Sightseeing

Sazka Arena took up activities on 27 march 2004. President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus cut the tape at about 10.35 p.m. and officially opened the arena. All evening was in token of music, dance, colours and lights. 112 sportsmen came with 150 medals which they had from Olympic games. Famous singers and ice hockey legendary players changed on stage and opened promising future of this wonderful building. Not long after opening, the Ice Hockey World Championship took place in Sazka Arena and more than 400 000 spectators visited ice hockey matches.

As you can see on the websites of Sazka Arena, its capacity is up to 18,000 spectators, 1,500,000 visitors came during a year and for example there are 2,900 places in bars, restaurants and cafés. This huge building has 6 floors and floor space is 35,000 m2.

Sazka Arena is venue for various events in Europe – sports, culture, entertainment, exhibits, fairs and others. There are also big plans for the future. An international hotel, congress centre, shopping and office areas, including a multi-storey car park and extensive public park will be situated on Green Island multipurpose centre. The centre benefits from the great popularity of Prague as a tourist destination and the advantages of easy transport access.

Sazka Arena is located in the northeastern part of Prague, it is about 10 km from the city centre. It is very easy to get there by car or by public transport. For example metro, railway station, tram and bus stops are nearby the arena. You can park your car inside the arena, there are about 280 parking places or there is also multi-storey car park for 1,400 places.

Sazka Arena is definitely worth a visit. Currently you can buy tickets for the world-famous musical Mamma Mia! which will be presented on 10–18 October 2007 for the first time at SAZKA ARENA. This musical has been translated from English into eight languages and more than 30 million viewers has seen the musical since its 1999 debut. You can also see American singer Gwen Stefani who will perform on 20 October 2007 and legendary Joe Cocker, “the father of white soul”, who will perform on 12 December 2007.

To the atmosphere of the capital city belongs essentially the river Vltava. This longest river in our republic is separating the city on two almost same parts, eastern and western. Vltava rises in Sumava, where it is starting as a small babbling stream, which we would hardly find in Prague. After more than one hundred kilometres it becomes huge and respectable flow with smooth and majestic surface. But this shouldn´t calm us with the hope that the Vltava is a rival that doesn´t deserve our respect. Proof of this fact is a flood which repeats regularly, destroying bridges, swamping cellars and ruining buildings. In history a high water was big threat, and even modern times with its all available technologies loses this fight with the nature in the end. The most destructive flood happened in 2002 and some places in Prague are healing from its results up to this day.

Let´s leave this joyless theme and get over to some basic facts. Vltava is starting its way in the southern part of the Prague, then continues almost straight to the north. In the historic centre of Prague, between the Old and New City, with Hradcany on the left, it suddenly turns to the right side. After several kilometres of eastern direction it again vehemently turns back, makes heavy curve and in Troja changes the direction again and continues to the north. It´s interesting to have a look on the Vltava flow on the map, it looks like the „adult“ river wants to gambol a little, to make something unexpected before it leaves the Prague after couple of kilometres, and ends the long way. Near the city of Melnik pours to another czech river Labe. Or Labe pours to the Vltava? Oficially not, but many Prague patriots think so and looks for confirmative facts.

Both sides of the Prague, which is Vltava cutting through, are connected with twenty bridges. On Vltava river are also many islands, swimming and bathing possibilities and other sport activities. Vltava has inspired many world artists to glorious production.

Nice and still not enough appreciated trip point is authentic medieval estate Ladronka. It was built in country baroque style. For long centuries it was used as a farm. The stony construction with strong walls and deep cold cellars was surrounded by fields. Agricultural land was comprising with city development, so the farmhouse was sliding into the centre of Prague.

Before the property relationships were solved, after the change of political regime, for ten years it has been settled by people with nonconformist and alternative life style, it became squat. After long administrative fights has the estate finally a new owner. It is being repaired and slowly gathering the primary glance.

The best way how to reach Ladronka is to take a bus number 174 to the station Vypich from Hradcanska (the underground station on route A). You can find here a restaurant, exhibition hall, also parties are held here.

But the one thing Ladronka is made for these days is sport. Around the estate is a public park with very well maintained route for cycling, and escpecially in-line skating. The route is wide and long, perfect for those who want to spend sporty afternoon here and want to make something good for the figure. Around the route are lights, so you don´t have to worry to skate in evening time. And the others who don´t like skating can simply run near the route on the grass. It is also a very nice place for a picnic on huge grass areas. Come to enjoy some sport activity here and to absorb a little bit of medieval atmosphere.

Gothic Jindrisska Tower (Jindrisska vez) is situated in Jindrisska street which has connected the three important Prague squares – Wenceslas Square, Charles Square and Senovazne Square – since the 14th century. Jindrisska Tower is 67.7 meters high, which makes it the highest separate belfry in Prague.

The tower itself was built in 1472 – 1475 beside the Church of St Henry and Cunigunde (Kostel sv. Jindricha a Kunhuty) and it has undergone several damages caused either by foreign military troops (such se Swedish troops in 1648) or by weather (a big storm broke the high Gothic roof in 1801). The tower clock was added in 1577… (read more)

Maybe you have noticed memorial wreaths when walking around Petrin Hill in Prague lately. They are laid in front of the Memorial of the Victims of Communism. It is a truly magnificent memorial. A sad one, though.

