Page 132 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Prague

130  PR A GUE AREA B Y AREA

6 Nerudova Street there are magnificent views
Nerudova Ulice of Prague Castle and the Little
Map 2 D3. X Malostranská. v 12, Quarter. The Vrtba Garden was
20, 22. @ 292. designed by František Maximilián
Kaňka in about 1720. The statues
A picturesque narrow street of Classical gods and stone
leading up to Prague Castle, vases are the work of Matthias
Nerudova is named after the Braun and the paintings in the
poet and journalist Jan Neruda, sala terrena (garden pavilion) in
who wrote many short stories the lower part of the garden are
set in this part of Prague. He by Václav Vavřinec Reiner.
lived in the house called At the
Two Suns (No. 47) between
1845 and 1857. 9 Church of Our
Up until the introduction Lady Victorious
of house numbers in 1770, Italian Street, heart of the former Kostel Panny Marie Vítězné
Prague’s houses were distin­ colony of Italian craftsmen
guished by signs. Nerudova’s Karmelitská 9. Map 2 E4. Tel 257 533
houses have a splendid selec­ allegiance as the cultural 646. v 12, 20, 22. Church: Open
tion of heraldic beasts and section of the Italian embassy. 8:30am–7pm Mon–Sat, 8:30am–8pm
emblems. As you make your The grandest building in the Sun. Museum of the Prague Infant
way up Nerudova’s steep street is the former Lobkowicz Jesus: Open 9:30am–5:30pm Mon–
Sat, 1–6pm Sun. 5 9am & 6pm
slope, look out in particular Palace, now the German (Czech) Mon–Fri, 5pm (English) Thu,
for the Red Eagle (No. 6), the embassy. One of the finest 9am & 6pm (Czech), 5pm (Spanish)
Three Fiddles (No. 12), the Baroque palaces in Prague, it Sat, 10am & 7pm (Czech), noon
Golden Horseshoe (No. 34), has a large oval hall on the (English), 5pm (French), 6pm (Italian)
the Green Lobster (No. 43) ground floor leading out onto Sun. = ∑ pragjesu.info
and the White Swan (No. 49) a magnificent garden. Look out
as well as the Old Pharmacy too for the pretty stucco sign The first Baroque building in
museum (No. 32). on the house called At the Prague was the Church of the
There are also a number of Three Red Roses, dating from Holy Trinity, built for the German
grand Baroque buildings in the early 18th century. Lutherans by Giovanni Maria
the street, including the Thun­ Filippi. It was finished in 1613
Hohenstein Palace (No. 20, but after the Battle of the White
now the Italian embassy) and 8 Vrtba Garden Mountain (see p33), the Catholic
the Morzin Palace (No. 5, the Vrtbovská Zahrada authorities gave the church to
Romanian embassy). The latter Karmelitská 25. Map 2 D4. Tel 272 088 the Carmelites, who rebuilt it
has a façade with two massive 350. X Malostranská. v 12, 20, 22. and renamed it in honour of the
statues of moors (a pun on the Open Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm daily. & victory. The fabric has survived
name Morzin) supporting a ∑ vrtbovska.cz including the portal. Enshrined
semi circular balcony on the first on a marble altar in the right
floor. Another impressive façade Behind Vrtba Palace lies a aisle is a glass case containing
is that of the Church of Our beautiful Baroque garden with the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague
Lady of Unceasing Succour, balustraded terraces. From the (better known by its Italian
the church of the Theatines, highest part of the garden, name – il Bambino di Praga).
an order founded during the
Counter­Reformation.

7 Italian Street
Vlašská Ulice
Map 1 C4. X Malostranská.
v 12, 20, 22. @ 292.
Italian immigrants started to
settle here in the 16th century.
Many were artists or craftsmen
employed to rebuild and redec­
orate the Castle. If you approach
the street from Petřín, on the
left you will see the former Italian
Hospital, a Baroque building with
an arcaded courtyard. Today,
it maintains its traditional The Infant Jesus on the altar of the Church of Our Lady Victorious

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