This is the star architecture within the Prague castle complex and visible from all over Prague…read more It is worth the tour ticket but it is also quite crowded. The shear amount of gold, tall ceilings, two organs and the silver Tomb of St John of Nepomuck are all stunning. Despite the crowds, you will have plenty of time to walk around

This large cathedral inside Prague castle is celebrated for its Gothic architecture, historical…read moreimportance as a burial site for Bohemian kings, and its role in Czech coronations and housing the Crown Jewels. There's an entry fee to visit. Some free guided tours can get you in to see the organ, but that is under reconstruction at this moment, so it would not be ready until next year.

This is a church called "Our Lady of Victories" in English and it is free to visit. We were on our…read morefirst hike through Malá Strana, the Lesser Quarter, of Prague- gorgeous neighborhood- and we looked up and saw groups of schoolchildren headed in. My husband is Bohemian-American and remembered learning about the Infant of Prague as a child. I'm not religious at all, and tend to avoid churches as they stress me out, but was up to visit to just see the architecture and decoration. There is a statue here that has significance for Catholics, you can Google the story behind that. I was more interested in the absolutely over the top design and decor, wow. Cute souvenir shop on the way out, got a few postcards of the statue in its fancy robes.

ENGLISH NAME: CHURCH OF OUR LADY VICTORIOUS…read more Gorgeous! Came here for mass while I was touring Prague with my sister. We came to see the statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague. It's a wooden statue from the 16th century that supposedly belonged to St. Theresa of Avila. Pope Benedict XVI even came here in 2009 to donate a crown during his apostolic visit. I'm not sure if he's still there but my sister and I were greeted by Father Victor who was super nice and friendly. He gave us prayer cards and a large souvenir photo. Definitely worth a visit if you're a church junkie or interested in some history.

I had seen pictures of this church online and I decided to visit at night when the basilica would…read morebe lit up. I am so glad I did....it was just a beautiful sight. To get there, you must climb about 100 steps from the street level, so save your energy for this climb...it is still a worthwhile effort. The Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul is located in the Vyšehrad fortress area in n Prague. Founded in 1070-1080 by the King Vratislaus II of Bohemia, the Romanesque basilica was rebuilt through the years in Gothic and later in neo-Gothic style. The basilica features an impressive stone mosaic above its entry, and its twin 190 feet (58 m) towers can be seen atop a hill to the south from along the Vltava River.

What a splendid cathedral...if you like Art Nouveau then this spot's your jam!…read more Looking back on my photos, it makes me wish I was there in person examining all the colorful romantic paintings that adorn its walls! Compared to many European cathedrals that are often decorated in more austere or florid styles, it's such a refreshing breath air to see this flowing, softer style represented in religious architecture. There is a comparative abundance of botanical and feminine motifs compared to your traditional story board layouts and patriarchal focus, I appreciated its more modern perspective. Founded by King Vratislav II between 1070-80 as a Romanesque basilica it was damaged in 1249 from a fire, rebuilt in a Gothic style, then again in a Baroque style in the 1720s. The current version constructed between 1887 and 1903 was built in a neo-Gothic style, and was begun by architect Josef Mocker, though altered and completed by František Mikš with pseudo-Gothic towers added at the front of the building in 1902. Surrounding the basilica is Vyšehrad fortress, now a public park (separate review coming later) and behind it is the Vyšehrad cemetery. This is the final resting place of many famous Czechs, including author Karel Čapek and composer Antonín Dvořák. Open to the public, it's worth taking a stroll to admire the myriad gravestones--they exude a peaceful elegance and dignity--and taking a moment of reflection for the ones resting here. It's astonishing (though not altogether surprising given how long they've been around) to see the wide range of artistic styles sculpted and inscribed onto the stones and walls. Inside the church's interior there are remnants from different centuries, both in the architectural details like the Gothic main and side altars, stained glass windows, and artwork--like a Baroque painting depicting the fortress area in 1420. The most prominent displays of art are the richly colored ornamental paintings and tracery by painters František Urban and his wife Marie, added in 1902-3, in the Art Nouveau style of Alphonse Mucha. Tickets are 130 CZK for adults, 70 CZK reduced, 250 CZK for families. The church holds regular masses; for times see their website kkvys.cz What a special treat to visit! Would love to come back again if I go back to Prague.

In a city of a thousand spires, this is an amazing baroque cathedral in Malá Strana. Unfortunately,…read morethe beautiful interiors were covered by scaffoldings for renovations. Mozart played his Mass in C on the beautiful organ in 1787.

Don't forget to make a wish! Definitely a must see, the church's architecture is so beautiful and…read morespecific. Admission is 70kc or with student ID reduces to 50Kc. There's also a gallery on the second floor. The details are just amazing and breathtaking overall. They also hold concerts every Wednesday at 6pm.

Late Gothic Landmark with Limited Hours…read more Peter Parler and Matthias of Arras designed and built this 14th century spired cathedral. It is so interesting how the "face" has been changed with the addition of a building directly in front of the church entry. Climb the Old Town Hall Towers for a better view. Note: There are limited hours for entry. Check the schedule, we were lucky to enter 5 minutes before they closed midday.

