by Michael Kniec: I’ve always had an interest in the historical buildings and learning how a small idea crafted each shape into existence. Every city in the world has something unique within its boundaries, waiting for someone to recognize its existence. Out of the many places to find such marvels, mydestination.com/Prague directed me to the city which seems to hold some of the greatest and most wonderful sights to see. Last summer I managed to convince a friend to go explore the city, looking out for the most recognizable of these structures, and I’ve created a list of the most memorable of the buildings I saw while I was there.
The Cathedral
Beginning at the historical hub, I’ve tried to make my visit on a tight budget, focusing on finding the nicest buildings without spending a dime. For this reason we started with the St. Vitus Cathedral, located in the Prague castle, which was the single building that dominates the entire city skyline. Founded in the 10th century, this gorgeous example of Gothic architecture has some brilliant apses that speak of the cities foundations. Visiting it was completely free, although it was quite a walk to get to it.
Bridging Worlds
Moving through the city, the next most prominent structure in Prague is located on the Vltava River and is known as the Charles Bridge. The most famous bridge in the city, if not the world, it stretches to the 15th century and was up till the 19th century the only way to cross the river. The civil gothic style is complimented by the enormous amount of entertainers and artists that are found performing on it. Over half a kilometer in length, just strolling down its cobble road was pleasurable enough.
The Dancing House
Walking down any of its narrow streets, the tourist is bombarded with beauty of the highest calibre. However, one of the buildings that stands out the most is the Dancing House, located on Rasinovo Nabrezi. Designed by Vlado Milunic, it was completed in 1996 and has a very non-traditional design. The two houses named Fred and Ginger combined Baroque, Art Nouveau, as well as Gothic to produce a moving, nearly dancing, effect.
Taking Out a Book
When visiting unique structures, few think of libraries as the place to visit. Unlike other cities, the National Technical Library is one of the must see sights of Prague. The shape is modern but on a massive scale, combining social as well as practical elements. Having a coffee on its first floor was an incredibly wonderful experience and also quite cheap as it only cost about $2 – I was mesmerized by the blending of the multicolor floor with the concrete walls.
Visiting the Square
Last on my journey was another ancient building, the Wenceslas Square. Located at the heart of the old town, it was the place of the medieval market many years ago. It resembles a rectangle and at the end holds the Czech National Museum, completely free to visit, and has many famous exhibits. The square itself has many interesting sculptures, like the Stallion Ardo, and is a great place to just relax and take in the summer sun.
Author Bio: Michal Kniec
Michal Kniec, after completing a History degree in Canada, decided that a little change of scenery would do him some good and moved across the world to Manchester. Now studying law, he loves to write, cook, and travel as much as possible on this pale blue dot.
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post. Text and pics provided by the author.
