common folk. The beautifully stitched and sewn carving of the girdle depicts the care that was taken in the protection of books in the medieval area. So much time and effort was taken into creating them; you had to be so careful when taking them out of the libraries arms.

The Strahov Monastery Library is one of those places that is often overlooked by the majority of travellers who come to Prague, so even if you’re not a bibliophile, this is a perfect place to soak in some beautiful architecture, gorgeous art and escape the crowds. If only for a moment.

The post Ultimate Guide to the Secrets inside the stunning Strahov Monastery Library, Prague first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. How to Get there
2. History of Petrin Hill
3. Map of Petrin Hill Walking Tour
4. Petrin Hill Funicular
5. Petřín Rose Garden
6. The Štefánik Observatory
7. Magic Cavern Prague
8. Petrin Tower
9. Snacks on the Hill
10. Hall of Mirrors
11. Cathedral of St. Lawrence
12. St. Michael Church
13. Seminary Garden
14. Klášterní Pivovar Strahov
15. Strahov Monastery Library
    • Strahov Library

How to Get there

To get to Petrin Hill you have two options. You can walk or take the funicular. The walk takes about 30 minutes; it’s a bit steep but your path through the woods as you climb is a lovely experience well worth the effort. But if the weather is a bit chilly or rainy, the funicular is a great option and a really neat way to see some of the history of this area.

History of Petrin Hill

Petrin Hill rises over 130m above the Vltava River. In ancient times, the hill was covered in rocks, which were later excavated and used to build the city. With the absence of these stones, the people of Prague built atop the hill. In 1360 the Hunger Wall was put up as a medieval defensive system to protect the town from invaders. During the 1891 Jubilee Exhibition, the Petrin Tower was built, a miniature version of the Eiffel Tower for the people of Prague who had come to love the one in Paris.

Map of Petrin Hill Walking Tour

Petrin Hill Funicular

The Funicular railway is free if you’ve purchased a public transport ticket that day. Take the tram to stop “Ujezd” (trams No 12, 22, 23) to arrive at the Petrin Hill Funicular station. Keep your transfer from the tram, and you’ll be able to get onto the funicular for free! If you walked to the Petrin Funicular station or took a cab, you can still buy tickets inside the station. Remember that you need to go inside, buy your ticket, and then come back out to wait in the long line to get onto the funicular.

Many people wait in the long line expecting to buy tickets at the front of the queue and are unfortunately told to go back, purchase the ticket and wait in line once more. Tickets cost the same as the regular public transport, 24 CZK or $1 USD. The funicular dates back to 1851 and as such is quite slow so even with a short line, expect to wait around 10-20 mins to get to the front of the queue. When we visited we decided to take the funicular up to the top but then walk all the way down, it is the best of both worlds.

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Petřín Rose Garden

After you get off the tram, take a walk through Petřín Rose Garden. The Rose Garden covers over six hectares, and it is said there are over twelve thousand roses in bloom in the summer months! Dotted along the garden are dozens of benches should you want to rest your feet and enjoy the sweet smells of the flowers.

The Štefánik Observatory

The Štefánik Observatory is located inside an assuming neo-baroque building and if it weren’t for the giant domed telescopes, you’d never imagine what could be inside. The observatory was built in 1928 but even to this day, the telescopes draws people in to take a look up into the skies. Entry is only 90 CZK ($4 USD) and especially if you have kids or are interested in space, you’ll really find the price to be more than worth it!

There is rarely a line and you can take a look at the sun, various usually hard to spot planets as well as stars, nebulas, star clusters or galaxies. The staff speak English as well as Czech and are happy to help answer all your questions with a cheery attitude for the subject they love.

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Magic Cavern Prague

If you’re looking for a trippy and whimsical place to visit, you should check out Prague’s Magical Cavern. This building houses a collection of paintings by artist Reon. Inside this cavern-like museum are over 80 of his paintings depicting his imaginary realm called Argondia. in addition to the paintings, there are sculptures throughout and plaster to create an otherworldly dreamscape. It’s a bit cheesy but super fun! Admission is only 100 CZK for adults and 50 CZK for kids. It is cash only, so keep that in mind. Open daily from 2 pm to 7 pm.

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Petrin Tower

The Petrin Tower may only 60m tall, but after climbing the 299 steps it takes to reach the top, you have a fantastic view of the city of Prague below. Tickets are 150 CZK ($6.5 USD), but the lineups for the stairs can get very long since the number of people allowed to go up is pretty minimal. The best way to get in without a wait is to visit early or late in the day and not on the weekend. Once you’re at the top of the tower it’s interesting to know that although not as tall as the real Eiffel Tower, you are actually at the same altitude as the real Eiffel Tower.

