Page 680 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

678  CENTR AL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Malá Strana

Malá Strana (the Little Quarter) is the part of Prague that
has been least affected by recent history. Hardly any new
building has taken place here since the 18th century, and
the quarter is rich in splendid Baroque palaces and churches,
and old houses with attractive signs. Founded as a town in
1257, the area is built on the slopes below the castle, enjoying
magnificent views across the river to the Old Town. The center
of Malá Strana is Little Quarter Square, dominated by the
impressive Church of St. Nicholas.

Fiddles (No. 12), the Golden
Horseshoe (No. 34), the Green Cupola and bell tower of the Church of St.
Lobster (No. 43), and the White Nicholas
Swan (No. 49).
Nerudova Street also has and Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer,
a number of grand Baroque who were responsible for the
buildings, including the greatest examples of Jesuit-
Sign of Jan Neruda’s house, At the Two Thun-Hohenstein Palace (No. 20) influenced Baroque architecture
Suns, 47 Nerudova Street – now the Italian embassy – and in Prague. Neither lived to see
8 Nerudova Street the Morzin Palace (No. 5) – home the completion of the church –
of the Romanian embassy. The
their work was finished in
q Malostranská. v 12, 20, 22. latter has an interesting facade 1761 by Kilian’s son-in-law,
featuring two massive statues Anselmo Lurago.
This narrow picturesque street is of Moors. Among the many works of
named after the 19th-century art inside the church is Franz
writer Jan Neruda, who wrote 9 Church of Palko’s magnificent fresco, The
many short stories set in this part Celebration of the Holy Trinity,
of Prague. He lived in the house St. Nicholas which fills the 50-m- (165-ft-)
known as At the Two Suns (No. Malostranské náměstí. Tel 25 75 34 high dome. A fresco of St. Cecilia,
47) between 1845 and 1857. 215. q Malostranská. v 12, 20, 22. patron saint of music, watches
Before the introduction of Open daily. & ∑ stnicholas.cz over the church’s splendid
house numbers in 1770, the Baroque organ. Built in 1746, it
city’s houses were distinguished Dominating Little Quarter was played by Mozart in 1787.
by signs. Nerudova’s houses Square, at the heart of Malá Another star feature is the ornate
have a splendid selection of Strana, is the Church of St. 18th-century pulpit, lavishly
heraldic beasts and emblems. Nicholas. Begun in 1702, it is adorned with golden cherubs.
Ones to look for in particular are the acknowledged master- The impressive statues of the
the Red Eagle (No. 6), the Three piece of architects Christoph Church Fathers, which stand at
the four corners of the crossing,
are the work of Ignaz Platzer, as
is the statue of St. Nicholas that
graces the high altar.
0 Wallenstein
Palace and Garden
Valdštejnský palác, Valdštejnské
náměstí 4. Tel 25 70 75 707.
q Malostranská. v 12, 18, 20, 22.
State Rooms: Open 10am–5pm
Sat–Sun. Riding schoo:l Open for
exhibitions. 7 Garden: Open
Apr–Oct: daily. ∑ senat.cz
The first large secular building
of the Baroque era in Prague,
this palace was commissioned
by the imperial military
commander Albrecht von
The superbly ornamented Baroque organ in the Church of St. Nicholas Wallenstein (1581–1634).
For hotels and restaurants see p688 and p689

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