Amazing Buildings And Architecture Of Prague

Prague Is A Visual Delight

We visited Prague for 8 days and were not prepared for the beauty we found. The buildings and architecture of Prague were a constant visual delight. We were in Europe after all, so we expected the older tourist sites to be beautiful. Although we were not sure what more than 40 years of Communist rule might have done to the aesthetics. New tourist sites added another element of beauty to the mix. Sparely used churches still stood proud and decorative through the city.

We never expected that everywhere we looked we would find stunningly artistic buildings. They were decorated with statues, relief work and the sgraffito paintings we would find as we toured the Czech Republic. In the detail we found traditional design and whimsical figures.

The buildings and architecture of Prague were so amazing. Unfortunately it meant that our admiration of other amazing cities on our 6 week Central Europe trip was far more muted that they deserved.

Start With The Old Tourist Sights

No trip to Prague is complete without a visit to the Prague Castle. The castle complex is huge. With the spires of St Vitrus church, it dominates the Prague skyline. When we walked around the castle grounds, we found one after another fascinating buildings. Many were decorated with the sgraffito technique of layered plaster and colour that produced a 3D effect. We saw this sgraffito art everywhere we visited on our trip to the Czech Republic.

The second major building that stood out on the riverfront was the National Theatre. We got our first view from the rooftop of our hotel. When we walked the riverfront or took a river cruise, we saw the National Theatre from many different perspectives. The statues on the top were interesting. But the frescos in the archways on the front were works of art.

The Astrological Clock is a sight that is on most peoples list for Prague. We eagerly headed to the Old Town. Little did we know that the clock was being repaired. We were greeted with the familiar sight of scaffolding. A painting on canvas showed us what we missed.

As we wandered around the Old Town, we found one of the old gates into the town. The Powder Tower was an interesting stop in the day and then again at night.

Everyone said that we needed to walk across the Charles Bridge. At both ends of the bridge we found artistic gothic towers. The bridge itself was decorated with an array of statues.

When we visited the big tourist sites, we got a first taste of the beauty of the buildings and architecture of Prague.

Add In Some Of The Newer Touristic Sights

There were a large number of other tourist sites that we found when we wandered around Prague. We got our first view of the Rudolfinum Concert Hall when we took a Vltava River cruise. We had more time to walk around this interesting Renaissance building after we walked down from a tour of the Prague Castle. It was originally erected as a cultural centre and today houses the Czech Philharmonic and the Gallerie Rudolfinum. Along the top we saw statues of famous musicians.

When we stayed in the Old Tower area of Prague, around the corner from our hotel we found the Municipal House. This was yet another concert venue. Unfortunately we were not able to see a concert here before we left Prague.

Around the corner from our first hotel in Prague, we found the New Town Hall. It was a series of very different buildings, each with its own style. The bell tower stood high on one corner.

If you have seen pictures of Prague, you have probably seen the Dancing House. I know it was one building we looked to find as we walked along the riverfront.

When we continued our visit to the other tourist sites, we got a second taste of the beauty of the buildings and architecture of Prague.

Don’t Miss The Churches

In most cities that we visit in Europe, we find that the churches are beautiful and ornate inside and out. Of course, the most prominent church in Prague was St. Vitrus standing high above the city on the Prague Castle grounds. On our tour of the Prague Castle, we got the opportunity to walk around the outside. And to tour the inside of St. Vitrus. It was a great introduction to the churches of the Czech Republic.

It seemed that “Nicolas” or “Nicholas” was a popular saint in Prague. The St Nicholas church was in the Lesser Town under the castle. With its large green dome, it was a dominant feature in the skyline on that side of the Vltava River. The St Nicolas Church in the Old Town Square was another beautiful church.

As we walked around Prague, we came across many other church buildings. We did not spend much time inside these buildings. But there was an interesting variety in the church buildings.

If you are looking for the beautiful buildings and architecture of Prague, don’t miss a chance to see the churches.

Keep Looking Up Or You Will Miss The Building Facades

The more traditional type of buildings and architecture in Prague were definitely interesting. But we were amazed by how many buildings on otherwise ordinary streets were works of art. We could barely go a block without finding yet one more building to stop and stare at. They were artistic in their entirety!

Make sure you look up at the amazing artistic facades when you are looking for buildings and architecture in Prague.

The Beauty Is In The Detail

While we found so many full buildings that were beautiful, we also looked at the details that adorned so many of the buildings. Artistic carvings of cherubs and angels were everywhere. Faces stared down at us as we walked. Flowers and bees added whimsical touches.

Statues of people were used to decorate many of the buildings. Some were ornate and others were simple lines. Many were Renaissance-style nudes.

We found painted buildings in many colours. Several showed the same sgraffito technique we saw on the Prague Castle.

And we even found the playful statue of Freud hanging by an umbrella over one intersection.

Don’t miss the artistic detail when you look at the buildings and architecture in Prague.

You Will Never Forget The Amazing Buildings And Architecture Of Prague

We will never forget the simply amazing buildings and architecture of Prague. Everywhere we looked we found yet one more gem. Whether it was the older touristic sights or just buildings on everyday streets, there was art. The fine detail that decorated the buildings left me staring so many times.

The beauty of buildings and architecture of Prague on our 8 week stay was so great that other cities we visited on our 6 weeks in Central Europe seemed to pale in comparison. When we reached Budapest, we were a bit jaded and probably missed so much of the architectural detail of that great city. And then we went into Austria and Switzerland. By the time we arrived in Geneva, we had stopped looking at buildings. A shame but also a great reason to return!

Didn’t you just love the buildings and architecture of Prague? Did you have a favourite one?

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