Page 155 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Prague

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e Faust House double staircase leading up to
Faustův Dům the west front was not added
until the 1770s. On the high
Karlovo náměstí 40, 41. Map 5 B3.
X Karlovo náměstí. v 3, 4, 10, 16, altar, there is a wooden version
18, 22, 24. Closed to the public. of Jan Brokof’s statue of St John
Nepomuk (see p137), which
Prague thrives on legends of stands on the Charles Bridge.
alchemy and pacts with the
devil, and this Baroque mansion t Slavonic
has attracted many. There has
been a house here since the Monastery Emauzy
14th century when it belonged Klášter Na Slovanech-Emauzy
to Prince Václav of Opava, an Vyšehradská 49. Map 5 B3.
alchemist and natural historian. Tel 224 917 662. v 3, 4, 7, 10, 16, 17.
In the 16th century, it was owned Monastery church: Open 11am–
by the alchemist Edward Kelley. 5:30pm Mon–Fri (also Sat in summer;
The chemical experiments of Nov–Mar: to 2pm). 5 10am daily. &
Count Ferdinand Mladota ^ 7 ∑ emauzy.cz
of Solopysky, who owned the Remains of 14th-century wall paintings in
house in the mid-18th century, Both the monastery and its the Slavonic Monastery
gave rise to its association with church were almost destroyed
the legend of Faust. in an American air raid in 1945.
During their reconstruction, the y Botanical Gardens
church was given a pair of mod- Botanická Zahrada
ern reinforced concrete spires. Na slupi 16. Map 5 B3. Tel 221 951
The monastery was founded 879. v 18, 24. Glasshouses:
in 1347 for the Croatian Open 10am–5pm daily (Feb & Mar: to
Benedictines, whose services 4pm; Nov–Jan: to 3:30pm). Gardens:
were held in the Old Slavonic Open Feb–Oct: 10am–7:30pm daily
language, hence its name “Na (Feb, Mar, Sep & Oct: to 6pm). & ^
Slovanech”. In the course of 7 ∑ bz-uk.cz
Prague’s tumultuous religious
history, it has since changed Charles IV founded Prague’s first
hands many times. In 1446, a botanical garden in the 14th
Hussite order was formed here, century. This is a much later
then in 1635, the monastery institution. The university
was acquired by Spanish garden was founded in the
Benedictines. In the 18th Smíchov district in 1775 but
century the complex was given moved here in 1897. The huge
a thorough Baroque treatment, greenhouses date from 1938.
but in 1880, it was taken over Special botanical exhibitions
by some German Benedictines, and shows of exotic birds and
The Baroque façade of Faust House, who rebuilt almost everything tropical fish are often held here.
the site of many legends in Neo-Gothic style. The One star attraction of the
monastery has managed to gardens is the giant water lily,
r Church of St John preserve some historically Victoria cruziana, whose huge
important 14th-century wall
leaves can support a small child.
on the Rock paintings in the cloister, During the summer, it produces
Kostel Sv. Jana Na Skalce though many were damaged dozens of flowers that only
in World War II. survive for a day.
Vyšehradská 49. Map 5 B3. Tel 732 601
378. v 3, 4, 10, 16, 18, 22, 24. Open
for services only. 5 11am Sun (in
German). ^
One of Prague’s smaller Baroque
churches, St John on the Rock
is one of Kilian Ignaz Dientzen-
hofer’s most daring designs.
Its twin square towers are set
at a sharp angle to the church’s
narrow façade and the interior
is based on an octagonal
floorplan. The church was
completed in 1738, but the Entrance to the university’s Botanical Gardens

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