Page 112 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Prague

110  PR A GUE AREA B Y AREA

rope from a window – prisoners where they landed. Modifications
were often left to starve to death. were carried out in the 1920s by
The story was used by Bedřich Josip Plečnik, who built the Bull
Smetana in his opera Dalibor. The Staircase leading to the Paradise
tower ceased to serve as a prison Garden and the observation
in 1781. Visitors can see part of terrace. Below the terrace, in
the old prison. the former Hartig Garden, is a
Baroque music pavilion designed
by Giovanni Battista Alliprandi.
9 South Gardens Beside it stand four statues of
Jižní Zahrady Classical gods by Antonín Braun.
Prague Castle (access from Old Castle
Old prison in the 15th-century Dalibor Steps, New Castle Steps or Old Royal
Tower, part of the city fortifications Palace). Map 2 D3. X Malostranská.
8 Dalibor Tower v 12, 18, 20, 22. Open Apr–Oct: 10am–
6pm daily (May & Sep: to 7pm; Jun &
Daliborka Jul: to 9pm; Aug: to 8pm). ∑ hrad.cz
Prague Castle, Zlatá ulička. Map 2 E2.
X Malostranská. v 12, 18, 20, 22. The gardens occupy the long
Open 9am–5pm daily (Nov–Mar: to narrow band of land below the
4pm). & ^ ∑ hrad.cz Castle overlooking the Little
Quarter. Several small gardens
This 15th-century tower with have been linked to form what
a conical roof was part of the is now known as the South
fortifications built by King Gardens. The oldest, the Paradise
Vladislav Jagiello (see p29). His Garden (Rajská zahrada), laid out
coat of arms can be seen on in 1562, contains a circular pavil- Alliprandi’s music pavilion in the
the outer wall. The tower also ion built for Emperor Matthias South Gardens
served as a prison and is named in 1617. Its carved wooden
after its first inmate, Dalibor ceiling shows the coloured
of Kozojedy, a young knight emblems of the 39 countries 0 Belvedere
sentenced to death for harbour- of the Habsburg Empire. The Belvedér
ing some outlawed serfs. While Garden on the Ramparts Prague Castle, Royal Garden. Map 2 E1.
awaiting execution, he was kept (Zahrada Na valech) dates from X Malostranská, Hradčanská. v 22
in an underground dungeon, the 19th century. It occupies to Královský Letohrádek. Open 10am–
into which he had to be lowered a former vegetable patch and 6pm Tue–Sun during exhibitions
through a hole in the floor. is famous as the site of the only. & 7
According to legend, while in defenestration of 1618 (see
prison he learnt to play the violin. p107), when two Imperial Built by Ferdinand I for his
People sympathetic to his plight governors were thrown from a beloved wife Anne, the
came to listen to his playing and first-floor window. Two obelisks Belvedere is one of the finest
provided him with food and were subsequently erected by Italian Renaissance buildings
drink, which they lowered on a Ferdinand II to mark the spots north of the Alps. Also known

The Belvedere, Queen Anne’s summer palace in the Royal Garden beside Prague Castle
Prague Castle and the spires of St Vitus’s Cathedral

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