It is a modern memorial, from the year 2002. It contains seven “phases” of a man living in a totalitarian state – from the first statue being a full man, up to the last statue where only a part of him remains. This evaporation represents the gradual physical and psychical destruction of a man who is ruled by any undemocratic regime. The man disappears due to censorship, secret police, no freedom of thoughts and expressions etc.

On huge stairs leading to the statues you can read a line saying the terrible truth: during the years 1948 to 1989, 205 486 people in the back-then Czechoslovakia were found guilty for political reasons, 248 were executed, 4 500 died in prisons, 327 died when trying to run away from the country and 170 938 people emigrated. I think there is even an English version of it on the left side of the memorial.

The memorial is visible all the way from the National Theater although it is located on the other side of the Vltava river. You can reach it by taking trams 6, 9, 12, 20, 22, 23. Station Ujezd.

Standing on one of the bridges before the Charles Bridge or sailing on the Vltava River, you’ll definitely notice Old Town Water Tower (Staromestska vodarna) on the right bank of the river on the place called Novotny Footbridge (Novetneho lavka). Old Town Water Tower used to supply the Old Town’s fountains with water, even though it had to ‘struggle for its existence’ several times during its long history.

The first records about the tower (originally made of wood) date back to the beginning of the 15th century. As the workers in the tower used to use open fire to melt frozen water in the pipes during winter, the tower has been damaged by fire many times. But fire was not the only element the tower had to fight against. The others were floods and icebergs as well as attacks by foreign intruders… (read more

When Charles IV. started to build the New Town in Prague in 1348, he wanted to create a square that would be a dignified equivalent to the Old Town Square – the Charles Square (Karlovo namesti). This place was supposed to be the central place of the New Town. The Charles Square used to be the biggest square in Europe at that time, and it is still the largest square (4.63 ha) in Prague now.

The square got its present name at the 19th century, before that it was called the Cattle Market for large markets selling not only cattle, but also firewood, coal or pickled herrings. In the middle of the square used to stand a wooden tower in which coronation jewels were displayed once a year. In 1393 the tower was replaced by a chapel with a small cemetery. However, the chapel was destroyed in 1784… (read more).

First mention about the New Town Hall in Charles Square dates to 1377, but not much was left from the building from that time. Several parts were added at the beginning of the 15th century, the most noticeable one is the high tower with a big bell and a chapel inside. The wing facing the Charles Square used to contain conference rooms, the wing to the Vodickova street offices and a prison.

The New Town Hall served its original purpose as a seat of the municipal administration until 1784 when the Emperor Josef II. decided to connect the four Prague towns – Old Town, the Lesser Town, Hradcany and the New Town – into one with one town council. After that the New Town Hall was adjusted into a criminal courthouse and a prison with a torture chamber. Many people, especially revolutionaries, were kept here… (read more)

Nerudova street (Nerudova ulice) is a picturesque street leading up to Prague Castle. In this steep street you can find many restaurants, souvenir shops, embassies, but what’s most remarkable about this street are the house signs and the people that lived in that houses. Why house signs? The house numbers were introduced in Prague in 1770. Before that the houses were recognized by their signs and Nerudova street has a vast collection of them.

Nerudova street got its name after a famous Czech poet and journalist Jan Neruda who wrote many short stories about this Prague district. By the way, Pablo Neruda’s name was delivered from the name of this writer. Jan Neruda used to lived in this street between 1849 and 1857. He lived in the house At the Two Suns (no. 47) at the upper part of the street. The house sign belongs among the most beautiful ones… (read more)

This attraction, about which I am going to write, doesn’t actually take place every full hour, but only at noon!! Make sure you don’t miss it while in Prague, because it is a real fun. And what is it? The Changing of the Guards, of course!

Around noon, it is probably the best time for lunch, you may say. And you are right. But once you are in Prague, I think it is much better to wait few more minutes, so you don’t miss all the fun! It is worth it to be hungry for a while, trust me.

So what can be better than eating at noon? Definitely the Changing of the Guards at Prague Castle. Yes, the Guards do change every hour, but only at noon there is this big ceremony.

It is done in a very formal manner. There is a marching band as well! If you want to watch the midday show, make sure you start to take up a position at least ten minutes earlier if you want to have a good view, because it can get really crowded. The best position is by the main entrance to the Castle. But you will find the guards at every entrance to the Castle.

They are supposed to stand still. But as you can imagine, it can be a real burden when everybody watches you and take pictures of you all the time. Some tourists also try to make them laugh. It must be difficult to remain calm. Poor guys! But if you touch them, they can defend themselves, so be careful not to be too rude. Rain or shine they are standing there…

The guards are of course much more than just a tourist attraction. They hold a real machine-guns, and guard the president who has an office in the Castle. But don’t worry, they will let all tourists pass by and even accept all that photo-shooting with them. (See also Part One)