Old Town Square

Category: Attractions, Old Town

The square has been Prague’s principal public centre since the 10th century, and was its main marketplace until the beginning of the 20th century. It now caters to both tourists and locals, and is filled with overpriced cafes, numerous pubs and restaurants, tacky souvenir shops, horse-drawn carriages, museums and galleries. However, no amount of commercialism can reduce the loveliness of this urban square.

The town square is a great place to sit outside a pub and enjoy one of Prague’s great beers while taking in the atmosphere of the city. One of the best views is of the pastel-coloured buildings that surround the square.

The Old Town Hall with its Astronomical Clock is situated on the south-west comer of the square. The clock dates all the way back to the year 1410, and tourists can watch the twelve apostles appear every hour from 9am until 9pm. To the east rise the spires of the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, while nearby are the rococo Kinsky Palace and the medieval House at the Stone Bell. At the north-western edge is the baroque St Nicholas Church. At the centre of the square is a monument to Jan Hus, unveiled in 1915 on the 500th anniversary of the martyr’s death.