Snacks on the Hill

Since it was a chilly morning, we couldn’t resist getting a warm treat to heat up our hands. We had seen this circular treated being cooked up all over the city and couldn’t resist trying one for ourselves. Little did we know that this one taste would get us hooked for the rest of the trip. These pastries are called ‘Trdelník’. A Trdelník is a sweet pastry made from rolled dough that is wrapped around a stick, then grilled and topped with sugar or nuts. There is a small coating of sugar and eggs that is applied when it is grilled which results in caramelization of the sugar.

The ones we had on the hill were actually very delicious. A word of note, they are not a traditional Czech treat as many believe it is. The trdelník was first created in the Slovak town of Skalica. The name trdelník comes from “trdlo” (a wooden tool used for pounding materials in a hollowed-out log). They have caught on like wildfire in Prague and sold to tourists falsely as “local treats.” Many of these sellers in Old Town square are overpriced and usually not very tasty. But this one surprised me!

Hall of Mirrors

Beside the Petrin Tower is a small palace-like building, called the Hall of Mirrors. Inside the Mirror Maze, you’ll find just that. A maze full fo mirrors. You’ll bump into a few walls, but it’s an antiquated attraction worth poking your head inside. In the Victorian era, people were obsessed with these types of game rooms. It all was all they had before the days of Instagram and Tiktok.

In addition to the maze, you’ll also find the “Hall of laughter” where you can stand and take your photo in front of a mirror which warps the look of your body into all sorts of funny shapes. Kids get a kid out of this one. Oddly enough, the Maze finished with a lifesize depiction of the Thirty Years War, set on the Charles Bridge in 1648. I can’t tell you why this element was added, but I suppose it leaves the viewer with a piece of history to go alongside all the frivolity.

Cathedral of St. Lawrence

Opposite the Mirror Maze is the amber painted, St Lawrence Cathedral.  The baroque facade and bright colouring make it stand out against the greens and browns of the rest of the park. There are stories that once this was the site of high importance for ancient pagan Slavs which was the destroyed to make room for the new religion. The interior is rather modern but the exterior is still work a long look.

St. Michael Church

Beside St. Lawrence Cathedral is St. Michael Church. A wooden church from the second half of the 17th century. Although I could not go inside, I sat on the cold stone steps and marvelled at this simple church. There wasn’t anything elegant about it or regal, but there was something immensely charming about its quaint appearance.

Seminary Garden

Head down towards Strahov Monastery and walk through the Seminary Garden. The Carmelite monastery gardens once belonged to the archbishop of the seminary in the 18th century, hence its name. There are over 2000 fruit trees and 800 almond trees which spread out across the gardens.  As we walked through the park and out to the gardens we would repeatedly get lost and then found again, over and over as the streets twisted and turned. The weather was crisp and it was a weekday so there was barely anyone out for a walk. We seemed to be the only ones from time to time. It was so romantic, walking hand in hand through these beautiful fruit trees.

When we finally got out to the clearing, we could see far across the gardens and out across the city. It was breathtaking, it seemed so clear like we could see forever. Far in the distance, we could see the dark towers of Prague Cathedral surrounded by the pastel coloured houses of Mala Strana.

Klášterní Pivovar Strahov

Klášterní Pivovar Strahov or The Strahov Brewery was established in the 1600’s, and the monks would work and produce beer to create income their order. Even today you can visit the brewery and drink a glass sitting in their scenic beer garden. We made sure to make a pit stop here before heading to the library. Like all beer in Prague, it is cheap and delicious! And the view is unbeatable, look out over the valley and across to Prague Castle.

Strahov Monastery Library

The Strahov Monastery was first established in 1140. Throughout the years it was destroyed and rebuilt, time after time, war after war. Many of their precious books were stolen, and despite this, every time they rebuilt it, they sought to rebuild their libraries, even grander. Creating a space of importance and preservation for the tomes within. Today, the Monastery and the library stand as a jewel of the Baroque era. Even from afar their bright red-tiled roofs and copper spires, aged to a brilliant teal colour, contrast the grey skies.

Strahov Library

Don’t leave Petrin Hill without a visit to the Strahov Library. The library has three parts which visitors can explore. The Grand Philosophical Hall, The Baroque Theological Hall and the Cabinets of Curiosities. The Grand Philosophical Hall is the jewel of the monastery. Looking from floor to ceiling at this ornately designed library will literally take your breath away. It contains over 42,000 ancient philosophical texts, sprawling along the room like a wave of knowledge.

Petrin Hill is definitely one of the calmer and quieter parts of Prague, so if you’re in town during a high tourist season, an escape out to Petrin Hill will be a welcome rest from all the busy crowds.

The post The Ultimate Walking Tour of Prague’s Peaceful Petrin Hill first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.