Historic centreSat between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge, Prague’s Old Town Square is a magnificent space surrounded by historic buildings. Its centre is dominated by a monument to religious reformer Jan Hus, whose martyrdom in 1415 sparked the Hussite Wars. Overlooking the square is the city’s main church, the Church of Our Lady before Týn, with its stunning 80 metre Gothic towers lit up spectacularly at night. The Old Town Hall is similarly imposing, and features an astronomical clock installed in 1410 - as with many of Prague’s landmarks, it is the world’s oldest still in operation. In the pavement in front are 27 crosses memorialising the Bohemian rebels beheaded on this spot in the 1621 Old Town Square Execution. From martyrs to marketsAlso found here is the more modest but no less lovely Church of St. Nicholas, a wonderful example of Baroque architecture with a white façade - and still in care of the Hussites to this day. Excellent classical concerts are held here alongside church services.Good street food (and great beers) can be enjoyed all year round, but the square becomes a truly magical place at Easter and Christmas when its medieval-style markets spring up. With stalls surrounding the statue of Jan Hus, the markets attract visitors from all over the world, selling everything from Christmas decorations to traditional Czech cookies, a warm honey liquor called medovina and festive potpourri.

Formerly the Jewish Ghetto, this historic enclave is surrounded by the Old Town.

More boulevard than square, a vibrant and historic area of shops, restaurants, art and architecture.

State birthplaceMunicipal House is a key part of Czech national heritage. It was built on the site of the Royal Court, located on an important trade route and home to Bohemian kings from Wenceslas IV to Vladislaus Jagiellon; the court’s Gothic Powder Tower remains, adjoining the present building. Abandoned after 1485, the old structure was demolished, and the magnificent Art Nouveau hall we see in its place was built between 1905 and 1912. It was here that the 1918 Declaration of Independence, which established the Czech state, was signed.The building’s exterior is lavishly decorated: among many other sculptures, there is a colourful mosaic called Homage to Prague above the entrance, flanked by allegorical sculpture groups representing The Degradation of the People and The Resurrection of the People. A grand evening outInside is a stunning array of opulent halls, restaurants, bars, dining rooms and even a pool hall - most recently restored to their original light fittings and paintwork. Czech Art Nouveau is elegantly combined with oriental, Western and Neo-Renaissance influences; magnificent stained-glass windows further enhance its appearance.Many of the restaurants are open for scenic dining opportunities, including the beer hall Plzenska Restaurace, which serves traditional Czech dishes and Pilsner Urquell, and the French Restaurant, where you can enjoy contemporary cuisine while listening to live jazz.The centrepiece of Municipal House is Smetana Hall, topped by a glass dome and several storeys in height. The home of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, it is a truly magnificent venue with an enormous organ featuring a gilded bronze relief of its namesake, the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana; his compositional style was closely associated with the desire for an independent Czech state. World-class classical concerts continue here to this day.

Museum of Communism is dedicated to presenting an account of the post–World War II Communist regime in Czechoslovakia in general and Prague in particular.