Prague school tour

Prague is one of Europe’s best preserved medieval cities, having been spared the bombing during World War II.

The city of a hundred spires captivates visitors with its heady mix of architectural styles and imposing landmarks, evidence of this city’s rich historical past. Prague is also a cultural mecca, with a plethora of theatres, galleries, museums and concert halls, helping make it one of the most visited destinations in central Europe. Best explored on foot.

History Excursions

Charles Bridge

Prague's most famous bridge crosses the River Vlatva and connects the Old Town with Mala Strana. Built in 1357, Charles Bridge is gothic in style and during its first few hundred years of being, was known as Stone Bridge. Its construction was commissioned by Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, hence its new name. The bridge that used to stand in its place, Judith Bridge, collapsed after a flood in 1342 and so to increase the strength of Charles Bridge, it is reputedly said that egg yolks were mixed in with the mortar. Although, we do not know if the science of the egg yolk mix supports the idea that the bridge is stronger, Charles Bridge withstood the floods of 2002 which were the worst for 500 years, so perhaps they do work!

Hradcany Castle

Hradcany castle is supposedly the biggest medieval castle in the world; with its magnificent buildings and three courtyards it covers an impressive 18 acres and therefore means that any visitor needs to be prepared to do quite a bit of walking. It began as the home of Czech Princes, but later became the seat of the Holy Roman Emperor. At this point (during the mid-fourteenth century), the Royal Palace was rebuilt, the fortifications were reinforced and the building of St. Vitius Cathedral began. Today the Castle is home to the sitting President and has been since the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1818. The castle is a fantastic place to spend at least half a day exploring, and the changing of the guard, which takes place every day at noon, is always worth seeing. Whilst you're there visit St Vitus Cathedral and the Royal Palace.

The Royal palace is the one of the oldest parts of the castle and dates back to 1135. Vladidlav Hall, in the centre of the Palace, has played host to a wide variety of occasions from coronations to jousting tournaments (when the weather was too bad to joust outside). 

St George’s Basilica is also worth a visit. Founded in the 10th Century, it is one of the best preserved examples of a Romanesque church in Prague, although the facade that we see today is of the Baroque period. Inside, are the tombs of Premsyl Royalty and the acoustics provide an excellent venue for classical music.

Close by the Castle is the Golden Lane, named so because of the Goldsmiths that lived there during the seventeenth century. It's an extremely popular destination for tourists because of the tiny colourful houses which are built right into the arches of the Castle walls. It is now the perfect street to complete your souvenir shopping.

St George’s Convent is the oldest convent in Bohemia. It was founded in 973 BC by Prince Boleslav II and was given to the Benedictine order. Boleslav II used the help of his beautiful sister Mlada and several high profile diplomats, who went to Rome to try and persuade the Pope about the necessity of having a Bishopric in Bohemia. Permission was granted and Mlada later became the first abbess of the convent. The convent was abolished in 1782; part of it was converted into accommodation for Priests and the other part served as army barracks. Today it is home to the National Gallery's collection of Bohemian Baroque art.

The Old Town

Uncommon to most 'old' towns, the Old Town in Prague (dating back to the eleventh century) got its name as early as the fourteenth century, when the New Town was built. At the centre of the Old Town is the Old Town Square, the main features of which are the Church of Our Lady of Tyn and the Town Hall. The church was built in 1365 on the site of an earlier Romanesqsue church. Its main features are its 80 metre high steeples and the beautifully decorated entrance way depicting Christ's Passion. The Old Town is especially famous for its medieval and Baroque buildings and the Astronomical Clock, showing the movement of the sun, moon and the signs of the Zodiac.

Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter in Prague dates back to the thirteenth century when the Jewish community were ordered to confine themselves to one small area of Prague and were restricted from participating in certain trades. What we see today, mostly dates back to the period between 1893 and 1913, when the area underwent significant structural change, but most of the important buildings from the previous era were retained. You can still see the impressive Old Jewish Cemetery and six synagogues, including the impressive Old-New Synagogue and the Spanish Synagogue. The Jewish Quarter is often referred to as the Jewish museum and as such requires only one ticket to see all the sights. The Old-New Synagogue is the only building which requires a separate ticket; it is the oldest preserved synagogue in central Europe and was built in the late thirteenth century style - all the interior furnishings are originals and it remains the main house of prayer for Jews who still live in Prague today. Many aspects of the ghetto are intact as Hitler intended it to become a museum to a vanished race. It was also the birthplace of Franz Kafka.

Museum of Communism

The Museum of Communism charts the history of Communism from 1921 to 1989 and the Velvet Revolution, but focuses on the Totalitarian regime which prevailed in Hungary from the coup that took place in February 1948 until the fall of Communism. The theme of the museum is "Communism - the Dream, the Reality and the Nightmare." In order for visitors to understand as best as possible what life was like under the regime, guests are treated to a fully immersive experience: walk into factories, school rooms and interrogation rooms and see what they would have looked and felt like under Communism. 

www.muzeumkomunismu.cz/en

Terezin

Terezin, located 48km North of Prague (outside the city itself), was initially set-up as a garrison town under Emperor Joseph II in the eighteenth century, before it was transformed into a ghetto and concentration camp by Hitler in the 1940s, when the Czech Republic fell under Nazi control.

www.terezin.cz/en

Lidice

Lidice is a memorial to the town that used to stand in its place before Nazi officials razed it to the ground on 10th June 1942, in response to the assassination of a top Nazi official. It is located 19km to the north-west of Prague and has an on-site museum as well as a multi-media exhibition.

www.lidice.eu

Art and Music Excursions back to top

National Gallery

Located in the Sternberg Palace, works include Picasso, Brueghel and Durer. It covers work from Baroque in Bohemia to the Art of the 20th and 21st Centuries. It is open every day, except Mondays, from 10am until 6pm.

www.ngprague.cz/en

Dvorak Museum

Originally, Villa Amerika was the summer palace of Vaclav Michna, but it is now home to a museum dedicated to the Czech Republic’s most famous composer, Antonin Dvorak. Dvorak was born near Prague, which was then part of the Austrian Empire and he became a composer of international renown influenced by Moravian and Bohemian folk music.

Cross Curriculum Excursions back to top

Staropramen Brewery

The Staropramen Brewery dates back to 1869 and is the largest brewery in Prague, the second largest in the Czech Republic, and exports to 37 countries throughout the world. Take a 50 minute tour around the brewery and find out about the art of beer making and how it has changed through the ages.

Bohemia Glass Factory

The Bohemia Glass Factory tour will give you an opportunity to find out about the intricate processes involved in making glass. The glassmaking process has been a long Czech tradition dating from the time of Emperor Rudolph II in the sixteenth century. View the craftsman at work, learn about the process and possibly try glass blowing for yourself.

 

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