Church of Our Lady before Týn is the name of the ridiculously gorgeous Gothic church that stands in…read morePrague's Old Town Square. You've seen pictures before. Despite visiting years ago, it took living here for a month for me to learn its name or explore inside. It wasn't until one of my new friends invited me along for a classical music performance that I became acquainted with it. I heard that it's a rarity to be able to attend a concert in the church, but I also heard the opposite, so I'm not actually sure. Either way, if you have the extra funds and want to experience some local, albeit touristy, culture, be sure to book through Via Musica. The ticket cost me around $38 (935 crowns...NOT cheap!!) but I think it was worth it for a one-time visit. I spent most of the 65-minute concert mesmerized by the church itself. Faces everywhere. Gold everywhere. Intricate designs. Unreal beauty. It was such an amazing experience! It was also cold. Keep in mind it's a very old church. Even though it's indoors, it's not like they have central heating so you'll still feel the elements. Dress appropriately! And be sure to arrive early for a good seat. If you're visiting Prague, don't miss a trip inside this church. Classical concert or not!

This Premonstratensian* monastery lies about 10 minutes walking southwest of Prague Castle, most…read morewell-known today for its library and brewery. (Since the brewery has its own Yelp page I'll review that separately.) If you're visiting Prague for more than a couple days I'd suggest adding this to your itinerary the same day as the castle grounds. Without diving too much into its history I'll just add here the origins of the monastery date back to 1140 as a Romanesque basilica founded by the Catholic bishop of Olomouc, Jindřich Zdík, with the support of the Bohemian monarchy, and built by the brotherhood of Premonstratensians. Over the centuries, and between the various wars, the buildings burned and were reconstructed several times and the theological halls, libraries and brewery were added a few hundred years after its initial founding. The different areas within the complex include the church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Strahov Library with a number of rare medieval manuscripts, maps and globes, the Baroque Theological Hall, the Classical Philosophy Hall decorated with frescoes, and the Strahov Gallery with its collection of lesser known Gothic, Baroque and Rococo paintings. While not a huge complex, and because it's a working monastery and abbey not all areas are open to the public, they did a good job curating the flow of the tour and providing a fair amount of history in the self-guided audio tour. The audio guide comes complimentary with the entrance fee and I listened to most of the recordings. The full walkthrough can take about 1.5 hours. During off-peak season and later during the afternoon (I arrived around 3pm) most of the visitors were part of tour groups or only purchased the first ticket option below, so outside of the main halls and libraries the lower levels were pretty quiet and empty. Tickets can be purchased online or on location in the Church of St. Rochus across the way from the main tourist entrance of Strahov Monastery. Coin lockers (coin returned upon exit,) are also located here, to store larger bags as those are not allowed inside. I believe last entry is an hour prior to closing. There are two types of tickets available, I got the second one since I figured why not, I was there already. 1) entry and self-guided tour to main hall with cabinets of curiosities, library views but no walking into the libraries themselves. This takes about 20-25 minutes to look through. 190 CZK for adults, 90 CZK for children 6-17, seniors 65+ and others that qualify for reduced admission, and 390 CZK for a family ticket. 2) entry and self-guided tour to main hall with cabinets of curiosities, library views, lower level galleries and exhibit on church art and artifacts. 340 CZK for adults, 190 CZK for children 6-17, seniors 65+ and others that qualify for reduced admission, and 690 CZK for a family ticket. Hours are 9:30am-12pm, 12:30-5pm daily though suggest checking their website directly. After visiting the monastery it's worthwhile to drop by the brewery restaurant for a meal and a beer (brewed by the monks)! *yes that's a lot of syllables. And yes I had to google what this meant: a religious order arising from the branch brotherhood originated by St. Augustine and specifically adhere to the precepts established by their founder St. Norbert.

I walked for about 40 minutes from Old Town, crossed St Charles Bridge, and walked all the way to…read moreStrahovsky Monastery so that I can visit the library. When I arrived to the monastery, there's a small entrance in the wall that you have to walk through like a portal that leads into the monastery grounds. I love visiting beautiful libraries, and that was the only draw for me here. At the ticket book, I got a student discount ticket for Strahov Library, only 90 CZK/ $4.30 USD. Got got multiple photos of and in front of the Baroque Library thanks to the help of tourists, and helping other tourists take their pictures for them. You can't enter the libraries, and they're barricaded from people walking in, but you can take photos and videos from the doorway of the the library. There's also interesting artefacts on display that you can take photos of, such as several illustrated manuscripts and books.

Prague Castle is every bit as breathtaking as you imagine. The grandeur of St. Vitus Cathedral, the…read moresweeping views over the city, and the layers of history make it an unforgettable experience. Arrive early, take your time, and simply wander~there's magic around every corner, especially Golden Lane! A must-see when visiting Prague.

We took a guided tour of the castle and it was a great experience…read more The Castle complex is enormous, with an area totaling approximately 753,473 square feet. That makes it the largest ancient castle in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The complex extends down to the Lesser Quarter, or Mala Strana, where several chateaux and palaces are found. Wallenstein Palace, for one, is home to the Czech Senate and includes 26 houses and six gardens. Inside the walls, you can find a cathedral, many museums, the office of the Czech president, the Bohemian Crown Jewels and much more. The complex is expansive and it can take hours to see everything inside.

During the walking tour of Prague, our guide stopped off at the Church of St. James the Greater…read more It's a beautiful church with a lot of interesting history. It wasn't crowded at all, and it only takes a few minutes to walk through. The most memorable stories our guide told us were of Count Vratislav of Mitrovice, the man who was buried alive here accidentally and of the thief who came to steal jewels. Legend has it that as he was climbing the alter, the Virgin Mary statue grabbed his hand, and he hung there until morning. They had to cut his arm to release him, and to this day, his arm hangs in the nave of the church as a reminder to thieves not to steal from the church.